I was always curious to go to Namaste, an Indian restaurant in Astoria. After visiting the place for the first time, I went back countless times and at every visit, I was surprised with their fantastic food!
Namaste. That’s what you’ll say after eating at this cozy Indian restaurant in Astoria.
In the middle of the Greek part of Astoria I would never think of finding this Indian gem. I always passed by Namaste and contemplated its interior: elegant tables beautifully set with flowers, folded napkins and bamboo-ish placemats.
The waiters would always talk to me and invite to come visit them some day. I had never tried Indian food before, so I was always postponing the experience. One day my boyfriend decided to have a different style of dinner and asked me for suggestions in my neighborhood. That’s when Namaste popped up into my mind. I must say: it was the perfect choice!
As soon as we entered the venue, a nice and smiley waiter approached us and seated led us to a beautiful table. Every table is decorated with a gorgeous flower arrangement. It was casual and romantic at the same time.
When I saw the menu, I have to confess that I was a bit confused, since it was my first time at an Indian restaurant. I didn’t really know what to order. My boyfriend gave me some tips and I clarified all my questions with the waiter, who was always kind and willing to help.
I was getting more and more excited with all the options, but a few minutes later I had a winner: Chicken Biryani – tender slices of juicy chicken prepared with basmati rice and mild spices and served with raita (a minty sauce with a creamy yogurt base). I was in heaven!
The food was delicious and I started asking myself why I waited so long to have dinner at Namaste.
In addition, for appetizers we had Naan, a traditional bread and Baba Ganoush. I loved everything. I was afraid of having spicy food, at first, but it was moderated.
After that first night, I returned to Namaste many times for lunch and dinner and ordered different dishes. It’s really tasty and the environment is quite cozy. Since I do like pretty much everything there, I encourage you to order everything you’d like to try. If you check the full menu I’m sure you’ll be able to find something that matches your taste. They have many vegetarian options, too. For lunch they also have “all you can eat buffet” and you can try a great variety of food!
Oh, and you definitely don’t need to be a big fan of Indian food to enjoy this place.
And, for those who don’t live close to the restaurant it’s just off the N and W trains at the 30th Avenue subway station.
Enjoy and let us know what you thought about the place, on the comments below!!! We’d love to know! Finally, if you like Indian food, you might also enjoy a Middle Eastern restaurant called Hummus Kitchen!
Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 11am – 11 pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am – 11:30 pm
Sunday: 11am – 11 pm
Lunch buffet: daily from 11am – 4pm
Location: 31-15 30th Avenue, Astoria
Text by our Contributor: Rafaela Azevedo
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Namaste
*Last Update on Feb/2020.*
