I took my wife (to be) here 35 years ago and we have been dozens of times since. Tonight was as if it was a different restaurant. We had to ask for menus after waiting for 15 minutes. The wine arrived half way through the starters (which were good). The main courses were mediocre, the rice and naan especially so. After staring at our plates for 20 minutes we had to ask for the bill which came with an added service charge. Kalpna had been one of the leaders in veggie food in Edinburgh, now they have a lot of catching up to do. I assume the restaurant has changed hands, or maybe they (like everyone) just had an off day. It was also difficult to be sure from the menu what was vegan and what was...
My friends and I stumbled across this place recently when hopelessly searching for somewhere open that has vegan options. They have a great selection for vegans and we’re able to accommodate our differing tastes in terms of spice. The food was very tasty and the service was good. My only disappointment was that, due to Covid, literally everything we used, from the cutlery to the plates to the glasses, was single use plastic. This is the only reason I wouldn’t return as I feel it is unnecessary and wouldn’t be able to enjoy a meal knowing I had produced so much waste. I hope they rethink this policy soon.
Usually I love Kalpna as their food is delicious and affordable with lots of options and a cosy atmosphere. but we turned up today just after 12pm on a Sunday when they are meant to be open according to website and it was closed. A member of staff saw us and went into the restaurant but when we asked he said no they are closed. I said just to let them know, their opening hours online aren’t up to date, and they just said yeah they know. No explanation, no apology. Bit disappointed but would give it another go but call in advance to see if they’re open. Updated from previous review on 2022-09-11
The paneer masala was delicious, but the rest of the platter didn't live up to expectations. I paid £17 for the thali, which turned out to be a total rip-off as there was much less food than if I had just ordered a main with rice. Despite the description suggesting a generous serving, the portions were disappointingly small. For taste alone, the meal deserved 2 stars, as it left me feeling unsatisfied in both quantity and value for money.
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Disappointing for me as well. They save on spices, even the signature dish is something without taste and a lot of tomato sauce. The vegan Dali is very small and also not tasty, and all is heavily overpriced. Buy some ready made Indian food in a supermarket instead. Plus note a 10% service charge which is not on the menu (for a service that isn’t good).
If you’ve not had South Indian food before, you’re in for a treat. If you have and you loved it, you may find this just OK. Service pleasant but variable.
They have a couple of unique items I have not seen in any restaurant. One is Saam Savera and the other is Shahi Sabzi.
The food was all good but the restaurant was very very busy and so the wait was quite long.
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The dishes we got were super tasty, a bit pricey but I highly recommend!
The buffet had delicious food and the service was exceptional.
