We were a large party and we were made to feel very welcome. The waiting staff were charming and cheerful, and they gave us plenty of time to settle in and read the menus, then brought us a selection of appetisers, mainly dahi puri and pappadums with dips, all delicious.
The dishes I had tastes of included a tangy Gongura lamb curry, which I think was flavoured with pickled gongura leaves, an interesting and appetising taste. Saag aloo was a stand-out, light and fresh, with whole cardamom seeds. Many of us ordered the famous Satya Dosa, and these were wonderful - thin and crisp and enormous!
The maitre 'd was really lovely and coped cheerfully with people changing their orders. He didn't write anything down, and although pretty well everything arrived as ordered, the waitress didn't know who had ordered what and with a large group it got a bit chaotic.
The room is plain and pleasant, with low level background music, lots of soft surfaces, so it is possible to have a conversation without strain. I really appreciate this.
Everything is very reasonably priced and we want to return with a smaller group and do more justice to the extensive menu.
Our group of 17 diners descended on Satya. Our pre-ordered Kingfisher Strongs was a little of a let down, being only the small sized serving of the locally brewed version. We started with some poppodums and then the entrees proper. It was generally acknowledged that the starters were actually the tastiest part of the meal. I especially liked the Gunpowder sauce, which had a tangy and peppery heat intertwined around a roasted lentil flavour profile. The Dahi Puri was a welcome change to the standard selection of entrees found elsewhere in the city. The benchmarking vindaloo had a slow burn rating, which elevated and lingered after a couple of minutes. of eating I ordered a Gongura Chicken Curry for my main, as I hadn't seen anything like this elsewhere in Auckland. It had a tangy sauce, no doubt flavoured by the tropical leaf it is named after. The breads were a funny sort of paratha topped with cheddar cheese. But they were nice, if a little like cheese on limp-ish toast. It made one question whether they even had a tandoor oven. They ran out of Kingfisher Strongs mid way through the night but had regular strength Kingfishers on hand as a backup. In my opinion one of the best things about the Satya chain of restaurants is the breadth of selection available on the menu. The toilets were okay and, apart from the colourful chairs and fabric ceiling, the dining environment was sparsely decorated. There was no background music playing the night we visited. Overall, ratings around the table ranged between 6 and 8, with a consensus score of 6.9 out of ten.
The worst curry we have ever tasted. My boyfriend and I visited here on our stay to Auckland, we asked for medium hot and hot strengths to our curries. These were mild. Our dishes lacked flavour and both were of the same consistency even though they were different curries. The texture of the chicken tasted microwaved,and had the stringy rubbery mouthfeel. If id have heard a ping from the kitchen i wouldnt have been surprised, not only would i never go here again i would strongly suggest you give making your own curry a go, it has to taste better than here. What a disappointment.
I've often been to the Satya on Great Nth Road a curry, and decided I would give the K Road branch a go for a change.
We were seated and instantly noticed that the place was hot, making it mildly uncomfortable. The place wasnt chocka and it wasnt an overly warm night so they need to sort out some sort of airconditioning.
Wine glasses appeared promptly on the table so we could tuck into our BYO wine, but menus were a bit harder to come by. After 10 - 15 mins we collared a waiter for menus so we could peruse what they had on offer.
I had the Kadhai Chicken (med - hot) and she had a Chicken Tikka Masala (mild).
Both dishes were nice, and mine was full of chicken. The Tikka Masala was creamy with lots of flavour, while mine was rich and tasty but not overpowering. They dont do naans so we got Parrathas instead. They arent my favourite thing to mop up curry with - but they sufficed non the less.
The temperature in the place didnt get any better so after having a big curry and a glass or two of wine I was nearly asleep under the table.
This place will continue to be an institution due to the food - but they need to figure out some better systems for service, and find a way to ventilate the place!
