IndAroma

One of the best Indian places i haven been to.
Absolutely amazing paav bhaaji. Really nice curries, they make it spicy if you ask them to.
The chaats here are good aswell.
Good vegetarian options
Pastries here are amazing. Soft and fresh.
Recommended highly for almost anytime of the day.

At first I couldn’t figure this place out. I came here about a year ago I think and picked up some food to go and it was terrible. I couldn’t stand it, but I’m also pretty picky about Indian food. Lately, though, I don’t know if they changed cooks or what, but the food has been pretty wonderful. I love Indian food, and theirs is pretty good. It’s also pretty heavily spiced considering American tastes, so bear that in mind if you decide to get anything here. They don’t understand mild, but I don’t care, it’s all good.
Samosa, Kadhai chicken, chicken curry, naan, and rice — all great stuff!

We ended up catering from here for my sister’s baby shower. We ordered the palak chaat, veggie manchurian, bhel puri, hakka noodles, and samosas. The food was a real hit at the party. We also ordered gulab jamuns and a mango vegan cake. Everyone was raving about how good the cake was. I have been back several times and the food is always good. I would recommend that if you can’t take spicy food, make sure to tell them in advance.

this place is fantastic every time i visit… i make a point to stop in whenever i’m in town.
always love to start with the Pani Puri… so light and tasty and everything on the menu is full of flavor. I think my mouth is watering as i type this out.
Check them out and try their deserts.

I am definitely a fan! The atmosphere is very low key, more like a café rather than a restaurant. However, the do serve Taj beer :-) We had several dishes and they were all very delicious. I also was given a mango cake from here for Christmas and that was so fresh and tasty. In addition everyone who worked there was very friendly.

So as soon as we entered we were a little confused whether or not we would be seated or if it’s one of those places where you order and get your own food. This was our first time there. But we soon realized that there was a big menu on the back of the wall and that’s where we are supposed to order. Straight of the bat I realized that their orders came in small portions. For example in many Indian restaurants usually most of the food is shareable. Especially the naan, here when you order naan it only comes with just a single naan, which I was disappointed by. What I was really impressed by however was the Chaat Papdi. Way better than any chaat I’ve tried from the DMV area. Other than that I thought the food was good– but nothing extraordinary. I did like the atmosphere though. Will return just for the chaat alone and I’m interested in trying either the pani puri or biryani next time.

Falafel wrap was heavenly and their chicken tikka masala even more! We strongly recommend this place!

After reading so many raving reviews I decided to try this place and it was descent. I expected more but I was satisfied with it being a casual, no table clothes, hardly any service. I guess I don’t mind going to the counter and ordering food that pleasantly delicious.
I went in thinking that food prices were much, cheaper than comparable restaurants and while it is true that the menu items are less expensive, it is also true that the food quantity is also much smaller. I guess you get what you pay.
Will definitely comeback if I have to make the trip to Home Depot.

Was really pleasantly surprised! This restaurant is located in a shopping center but the food is lowkey delicious! You can even order wine (which is slightly over priced because it’s a cheap brand) but it’s definitely drinkable! I ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and it came with rice and a salad. I also ordered the butter Naan and it was good.
Not bad for a takeout spot!
Also there is a bakery side and all the cakes look AMAZING!

What a surprise — a strip-​mall storefront café/​bakery with terrific Indian food and even a drinkable glass of white wine (or a cole beer, if that’s your thing) — at a price that would put most local joints to shame.
One of the mysteries of Northern Virginia is why, in so many cases, the relatively few subcontinental places are either dreary or wildly overpriced. When it comes to solid, well-​spiced curries at we-​can-​eat-​there-​once-​a-​week rates, I can now add IndAroma to a list that until now basically started and finished with the excellent Namaste down in Springfield.
Granted, IndAroma’s not fancy: you order at a counter and set up your own table. The lighting is bright, and you never quite forget that you’re not really at a «proper» restaurant. That said, it’s worth it for the lively, deeply flavored sauces, the delicious tandoori, and the fresh, inventive chaats. It’s nice, too, that every entrée comes with a side of fresh mesclun (with a fab mango dressing).
On a recent visit we tried the butter chicken, a vegetable curry, and the fish malabar, along with a spinach chaat to start. None disappointed, and with a lassi and a glass of wine the bill came to a remarkable $ 50. We have a new destination, as well as a new takeaway favorite — and I also plan to look into their catering when it comes time for holiday parties.

«I don’t like it. I love it!» I’ve ordered takeout from here about four times now and it has not yet disappointed, even when I’ve been nervous about branching out to other dishes on the menu. This place reminds me of the delicious food I had in London. I am withholding a star because they are a bit skimpy with the shrimpy (sorry, I had to) in the Shrimp Malabar. They gave me six very regular sized shrimp. I would understand if these were some big old prawn, but they were just wimpy regular sized shrimp. They weren’t, however, joking when they said that they were going to make it spicy. I loved every sweat inducing bite.
The Chaat Papdi was spicy and fun snack. The Chicken Khadi knocked my socks off. It made me forget about my beloved Lamb Vinadloo that I was sad wasn’t on the menu. Their Chana Masala is so flavorful and satisfying. And, the Lamb Seekh Kabob is so well seasoned and just wonderful. We did wish it came with rice, but that’s a minor want.
You can’t go wrong here. I can’t wait to keep trying different items from the menu.

