Dancing Elephant

Best Indian food I’ve had in the U.S. Everything looks and tastes so fresh and authentic, I wish I could eat there everyday. We went as a family and tried a variety of dishes, so I feel as though we got a good sampling. I can’t wait to go back and taste other things! The chicken lababdar is seasoned beautifully, the lamb kebab is tender (and the portions of both of these are really generous). The crust on the samosas is flaky, not greasy, with a really savory filling (sometimes samosas are just packed with potato and not much else, but not these), and my daughter believes that an Indian restaurant’s coconut soup is its litmus test: this one passes with flying colors. It’s not too sweet (and not made from a paste concentrate as you’ll find at other places).
The Waterville area finally has a go-​to restaurant. It’s not just the area’s best Indian restaurant, it’s the area’s best restaurant, period.

EDITED: I take away what I said about not enough portions it’s actually plenty when you mix and match everything. It doesn’t seem like much to the eye but it’s very filling and so darn good.
First time ever having Indian food. It was amazing and full of flavor… Only one complaint and that’s the portion sizes are on the small side for the price. I had 50 dollars worth delivered and it was a shockingly small amount of food for the price. I will order again however I just didn’t think it was fair for the price.
Great job on the food you guys it was awesome can’t wait to try it again.

Much better choice for Indian them the one in downtown Waterville. Nice décor. We had a biriyani and the lamb rogan josh. Only strange thing was that the naan came before the meal so it was cold by the time we wanted to mop up the sauces.

Finally the Dancing Elephant has arrived in Fairfield ! I have been waiting for over a year for this Indian restaurant to open and I am happy to say it was worth the wait. I usually make it a rule to avoid any restaurant that has just opened for at least the first month. I don’t think its fair to judge a place in its infant stages, but i was in the area and have waited so long for the Dancing Elephant to open that I just couldn’t resist stopping in. Things started badly when I couldn’t get a Taj Mahal beer. They actually only had 4 beers available from the entire menu. I got over that though when the food arrived. This also took a bit of time but the place was full and the waitress warned me that because of my menu selections it may take a little longer to get my food. She was correct. We skipped over the appetizers for this meal because having never been here we were not sure how big the portions may be. We did have the almost mandatory Indian staple of Naan bread but changed it up a bit and ordered it stuffed with spinach, potatoes and peas. It was mild spiced, pillowy and delicious especially when dipped in the condiments that its served with. We also ordered a side of yogurt Raita which was equally perfect for bread dipping. For the entrees we decided to try two items that neither my wife and I have ever had. First up was Chicken Dansak, chicken thighs sauteed with lentils, ginger, garlic onions and some other exotic spices. This was very flavorful and good. The lentils were al dente and the chicken moist. Although i ordered it medium spiced it was actually pretty mild which was fine. The winner of the night for me though was the Botti Kebab, which has boneless marinated lamb pieces with peppers and onions that are barbecued over charcoal. I just love the flavor of charcoal BBQ and combined with the Indian tandoori spices and lamb it was just amazing and is now one my new Indian favorites that im sure I will have time and time again. All of this is served with the basic Basmati Rice that is perfect to soak up the sauces. We finished off our meal with some hot balls. They are actually called Gulab Jamon but hot balls is easier and much funnier to say. The hot balls are made of some sort of Indian cheese and are dense. The consistency is somewhere between a doughnut and a sponge cake. They are absolutely drenched in rose and honey water and are tantalizingly sweet. I have had them as cold balls at other Indian restaurants but having them hot is the way to go as they are much more moist. The price tag was a little high (coming in at just over 50.00) but they do have a buffet at lunch which is less expensive and also a coupon on their website which i will use to save some money on my next visit. I will absolutely return soon. The Dancing Elephant did not let me down and lived up to its long awaited arrival. 4 stars.

