Ambrosia India Bistro

Best food and service I had all week in California. Lovely outdoor garden area and indoor dining. I ordered the Chicken and Vegetable Biryani and it was delightful - the rice was fragrant and light and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. I knew we were in the right place as I realized that half the room were large tables of Indian families. Reasonably priced and I would trust anything on the menu.

Very beautiful place, specially the outdoor area.
If you are not driving, you can taste the Indian beer Taj Mahal.
The menu is not too tuned for vegetarian people as other Indian restaurants I have seen, but it is possible to have a decent meal, with all nutrients.

We went for dinner on a Saturday evening on reading that they have a separate vegan menu section. When we announced we wanted vegan, they made sure our menus had the vegan insert. Good start.

Our server was very nice, but there was a language issue I think. He asked several times if I was also vegetarian. I wasn't picking up on what he meant, and repeated that I was vegan. He finally clarified by asking if I ate meat. Ehm, no. (I'm guessing the thought vegan related only to dairy.)

We ordered an appetizer (some kind of fritter) off the vegan menu. It was tasteless and dry. Maybe they're supposed to be that way, but we won't be getting those again. The rest of the food was very good.

My wife had wanted the one vegan soup they had on the menu. We were told they did not have it. Later she ordered the one vegan dessert, and once again we were told they didn't have it. Mind, this was a Saturday evening, not some off middle of the week day.

Overall, we'll probably go again next time we're in Monterey. The server was friendly and wanted to be helpful, but should have been better trained. A restaurant that has a vegan menu should explain what that means to the servers.

Updated from previous review on Friday November 29, 2013

Updated from previous review on Friday November 29, 2013

My family and I went to Ambrosia India Bistro because of the great reviews on Happy Cow. However, I asked what Vegan Options were available and the man pointed to some fried pakoras behind him. And there were no vegan options in the buffet and I saw no separate vegan menu. Very upsetting.

What a treat to find this place when visiting fish-crazy Monterey! We loved the beautiful and calm atmosphere, and their separate veg menu was an added bonus.

Highly recommend this place to all vegans. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly when explaining the vegan options. We enjoyed the Jeera Aloo and Vegetable Koorma with plenty of naan. Haven't had anywhere close to this great Jeera Aloo since then!

This place is always a must-visit when my partner and I visit Monterey. They are one of the only restaurants in Monterey to actually have separate, entirely vegan menu (which is particularly great for an Indian restaurant--paratha made without ghee or butter? FABULOUS!)

The veg channa masala is my perennial favorite, though the tofu tikka and yellow dal are also very tasty.

I had the vegan tofu tikka and it was incredible. The server was very knowledgeable about vegan options and great at explaining the food ingredients. I will definitely be returning to this restaurant.
Updated from previous review on Sunday March 03, 2013

That's great experience for all indian food lovers! We found our fave dishes in a new way with a really reasonable price. Strongly recommended hot paneer (a little bit spicy) and malai kofta (best with lemon rice). Stuff do their job good.

This place is SO great!! Some of the best food I've ever tasted. I'm vegan, and there's so many options for me, but I always eat the same thing because I love it so much! They ask me if I'm vegan when I go, and they know exactly how to cater to that; I don't feel like I have to double check that there isn't cheese or something in it. I tried putting five stars but the site won't let me.

Ambrosia has great food and terrific offerings for those of us with vegetarian persuasion. The atmosphere is likewise memorable from ambience to friendly and knowledgeable waitstaff. Great lunch buffet also, and prices are very reasonable. Definitely worth a visit (or many).