My hubby discovered this place through a coworker and he fell in love immediately. Ok maybe that’s a little exaggerated but he liked the food a lot, he’s been going about twice a week.
So, I finally got to try it today and oh my! I fell in love as well!!! The butter chicken! It was sooooo good that I think i could eat it everyday! Yes! Everyday! Maybe for one straight week then I’ll have their lamb biryani for another straight week and just go back and forth between the two! Lol
Try the mango lassi too cuz it was awesome!
TIP:
A driver and a pillow is a must have because after ingesting a whole bunch of great Indian food, you will definitely want to just snooze your whole way home. Remember tryptophan anyone???

As an Indian, I dread going to Indian restaurants in Washington DC. They inevitably let me down with their predictable and narrowly-​interpreted menus and their lack-​luster and inconsistent cooking.
Don’t raise your «Rasika?» eyebrows at me. With its pompous brand and haughty brand of Washington haute cuisine it’s not getting my love. Indique has been too flaky, and who wants to ride the red line anyway?! Heritage? Ho hum.
Where to go for the right blend of inventive menu, authentic cooking, and fine plating that I can’t get at home?
Do as I did, exit Washington DC, and go a few miles on a speedway into Annandale VA where you’ll find this elegant gem of a café, which bothers to offer a range of items prepared with obvious care and flair.
I had their chicken manchurian puff and their aam palak chaat… both spin-​offs on traditional Indian «snacks» as we call them. The plating was elegant-​casual. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you. Both snacks were really perfectly put together with the right texture and right crunch. I felt like I had hit the perfect spot of great cooking in a setting which was both casual and aesthetically pleasing.
You know they are doing something right, when you are surrounded by Indian families. The offerings here hold a torch to the best Indian restaurants in the U.K. tradition – minus the pomp and fanfare of Rasika. My cousin is a chef at a five star hotel chain in Chennai, and I am sure he would be pleased with the job they are doing. I’ve finally found a spot in the DMV that I would be proud to take someone to showcase «Indian» food.

Yum!
I’ve been here a few times for lunch. There is quite a bit of indoor seating but this place can get really packed during lunch and it may be difficult to find a seat. I suggest coming early or placing your order to go. Employees are quick and friendly enough. There is no server here, just place your order and once it’s ready the food is brought to your table.
The prices here are OK, some items are a bit pricier while others are very reasonable. We’ve tasted a couple of different items on our visits and it’s all very delicious. I like the portions here and their curry dishes come with basmati rice and a side salad. You will leave full. The flavors are all there, I especially enjoy their vegetarian dishes. Their fresh naan and biryani’s are excellent too.
One dish that was not what I expected was their Kabob Platter. We thought it would be pieces of meat that just came out of the tandoor (clay oven), but instead it was pieces of meat mixed in a light curry sauce. Maybe that’s how they prepare their Kabob Platter? Their Falooda is not the best, it was small and overpriced. There weren’t a whole lot of goodies inside of it either. I’d go somewhere else for that. IndAroma makes delicious baked goods though. I love the flavor and consistency of their cakes. I appreciate that they sell them by the slice, so you can sample different kinds.
Super close to one of the clinic’s I work at, which is always a plus.

Some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had in my life. I would rank IndAroma right up there with Rasika. The food is fresh, high quality, and bursting with flavor. I was particularly impressed with the shrimp dishes because the shrimp were quite large and clearly fresh. The tandoori chicken was moist and delicious. I can’t wait to come back and try everything on the menu! Prices are reasonable, and I love that they have some fun «Delhi street food» items on the menu that I’d never tried before.
They also have a bakery case with lots of traditional pastries (eclairs, napoleons, cakes, etc.). Usually I’m weird about mixing cultures in one meal, but I’m glad that I did because the desserts were awesome. Don’t worry, there’s no curry aroma in the cakes.

Random Wednesday evening errand run made better by a trip to IndAroma. The décor is clean and approachable, you order at the register and are given a number with a name of an Indian Providence. I asked the person at the register for recommendations, he said the Butter Chicken is what makes them famous.
What I liked:
— Naan was served hot and crispy (I tried garlic)
— Vegetable Samosa’s are fresh (not frozen) and warmed slightly in the microwave by the person working the register.
— Chicken Tandoori Kabob was mostly white meat (juicy, un-​skewed and grill direct to table)
— Free water (they offer filled bottles and have cups cleaned and waiting on a self-​serve shelf)
— Side salad with orange colored (and flavored) salad dressing (sweet and tangy with the mixed greens)
— All food combinations were group by their region of origin
What I didn’t like:
— No soap in the men’s restroom (per my better half)
— The tables aren’t immediately bused and cleaned (they run a minimal staff where the person at the register takes your order, takes phone orders and buses the tables).
They’ve got a great business model (low overhead) and also offer bakery and catering options. The employees were very conscientious and attentive despite their multiple duties. The patrons were lone/​single diners to dating couples to extended families with 8 or more (including younger children). I look forward to a return visit to try more of the menu.