I’ve been waiting for this place to open for over a year. Today (11−16−15) is their 4^th day. I see several reviews for old location where I have never been and closed. Only one Unilocal review (by Samantha) for here and 5-​star two days ago, I agree. Well this place is very «clean and new» but only diner feel, nothing special in ambiance, but that’s fine as service is so friendly and polite. Breads excellent, both Roti and Nan tried. Chicken vindaloo I asked for hot and «very hot» which was also option which I am glad I opted out of. Peppers used here are jalapeños and red chili powder. «Hot» is perfect for my palette. I’ll be back tomorrow as this is only restaurant in Fairfield with alcohol other than Purple Cow and excellent spicy traditional Indian fare. The red onion chutney is very good, fresh and crunchy with just a little spice, bright red from food dye which I’ve never understood why. It’s pink occasionally in other restaurants and tastes the same if fresh. Seems like it’s easy to mix ketchup and onions, but especially good here.

Owned by the nicest people who serve excellent food!

The food was good but the place was dead– we went Saturday for lunch. I bet it would be fun with a bunch more people.

All I can say is awesome, I have gone to this establishment for years and have had only sight disappointment and that was due to the place being busy.
The staff are kind and accommodating. The proprietor Iqbal is also very attentive to customer needs and observations. Anytime we have had even the slightest issue he or his staff have sorted things out quickly.
In regard to the food as this is the heart of what were reviewing it is all excellent. Frankly I’m a firm believer that a dish should be served as the chef intends however not everyone has the same tastes in regard to spice and seasoning. Dancing Elephant accommodates to your tastes.
Dishes of note:
Starters:
Chef’s Vegetarian Choice — Sampler Platter with Samosa, Pakora, Aloo Tikki and Pappadam (sampler) great intro
Soup: Mulligatawny Soup — excellent flavorful — lentil, tomato and chicken broth soup
Mains:
Takka Saag — Boneless Chicken Breast in Spinach Cream Sauce — Excellent!
Lamb Curry — Lamb Cooked in Onion, Tomatoes, Herbs and Spices — Awesome!
Lamb Roghan Josh — Lamb with Ginger, Garlic, Coconut Flakes and a Balanced Creamy Sauce. — If you like a touch of sweetness this is for you!
Channa Masal — Chickpeas Steamed w/​Tomatoes, Ginger, Garlic, Onion and Spices. I get this every where. I think an Indian food restaurant can be judged on this alone. — Awesome!
Drinks: Bar, Beer, Tea and everything in between
For Indian Cuisine go to the Dancing Elephant — Westbrook Maine

I always get the same entrée here, the Malai Kofta. It is not traditionally a spicy dish, but they appease my lust for additional heat most of the time. It alternates from exactly what I want/​expect/​request, with just the right amount of oomph, that complements the flavor, to being what I consider a perfectly edible dish, but blasé, although as a spice lover that is a personal assessment. My less spicy oriented companions say it’s just right in those cases. I also typically go for garlic nan and masala tea which are both delish.
The last visit was the off night, while this evening was JUST right!
The staff have always been courteous and efficient and the owner, when on premises, makes a point to check in on the patrons, which I appreciate!
Four instead of five, only because of the slight inconsistencies in food prep from the times that I’ve come here, which is really going to be dependent on the person in the kitchen and what they consider spicy or not,

First, let me start by saying we were fans until they completely dropped the ball (service wise) on more than one occasion. The food is good — not the best, but good. The staff is nice, which is why it’s hard to believe they would provide such horrible service.
Our first experience, we show up, the place is empty, I mean there were 3 people in the entire place, myself, my girl, and the waitress. We sat there for like 10 minutes thinking she’d come over and offer tea, water, whatever. No! We waived her over and asked to be served, yada, yada, yada.
The next time a younger server took our order — seemed nice enough, but again, super slow service, especially since we were 1 of 4 couples in the place! Some might ask, why would you continue to go back? Westbrook isn’t exactly a hotspot for local Indian food. We have one decent restaurant in the area and it’s Thai food.
However, I digress. Last Friday we called in our usual order. We show up and wait 30 minutes! We finally ask, what’s the status with our order? The lady says it was never put in. So we left. I called and spoke with the same lady. Asked to speak with the manager — she took my number and told me he’d call back. 4 days later, no call.
So, as much as it pains me to write a bad review about a local establishment, I have no choice, but to do so in this case. We’ve given them multiple shots to redeem themselves and they still have yet to make it right. Therefore, we will now drive 10 miles out of the way to get out Indian food fix. What a shame!

