Comments on: Viks Chaat Corner: Reviews

By: a.

a. — Sat, 24 May 2008 04:14:27 +0000

i'm GLAD a food snob like kathy didn't like vik's - that means more chaat for me! she went to a chaat house and ordered naan! and her favorite indian dish is chicken tikka masala? honey, that isn't even INDIAN - research its history and you'll find out that it was invented in an indo-paki restaurant in london, to please the palates of the britishers. that in itself should tell you about the quality of the dish. i'll stop bashing on her, but i will say this much - it sounds like she didn't try a single chaat dish on the menu - that is to say, she didn't try any of the food that vik's is justifiably famous for. they've added all those more main-dish-esque dishes (like the sea bass kathy ended up ordering) for all the (mostly non-indian) people who come there wondering why they can't get a full meal. and the fact is, those aren't their specialty, and they're not usually too good. perhaps check please! should give a little guidance to reviewers if they're entering truly uncharted territory, so that the final review can actually have some relevance to other people who might want to try the place out.

By: Lucia

Lucia — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:46:14 +0000

I found heaven and it was served on Chinet paper plates. Even before walking around the corner into the upretentious warehouse eatery we were enveloped by wonderfully fragrant Indian spices. The service was no nonsense and our order was ready just as a table became available. The food was above mortal expectaions. The expert blending of textures and colors set against the contrast of cool and spicy made for a sublime dining experience. My husband and I used the golden brown breads to scoop up the perfectly done rice, chicken and cubes of veggies which were paired with tasty, complimentary sauces. As we began to eat we could hardly speak to one another because we were too busy putting food in our mouths while making sounds of delight. We took home a box of sweets which we very much enjoyed later. We're telling everyone who will listen about the wonderful food at Viks. We will go back again and again.

By: Steve Reiner

Steve Reiner — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 17:00:00 +0000

VIKS proved to be beyond my expectations.
Freshness, flavor, texture and variety.
Each dish took my tastebuds for an exhilarating ride. Contrasts and combinations of hot, sweet, savory and tart with varied textures of crispiness , chewiness, and cooling creaminess were completeley new to my senses.
A must try for any afficionado of indian cuisine.
Don't know if I'll ever be happy with any other indian restaurant again.

By: OexRex

OexRex — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 03:47:30 +0000

If this were a Chronicle movie review, the little guy would have vacated the seat long ago. The exterior, interior, as well as the food served and the lack of service were equally bad. Chicken Kathi Kabab, promised cubed, boneless chicken. Something must have been lost in translation, although the chicken was boneless. The Saturday special had fresh vegetables, fresh from Birds Eye. The diced carrots, and sliced green beans, had the look, cut,size,texture, and taste of Birds Eye or maybe it was S & W. The potatoe side dish looked like deep fried potatoe skins with garbanzo curry. The beverages were satisfactory………can of Coke and Sprite. The cashier had the personality of a DMV clerk. The food preparers were hatless,capless,and netless. The food is served via a man with a microphone that summons you when each dish is done, and not when the entire order is ready. I once read a film review that ended, "this movies is proof that there is no such thing as free parking at the movies." Inexpensive food is too expensive in time and expections. The reviewers on the show are fond of using the word "explodes", as in "the flavor just explodes in your mouth". Viks Chaat just bombed in mine.

By: Malini

Malini — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 11:48:38 +0000

As an Indian, I would have to agree with the notion of Viks still being one of the best chat houses around. Some of the best authentic food is found in the dives you stumble upon. Viks is definetely a step up from a dive and encompasses so many cuisines from the different parts of India. If you know your Indian food and know what to order, you can't be disappointed. Chat houses aren't even expected to carry nonvegetarian food, and yet they do to please every palate. But chicken tikka, while an excellent dish in 'typical' Indian restaurants, is not what you go to Viks for. If you really want a treat…go for what they're really known for…ie: dosa, idli, pani puri, dohkla, batura, samosas, etc. And it is true…if the Indians are lined up around the corner as they often are there, then you know it's worth the effort to get a taste of what real Indian food should taste like. Most Indians that I know who have any remote familiarity with the Bay area know about Viks. That has to count for something, right?

By: barnali

barnali — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 01:54:33 +0000

Dave,
The sauces are meant to be mixed up together–the hot and the sweet. What you call thrown together is how chat is made-a quick sprinkling here, a splash there and then maybe a toss. If you are not enjoying the food mainly because of the presentation and a perception of lack of care, I fear my friend that you are misguided.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 17:10:01 +0000

i went to Vik's last weekend to give it a chance, and left with the same impression that kathy did. the food was just mediocre and everything was just thrown together. all my sauces were mixed up on my plate – although, i did not mind the spork. i didn't not enjoy it nor will i go back.

By: Sergé

Sergé — Sat, 31 Dec 2005 05:15:51 +0000

Vik's is *not* a run-of-the-mill Indian restaurant. That's to be expected, though, for what is basically a recreation of street food. The street fare you find in Malaysia, Mexico, and Morocco is delicious and very different than you would find in a sit-down restaurant there. Indian food is the same! Decor, service, ambiance...these are all things for which you can suspend your standards in order to take in a unique eating experience. When Arinell's became the first place to sell NY style pizza by the slice in Berkeley, people lined up for the chance to jostle their way to the register, shake on some peppers, and then eat their pizza sitting on a concrete wall in front of B of A. Vik's doesn't make pretenses about being a white-tablecloth place, and their prices reflect that fact! Kathy's comment that she orders Chicken Tikka Masala every time she goes for Indian food reveals that she's not a very adventurous Indian food eater and it's not surprising Vik's didn't do it for her. She did seem like she was going out of her way to criticize every single thing she could about the place and in a very polarized manner. This kind of restaurant review smacks of an agenda, and when I hear this hyperbolic style of advocacy or criticism about a restaurant I tend to discount it. Personally, I find the food at Vik's hit or miss - but that's based on my tastes! Some people I know who grew up in India swear it's the best food they've found. For the dishes I did like, I will say, they were divine...and cheap! By the way, this show is the best. More local programs, KQED!

By: Deepak

Deepak — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 17:02:02 +0000

Vik's has revolutionized indian cuisine in the Bay Area. This is the original chaat house and is still the best. The long lines only proove that people agree. The food is ALWAYS fresh and always tasty. This is definitely not a place just for locals; I know of many people who drive from San Jose and even Sacramento (!!) just for "the trip to VIk's." I think Kathy just doesn't understand the whole concept of Vik's or even Indian food in general. She's whining about 'sporks?" You're supposed to use your hands!!! She complained about the "naan being doughy and like tortilla shells." I've been to viks alot and am pretty sure that Viks does NOT sell naan. They sell puris, which are supposed to be a littly doughy and shaped like tortilla shells (they are excellent). Give Vik's a try, you will NOT be disppointed. There is a reason the restaurant has a cult following with people from all ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds. Just promise to clean up after yourself.

By: janet

janet — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 04:50:34 +0000

My husband and I have been known to drive from Reno, NV to Berkeley to eat at Vik's. It is the best chaat I've had outside of Mumbai. and I agree that some of the weekend specials are the best (obviously that's the only time we go). Nann would be the last thing I would order there. But I love the puris with chana masala…and yes, you can eat with your hands. Go there with a crowd, order lots of different things to share, and don't expect a multi-course meal. Think of it as cheap Indian dim sum……