While shopping in K’ Rd at lunchtime I popped into Satya for a quick bite to eat. There were only two other tables of diners but a chap called in and collected a large takeaway order. I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo combo which comes with rice, poppumdum, paratha and a drink. My unheated plate and poppumdum arrived soon after but there was a 10 minute wait on the main course. The meat in the vindaloo was very tender and there was a faint vinegarness in the sauce. The heat level was less than I expected for the hot level I had requested. The paratha was disappointing, being quite oily and closer to a Malaysian roti without the sweetness. Considering how quiet the restaurant was I thought the service was a little slow but that could reflect the dish not being pre-prepared. The toilets are still uninviting and the hand drier not operating. There was no music playing, which detracted from the overall dining experience.
My partner and I decided to visit Satya South Indian Restaurant to try their Dosa and Uttapam as we hadn't had it in so long.
When we first went it wasn't very busy but had a long wait.
The sada dosa was really nice, we had seconds.
The chicken uttapam not so nice as it wasn't cooked properly. Far too much cheese in the topping that I ended up pulling half of it off. Uttapam take longer to cook than normal items but this one took way too long.
Service was ok, nothing outstanding.
Best Dosa I have had since my favourite dosa restaurant closed in Christchurch.
While my wife attended the second U2 concert in Auckland, I took the opportunity to catch up with a couple of friends over a curry meal. They chose this restaurant. The restaurant was half full when we arrived. After selecting off a rather varied and extensive menu, we shared three mains: Prawn Thakali, Special Chicken and Lamb Curry South Indian. We also had three breads: Garlic Cheese Partha, Spinich Tomato Paratha and a Roti. My favourite curry was the lamb dish. It was flavoursome and the meat tender. The prawn was similar in sauciness and also had some lovely flavours. However, the chicken was dry, served on a bed of sliced lettuce and very reminiscent of a Chinese inspired stir fry. The breads were rather small and the tomato/spinach one, while tasty, had so much toping it was practically useless at using to scoop up the gravies. The plain roti was the best scooping bread. They brought out one serving of rice, which was so much it fed all three of us. I went to the toilet and found them a little run down. The service and music was good.
Food was awesome. Some of the best Indian we've had; the fish special was really really good. Service was fast and friendly, décor basic but clean and tidy and worked well.
I have been looking for an Indian restaurant that does great vegetarian for awhile now and have found it at Satya!
I went with a friend of mine and had a delicious black lentil curry and a spinach and potato curry. Service was excellent and quick, and the restaurant looks amazing with hanging saris and lots of colour.
The only downside was the chai tea we had wasn't really flavoursome but after our meal we didn't feel like that was a big deal. The mango lassi on the other hand was amazing!
Rated on food alone, this has to be one of the best, if not the best Indian restaurant in Auckland.
I first dined at Satya when it was back in Hobson Street and luckily the quality of food hasn't diminished. In fact I think if anything it has improved.
Value for money it also has to be one of the very best - I don't think anywhere else could you have such stunning quality food that filled three hungry mouths for under $75!
While the decor in the new venue is a substantial upgrade from the Hobson Street days, I think if they refined some of the finishing touches and it would be a first rate restaurant. I know the service can also be up and down a bit - last night it was really good.
Will definately be back!
Delicious food, soo much flavour - try the spinach paneer! The service could be better if communication skills were improved. Also, we got kicked out at 10 on a Saturday night which is understandable (people need to close shop and go home etc.) but it would be nice if we didn't feel so pressured to go away considering we were a large group and all paying full price (which is not that cheap).
I love indian food, and this restaurant will definitely stay for quite a long time at the top of my list!
We took some Pani Puri for Entrée, and I honestly had no idea what it was. But not only did it look fabulous when it arrived, but the sweetest waiter ever ask me if I knew about it, I had to say the truth, I did not, so he explained me how to eat it the traditional way, very kindly, and you could feel how proud he was of his culture!