It’s so great that when I’m craving Indian; I don’t have to go all the way to Portland. The food here is amazing and well worth any wait time. All food is fresh and made to order. Sometimes we had to wait a long while but all in all the food made it worth it.
I have had the following great tasting foods;
Chicken Tikka Masala
Lamb Vindaloo
Many forms of Naan
Chicken Tikka
Samosa

Really good lunch with great service. My only complaint is that the prices were inaccurate on the menu. This wasn’t explained until my lunch companion asked about the discrepancy, and we were told the menus are out-​of-​date. The difference of a few dollars wasn’t a big deal, but it did feel a bit deceptive to not have accurate information when we ordered.

Excellent meal here the other night. The Samosas were some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Main course was Chicken Makhrana (sp?) which was very good. Good quality chicken used.
Pleasant, efficient service too, and a reasonable pricetag.
I’ve gotten take-​out from here before, but this was the first time I’ve eaten in — will definitely return — best eat-​in Indian I’ve had in the Portland area — 4 ½ stars

We are big fans of Indian food and were very pleased with the Dancing Elephant. My husband and I both ordered the Chicken Korma and the garlic naan. The korma had a little spice, but it wasn’t too overwhelming. The naan was quite good as well.
We’ve been back a couple of times with my in-​laws, who are more adventuresome in their orders. Everything they have ordered has been excellent. The Labador Chicken was especially tasty. We will definitely be back.

It’s always nice to get outside of the Portland scene, even if that’s just a few minutes away. Seriously craving good Indian food, my friend and I decided to check out the Dancing Elephant in Westbrook, because we had both heard great things about it (both on and offline).
Service (⁴⁄₅):
The service was — at the same time — both amazing and annoying. My friend and I had been talking for quite a while because we hadn’t seen each other in a spell. Who I can only image is the (moderately disheveled looking) owner came over multiple times to see if we were ready to order. On the third time he patiently asked if we were new to Indian food — he seemed genuinely interested in helping us if we were. I really liked this thoughtfulness he first displayed! We weren’t, and eventually placed our order. The only other employee working that night — a young man (the chef) — came over to our table, because my friend has an extremely high-​maintenance diet and in the end couldn’t order anything off the menu. «Can you make me something gluten-​free, carb-​free, vegetarian, and without onions? I’m deathly allergic to them,» was the crux of what she told him. He looked completely taken aback (FYI: apparently, almost every dish at Dancing Elephant has onions in it in some way, shape or form), but smiled warmly and accepted the challenge (making her a unique curry of some kind). When our food was ready, he personally brought it to her and had her sample it before going back to the kitchen because he wanted to make sure she liked it and would eat it. Pretty awesome, right? On the other hand, what wasn’t so awesome was the owner refused to fill up our water glasses (which are REALLY SMALL here). And the one time he did, he angrily slammed them back down onto the table. Didn’t really like that part… maybe next time I come here, I’ll bring my Nalgene with me. Also both the owner and the chef kept disappearing. There were several times (and we’re talking 15 to 25 minute stretches) when my friend and I were literally the only people in the front of the house… kind of weird, to be honest.
Food (⁵⁄₅):
Honestly? This is some of the best Indian food I’ve had in Maine.
— Pappadam (spiced baked lentil wafers) for $ 3.50 — this came in a basket with four large pappadams. They were the perfect appetizer — crispy and flavorful (especially when slathered with one of the three condiments that made their way to our tables). They don’t look like a lot, but if you break them off and eat them in pieces… it really makes for an ideal app. It «wets the whistle» and leaves you wanteing more, without overstuffing you!
— Saag Paneer (lightly seasons spinach in a blend og cream sauce, homemade cottage cheese, and spices) for $ 11.95. Like latte’s at coffee shops, saag paneer is my go-​to dish and how I judge every Indian restaurant. Dancing Elephant’s is divine! The spinach wasn’t overly spinachy (you know how it sometimes gets a weird smell when it a) hasn’t been cooked right, or b) old), but prepared in a creamy, melt-​in-​your-​mouth kind of way. The cheese cubes were enormous and «meaty» in texture and firmness, while still delicate in flavor. Scooped onto giant mounds of rice, I couldn’t have asked for a more satiating, satisfying meal! My only regret? Not getting any mango chutney. But I’ll be back… oh yes, I’ll be back (with a water bottle, that is).