Downgrade: The past THREE times I came here, there have been serious issues. I stopped coming for about a month, after they had messed up my order, and I had to drive back to the restaurant. I don’t live close and I have a baby who will fight for 20 minutes to escape being put into the car seat, so I avoided the place because I can’t afford to waste that kind of money (gas) and energy.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I went there and they didn’t include my samosas. What!?? Thank goodness I knew to check before I got far, but wow. Anyway, I stopped at IndAroma the other day because I was in the area. I decided to just go to Menchie’s because IndAroma is so unpredictable, but I couldn’t pass it! I went in an ordered a kati roll and almost immediately realized I had ordered the wrong one. The cashier said I could change it, cool. Waited for the line to die down, and asked about a refund for the price difference since what I changed my order to was less expensive. She said she can’t process refunds… something about the manager not being there. No apologies… just «no refund»…and I had to ask about it. I’m sure if I had changed my order to something more expensive, they would have made me pay for that.
So, the recent price hikes, paired with bad service/​no refunds/​missing food every visit, means I need to find a new restaurant. It’s sad because I enjoy their food.

Will C. and I were turned away by two Indian restaurants around the area because we neglected to make a reservation for Valentine’s Day dinner (oops!). We thought if we aimed to eat dinner around 5:30pm, we’d avoid the crowd. WRONG! I live about 5 minutes away from IndAroma and I’m so mad at myself for walking past it without giving it a chance. Due the positive reviews of some Unilocalers, we crossed our fingers and hoped that we could still get our Indian fix on Valentine’s Day.
I was hangry — seriously, I was about to order half the menu, but the samosa chaat caught my eye. It was quite good — refreshing, spicy, and tangy. We also ordered the chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi (both medium-​level spiciness), and garlic naan. All were decently delicious considering the fact that we paid about ~$ 30 for the entire meal. Both entrees came with a side of rice and a small salad. The chicken tikka masala and aloo gobi were flavorful with just the right amount of spice. I can’t say it’s the best I’ve had, but for $ 30 I have noooo complaints whatsoever. Oh, and as expected the naan was moist, chewy, and
I prefer eating my Indian food family style as opposed to the individualized portions that IndAroma offers, but after my initial visit I am definitely going to be a regular here!

Valentine’s day dinner could have been a disaster this year but luckily IndAroma saved me. We wanted to try out Bollywood Bistro but they were not taking people who did not have reservations. They have approximately 10 tables available to dine in. Since it was Valentine’s day the tables were all full. IndAroma is not the typical Indian restaurant, it does not have waiter service the service resembles Panera.
Alexis K and I started off with the samosa chatt, for our entrees we got the chicken tikka masala and aloo gobhi matar both in medium spice and naan. The samosa chatt was average, the sauce drizzled on top of it was a bit overwhelming and too sweet for my taste. Next time I will get the chatt that everyone on Unilocal recommends. The food here is served with rice, a side salad and your entrée. The chicken tikka masala was decent and the aloo gobhi was a bit too greasy. The food is not bad considering it is not an actual restaurant and is more of a casual place. The reason they get a four star review is the amount of food they give is excellent considering the price you pay. I love rice but this place doesn’t give you as much rice as I would like but the actual entrée comes with a lot!
I will definitely be back to try out their other items on the menu. I enjoy the casual Indian dining experience here but I still prefer a sit down restaurant. If I am in a rush and want to get my Indian fix on I will come here without hesitation. Great bargain for decent Indian food!

DMV area really does Indian food well. I think I’ve incurred more Indian food in the last two years than my entire life put together… TIMES 10!
I’ve heard about this place from fellow Unilocaler Cathy H. and have had it bookmarked for awhile. Inexpensive and delicious, I would come back here quite often.
I ordered a number of dishes on my trip here PLUS some to go to last me my work week: Chicken Tikka Masala, Shrimp Tikka Masala, Seafood Curry, Palak Chaat, Naan Bread, Pupusas.
I had the latter three and the Shrimp Tikka Masala at the restaurant. All very good. I’ve never been much into the pupusas (hah! the name makes me giggle [ yes, I can be 5 years old sometimes]), the garlic naan bread was AMAZING (have this right away), Palak Chaat was very good but I would go and share this. It can be very rich and really can’t have the whole dish to myself. And the SHRIMP Tikka Masala. OH THE TIKKA MASALA (eyes roll to the back of the head). creamy, spicy, flavorful and delicious. I loved it.
The Tikka Masala and the curries all taste very similar just a different meat in them. These dishes can get very rich so eat in moderation. BUT that moderation part is hard when it’s sprawled in front of you. EAT WITH CAUTION!
mmMMmM Love this place!