We then asked for strong curries, I love spices, and I was not disappointed! It was not the "burning spicies" that most cheap indian restaurant add in the food, you could feel the variety, you could feel the taste, it was not burning the mouth, it was warming, it was perfect, like a home-cooked indian meal!
The menu is very extensive, so I can't wait to come back and try some new specialities.
The place was packed, and you could see that everybody was enjoying their dinner, and tasting each other's plates... Hey, when it's good, you just can't resist...
The Curry's are pretty good but not good enough to warrant another visit i'm afraid.
We ordered a combo Papadams and the Dahi puri as an entree. The Dahi Puri is OK but definitely not something to rave about, some yoghurt, chickpeas and a squirt of tamarind sauce on a spiced cracker.. The papdams were good with a mix of plain and spicy and a nice home made yoghurt dip.
Unfortunately we had only eaten half the 'entrees' before all of our mains arrived at once and the tables are so small that there was hardly enough room to fit it all on.
We had to remind our waiter to bring our beers, no glasses are provided for the bottled beers and we didn't get any water top ups.
For mains we ordered:
Chicken Jalfrezi - Decent curry and portion size
Satya special Chicken Curry - Very good dry curry and plenty of it
Chicken Palakura - Good spinach curry
As I said earlier the food is good, about an 8/10 but the service is atrocious, the decor is run down,
the tables are too small, the volume too loud and they only switch one of the air conditioners on!
Was intrigued by the Dahi Puri entree that everyone raves about. Perhaps a word of warning - it's a cold dish. I appreciated it for what it was and the interesting textures and flavour, but my warm curry-loving partner did not! The good part to that was that we were sharing a dish which meant more for me :-) For mains we tried the butter chicken & lamb palakura - fairly standard, tasty curries.
Good prices but the service was poor. i understand, it was 7pm - starting to get busy and there was an 8-top next to us, much more important than just us two, but the wait between courses was long and rather than have a special romantic dinner we just felt like we were a nuisance. I think if there's a next time, it'll be takeaways for us!
Service was excellent, very friendly, efficient and helpful. Food was very tasty and portions were generous. Great variety of dishes to choose from and quite authentic. Will visit again.
I have been here many times, being of asian descent i have been a regular since Hobson st days. The food is generally always good, but there have been times where it hasn't really been consistent- but hey everyone has off days. i won't go into favourite dishes as they have already been mentioned by fellow reviewers.
My only gripe is: for the money you pay (average main being the $18-$20+) you would think that it would warrant a better fit-out, better beverage offering, better service and most importantly a decent toilet where you can't see yesterdays washing piled in a corner next to the miriad of cleaning products! Guess what the health rating is. I really don't understand how this would be in Aucklands 'Top 50 asian restaurants to dine in'.
The food is great- yes. But is this all that should count? I say satya, give the customers a bit more value for money, not cheaper food. But a better 'dining experience', more of a beverage offering with decent and clean glasses, good service from staff who can converse about the menu not just smile and nod and better toilets!
This was my first visit - after a friend was waxing lyrical about the Dahi Puri and I said - "well lets go there for lunch". The place has a great atmosphere (that real Indian Restaurant experience), good service, and great food. We had vegetarian selections, and they were all excellent.
And yes the Dahi Puri was exquisite!
One of the most authentic Indian restaurants out there. More than just a curry house, great Masala Dosa and with a distinctive style. Very like what we experienced in India. Service and atmosphere very good.
The food was exceptional (you have to try the Dahi Puri entrée if you go here), but the service really let this place down. We booked well in advance for two people, but when we arrived (on time) there was no table for us. They managed to fit us in by seating us at a table for four with two other people already sitting/eating at it who weren’t too impressed either. We also found it very difficult to get the wait staff’s attention for anything. Also, we had to ask for water three times before it finally showed up. If it weren’t for the poor service we would’ve definitely ordered deserts and more wine, but we left because we could handle the wait. I would recommend Satya, but only for takeout.
