"I came with a group of six coworkers, and we each ordered different Tiffin plates, priced at $18. I chose the halibut based on the waiter’s recommendation, but it was hard not to be let down. The Tiffins are marketed as an entrée, appetizer, and salad, which seemed like a good value at this restaurant, Junnoon. Unfortunately, the salad was just a small handful of mixed greens with vinaigrette. The halibut consisted of a few small pieces, lacked sauce, and was bland, while the accompanying chickpeas were decent but nothing special—similar to what I would expect everywhere, even at Leas. The halibut was cooked in a tandoor and ended up dry, comparable to poorly made tandoori chicken. It simply didn’t offer much enjoyment. Although it came with two dipping sauces that were interesting, they couldn't salvage the dish. The chickpeas were more flavorful in a curry sauce, but still weren’t noteworthy.
One of my colleagues ordered the lamb, which sounded appealing. It came with a small amount of rice and a few pieces of lamb topped with bread. However, the dish was primarily rice, which was smoky but lacked any distinctive flavor from the lamb. While it wasn't small in quantity, the dish still felt incomplete. The only dish we all enjoyed was the chicken in a creamy coconut sauce. Although it didn’t meet my expectations either, it was significantly better than the other two.
As for the Roti, it was decent but I prefer something spicier and more flavorful. For dessert, I tried the ginger molten chocolate cake. I had a lot of it, and it was definitely among the better desserts I've had; the ginger element was a nice variation, although I appreciated its flavor more in the first half than in the second.
We weren’t in a rush, but the entire meal took around 90 minutes, which is quite lengthy for just two courses. The desserts understandably took some time to prepare, but it would have been helpful to know that in advance, especially for business diners who might not have as much time to linger like couples do in the evening.
Having dined at Mantra a week earlier and found their offerings interesting—if somewhat overpriced—I’m skeptical about which restaurant to recommend for a great Indian dining experience in Palo Alto. Given that Junnoon has received several accolades, I hope that dinner service and menu options are better than the Tiffins I experienced."