Not my first review of this restaurant, and certainly not my first visit here. I’ve given this a pretty positive review in the past, and I continue to enjoy coming here. One of the reasons is that they do a pretty darn good job with the food. The other is the entertainment value of what the well intentioned but otherwise borderline inept wait service might forget next.
Several times in the past, they’ve forgotten to bring our appetizers, jumping straight to the entrée then sheepishly apologizing when the snafu is pointed out to them. This time, our strategy was to order the appetizer first, and not until it comes do we order the entrees and the Nan. Of course, when half way through our entrees my wife suddenly remembered that they forgot our Nan, I just cracked up.
They couldn’t be nicer or more humble about their service, but it’s not their strong suit. The food is. We’ll keep coming back. A little laughter is good for the soul.

The food is okay for this open spaced restaurant in downtown, sleepy little Westbrook, but it runs on the better side. It runs a bit pricey than one might expect but not really gougingly so. The service leaves a lot to be desired, particularly if the owner is waiting on you. :(

I had never had Indian food prior to my visit to the Dancing Elephant. I was a bit nervous by checking the menu out online of what I should order, and what would be recommended. Luckily I went with friends who deem themselves regulars to this restaurant. We started with an assortment of naan breads and toppings. These were fantastic. Next my friends pointed me in the right direction of what a «beginner» should order as an entrée and selected the chicken tikka masala. I was very pleased they chose this selection for me. It was very good! I like how each diner gets their own «crock» and everyone shares the rice. This allows you to choose how little or much you want at one time. You can also choose the spiciness — I chose mild and that was plenty spicy for my liking.
I was very impressed by the renovation the owners did to to the place, giving it a modern, comfortable look and feel. I also have heard great reviews about the lunch buffet they have — this would be a great time to try out more of their sauces to get a better idea of what I like and do not care for as much. Over all I was very impressed and and glad to have such a cool place to eat in Westbrook!

Finally got a chance to try out this new (and only) Indian restaurant in my very own little Westbrook.
We went in for dinner on a Thursday night with the kids. When we first got there we were the only ones there, but soon about four other groups trickled in. The place looked great, and they had Bollywood dancing up on the tv, which my daughter enjoyed.
After ordering, our food came out at a great pace, with everything super hot and fresh. Our first arrival was an order of Pakoras. They were hot, crispy and delicious, served with a tasty trio of chutneys. They were devoured in seconds. I also got a Mango Lassi, which was excellent.
Our garlic Naan came next, and it was also hot and extremely fresh, crispy and soft in all the right places, covered in garlic and sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Each of us got a different entrée — Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken Chilly, Shrimp Saag and a Lamb curry dish with pickles (can’t recall the name right now). We got a range of heat from mild to «bring it». Be forewarned, when you ask for heat, you WILL receive — even asking for medium gives you a good amount of heat. All of the entrees were presented very nicely in silver bowls with a large bowl of white rice for the table, which they happily refilled when needed. The portion size was great, and we all had leftovers.
All of the dishes were great, but the real star was the Chicken Chilly. Nothing like an American chili, this featured some really complex flavors in a tomato base chock full of tender chicken, onions and peppers.
We will definitely be back as soon as we can. I’m really excited to have such a great Indian place right down the road here in Westbrook.

I work next door to this restaurant so I’ve seen the progression from opening day to now. It’s come a long ways and currently I’d give my highest recommendation.
The atmosphere is much nicer than you’d imagine for an Indian restaurant in Westbrook. It’ has a classy, large interior that almost has a lounge vibe. There’s a beautiful bar area with a tv and very cheap drink specials. The selection of beer is perfect and the mixed drinks are strong.
The food, as a whole, is excellent. A group of us go weekly for the $ 9 lunch buffet, which usually consists of Chicken Tikka Marsala, a second rotating entrée dish, several sides, a soup, and Naan. It’s some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had. The owner is extremely nice and is very eager to please. He even handled a work function of 30 of us with ease (and won about 25 new customers from it). The service as a whole is the biggest improvement from when this place opened. It’s one of the stronger aspects of the restaurant now.
The atmosphere, food and service are great at this restaurant so please give it a try, I really want it to succeed!