Yeah sure the service was lacking, took them ages to clear away our plates etc, but the food is awesome! Lots of variety and differnt to the usual. I like that they have mostly stuck with a traditional menu for example only having paratha and not naan coz thats what the masses expect. We tried the recommended entree and it was delicious! The curries had a nice blend of flavours rather than the usual one flavoured Indian. Loved it and definately going back, and from what the other reviewers say, definately on a quiet night again!
DIned on a tuesday night and it was pretty quiet. Food was super quick in arriving. Service was ok, probably best to come on a quiet night. Unfortunately teh drinks took ages (only coming out with the mains). However teh food was very, very good. The starters were outstanding and we might just come back to demolish the starters and flag the mains. Highly recommend for the food, but i can see how things can get problematic on a busy night. Very reasonable as well in terms of price
This place is decidedly odd. The food is really very excellent - well flavoured, different from your average Indian outlet, and worthy of its good reputation. But if you eat in, prepare for the worst.
Firstly, if you book online, don't expect them to have a table for you.
Secondly, the service is non-existant. If you want a plate, or a knife and fork, don't bother asking for it - it won't arrive. Grabbing them yourselves is the better option. But be prepared. The plates are encrusted in filth, and the tables so greasy they could be harvested for hair gel.
Before using the toilet, take some kind of sedative. The restaurant toilet being in use, I was ushered to the upstairs flat toilet, complete with filty towels trambled into the floor. I am suprised I survived without catching something nasty.
With all this, they somehow have an A hygiene rating - it must have been a photocopy!
It is difficult to know what to say about Satya.
Popular place. Mad busy. But unfortunately they did not allocate more staff for the amount of people dining especially on a Sat night. Service was terrible. Took us awhile to get wine glasses or beers. Didn't even bother to add more cutleries when 2 more of our friends arrived. Serviettes were very limited. There must've been about 100 people and they only had 3 waitresses who looked like they didn't even wanna be there. Food wasn't all that great. Pretty average from my experience. For good indian food and good atmosphere go to elsewhere in Ponsonby.
The ambience and service were the let-down to the most amazing tasting Indian I have ever had!! 4 of us shared 2 entrees, I can't remember what they were called - the "must try" one and a tandoori chicken wrapped in pancake - beautiful and then shared 4 different curries for mains - each of which was delicious tasting. The service was pretty average - to be fair there was 1 waitress working a full restaurant though. We had to ask 3 times for wine glasses, twice to get our white wine put in the fridge and our accompaniments got plain forgotten. I would recommend this as yummy Indian and definitely go back.
Based on reviews on this site, did the takeaway thing from Satya. The food was great and we tried a few dishes which were new to us. The food was great and we are keen to dine in asap.
Best Indian I have had in Auckland. Often quite busy but they will usually find you a table. If you like Indian definitely go, Ive taken numeorus curry lovers and it has become all of their favourites.
Picked up a takeaway meal whilst up in the big smoke for work. Ordered a samosa and Butter Chicken, served medium. Stopped at the bottle shop just another few stes up K Road for a couple of cold bottles, and when I wandered back it was waiting for me - including FREE popadoms and desert - cool! The staff were really friendly and welcoming, and the food was first rate. Lovely samosa, with lashings of sauce and onions, the chicken was lovely and lots of it, and the garlic paratha was delicious. The gratis dessert - gulab jamon, yum - was lovely. Staya came recommended from a friend, and they are right - well worth a visit, highly recommended.
PS. And dont do what I did, and go to the Crest for a beer - what was the Navel & Family. $8 for an imported bottled beer. Ripped off. Head down the road as noted above to the K Rd Bottle shop and pay $2.50 for the exact same bottle to enjoy with your takeaway!
Not really a full review as this is just based on take out but the food was the best range of curry I have had for a while.
Flavours were well balanced and the lamb so tender I had to wonder how the did it.
Be aware the food is spicier than the norm so order carefully.
The dining room doesn't quite reflect the quality of the food so maybe takeout is a good option. Service either way is fast and friendly.
I love this restaurant we went there often but my only gripe about this place is the corkage price $4. per person. It might sound petty but went the other week with 2 other friends. Took an average bottle price bottle of wine approx $25.00 in price and were charged $12.00 corkage so wine now turns in to $37 dollar bottle. I know you have to allow for glass usage but believe me they do not use expensive glass ware you would be lucky if you get glasses that match. Great food but if there was a table of 20 would it be an $80.00 corkage ?
I agree with other reviewers - this most definitely is the best South Indian food in Auckland and probably NZ. To clarify - this restaurant specialises in SOUTH Indian food - ie vegetarian dishes from that region including masala dosa, idli, utthapam, bel puri, dahi puri etc. They do list other more "standard" Indian restaurant fare on the menu (eg butter chicken, vindaloo etc) but this is not their speciality and my advice is to stick with the South Indian dishes - my suspicion is that Satya include the "standard indian" dishes on the menu because they think that a lot of people equate going to an Indian restaurant with ordering such dishes. In reality there is no such thing as "Indian" cuisine, but rather there are different regional cuisines depending on geographical location. I mention this as it is important before ordering at Satya because if you want to have great food here, stick to the South Indian dishes and flag the "indian restaurant standards" like butter chicken etc. That way you get to try dishes that are rarely presented at most other Indian restaruants - belive me once you have tried South Indian you will be craving it!
So onto recommendations: the absolute highlight of the evening was the dahi puri - crunchy shells topped with yoghurt and potato and spices - divine! Masala Dosa, a delicious rice pancake, was done very well, as was the Dahl Makhani and Palakura (spinach and paneer). If you havent eaten this sort of INdian food before ask the waiter to recommend a series of dishes and then start feasting! definitely include some entrees as these are wonderful. Costs are phenomenally cheap - $20 a head for loads of great food, and BYO wine also. Food is very fresh and homemade tasting. Great atmosphere - bustling and colourful - service can be a bit slow but nothing to worry about and very friendly. A gem of a place and will have you wanting to book a ticket to South India!
Quite simply, there is no better Indian food in Auckland...probably the country. The K road place is great but I love the original (yes there is 2) on Sandrigham road. Tiny little place with mismatched furniture and cutlery. The food is amazing, it's as if you're eating a real south indian home cooked meal. The people at the Sandringham place (I assume are husband and wife) are just so naturally accommodating and friendly. Last time we visited we were looking at various condiments they have on sale and he gave us a free sample of dried chillies with our meal and then a free bag of them simply because we asked how you would prepare them. Damn the decor, if you want the best indian food available go to Satya!
Satya is my favourite Indian restaurant. The new K' Rd location is much bigger than the former premises in Hobson St, which is great because business is booming!
Amongst the dishes we ordered were the masala papadam, dahi puri, green beans curry and masala dosa - all of which were fantastic, as usual. (I can't recommend the green beans curry enough. Every time I suggest it to newbies I get a very distinterested reaction - but they love it once they taste it!)
Satya is always yummy, which is why we keep going back.
The food here is FANATASIC!!! I have been here numerous times and just love coming back. There are many yummy things on the menu that you won't find anywhere else. For an entree, you absolutely have to try the dahi puri and for a main definately the dry bean coconut curry. The food is light and very tasty!!! The best Indian in town!!!!!!
This restaurant is just awesome. For vegetarian food it is an absolute must. The way they prepare, the variety, the presentation - it´s just fantastic. Words utterly fail to convey the taste!
We were 3 people for birthday surprise and ordered special onam festival menu. They had done it perfect and sooo lovely.
It hardly believable that this little restaurant can bring such delights to gourmets in and around Auckland.
We definitely will be back!