Amazing service. Delicious food !! We had a group of 20+ people for lunch and I was just totally impressed with the speed and accuracy of how the food came out Each dish was beautifully prepared with perfect spices I can't help but say it again. Delicious daal. Delicious chicken and lamb curries!!! Define a revisit!! Well done chef for not writing down any of our 20 orders but getting them all right!!!
Howard K.
Consistently superb. I've been going to Wkana Cafe since they opened in Meadows Place years ago. The way they cook is so fresh and unique, I've never tasted this style food with such level of complexity in flavor profiles. The ingredients and combinations are delicately prepared in a way that is singular to Chef Sunil's style. Usually, I love the rogan josh lamb in their lunch menu. Sometimes I get one style kebab for lunch and a different style kebab to take home. My new favorite is the jackfruit biryani. Chef Sunil's preparations of chicken and lamb are always juicy and never overcooked. I highly recommend W'kana to everyone.
Manjunath S.
The my sole purpose is to review their Lunch Buffet which was both tasteless and overpriced.
Vzln N.
We have been to W'Kana Cafe many times and have never been disappointed by the "quality" of the food. I prefer quality over quantity and believe me, being a foodie, the ingredients used by this place are high grade. I personally find this place "value priced". The food is prepared fresh and served hot on the table. I do not mind driving 45 miles from Kingwood to eat at this restuarant rather than flying 4000 miles to my hometown of New Delhi, India to get similar food :-). I have referred this place to many of my colleagues and they have forever thanked me for unraveling this hidden gem to them. So, if you value quality, authenticity, frshness, and value for money, I would recommend this place to everyone. Thank you Sunil S and keep rocking with your signature dishes.
Jody F.
This is probably the best Indian restaurant in Houston. Been coming to this place since they opened on Airport and Kirkwood. The chef is from Fremont, CA, where Indian food is the best in the country. Yesterday, I had the sag paneer, dal makni, and we shared some appetizers. Service is impeccable, the food is the BEST in town, but the only negative thing I can say is that they are very expensive. But worth it!
Mukul A.
We got event catering done by Wakana Café. Must say that service provided was great. Sunil ensured that we did not have to worry about anything and everything was available promptly and organized with the event venue management. Food was absolutely delicious - particularly their Tava vegetables and Kulfi Falooda.
Gayathri I.
This place works if you go for lunch and get one of their lunch specials or kathi rolls (a wrap made with filling of your choice). It's actually quite decent and pretty fast. I would absolutely not recommend this place for dinner however because it stops being fast casual and more like a sitdown Indian place with ludicrously high prices for laughably small portions and pitiful service. They don't seem to know what they want to be. Either they can be a fast casual place, sort of an Indian Chipotle, with affordable prices. Or they can be an upscale place like Kiran's with prices and quality to match and with great decor, ambiance and service. The dinner portions are ridiculously small, the prices high compared to most Indian restaurants ($15-20 per entree) in Houston and the quality is mediocre at best. The plates/cups/silverware etc are flimsy plastic and their takeout boxes melt from the heat of the food (not joking, that actually happened to us!). Also, nothing comes with rice or naan--which would be fine if the entrees weren't so small and overpriced. Considering just how much competition they have in Energy Corridor from other better Indian restaurants (Nirvana, Biryani-N-Grill, Gayatri Bhavan, Amma's Kitchen to name a few), they really need to figure out what they want to be and stick to it. EDIT: The owner/manager or someone related to this business (Sunil S) keeps sending me long nastygrams accusing among various things that I may be promoting another competing restaurant (lol), having never eaten there (wow) and that I shouldn't be writing reviews unless I am a James Beard judge. Erm, sorry to say "Sunil S" but Yelp is for your average customer to write their honest views--even if they are difficult for the owner/managers to read. Considering the rude messages you've sent me privately, I am glad I never approached you about these issues. Downgrading this to a 1 star for rude, unprofessional management. So folks, if you want to eat at an overpriced, underwhelming Indian restaurant with a side dish of vile attitude--this is the place to go. Otherwise, go to the many diverse and fine Indian restaurants in Energy Corridor that have much better food at better prices and with better customer service.
Priya G.
Excellent service. The owner came out and checked our order. Made us a special not available on weekends for my kids. I loved loved their yummy biriyani. All in all excellent food and service. I would say it's rather pricey for a casual dining place. I wish it was more reasonable priced. We would go more often if the price fit.
Jeen J.
How many restaurants have you been to where you find unique taste for every single curry you order? I personally have tried more than 15 indian restaurants in Houston area and the answer to the above question is - W'kana. It doesn't matter if you have ordered veg or non-veg, lamb or goat or fish or chicken or shrimp or veg, every dish is mouth watering. I have tried mysore chilly chicked, kerela shrimp, tandoori chicken, laal maas and many more. It is next to impossible to decide which one is best. And yeah in deserts gulab jamun is highly recommended.
Sunland C.
Went here on a Sunday at around lunchtime. They did not seem to have a lunch menu. For appetizers we got: Papdi Chaat: basically huge tortilla chips with herbs on it. served with a cilantro-y sauce and tamarind sauce. The herbs on it are strong and semi bitter. Trio veg platter: 2 samosa, harra kebab (seemed like spinach kebabs) and paneer tikka (like a triangle of cheese). The samosa was fairly good, but the rest were very bland. I personally think this was not worth the money. Raita: a yogurt dip that was a bit too watery. I did not like it as a dip, but it tasted very good on the biryani breads: Lacha Paratha: was okay, but kinda just felt like naan. W'Kana Contemporary Naan: we got it with the pesto. It was probably my favorite one. I'm not sure what the last one was called, but I think it was Peshawari Kulcha. It was stuffed with nuts and what kind of tasted like jam (mushed dried fruits?) Entrees: I'm also not sure if this is what we got, but I think it was Mili juli subz sheek. It was like a platter of various veggies: cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers. It was grilled in something that made it yellow (curry?) and had a orange yogurt type of sauce. This was great and I would love to just eat the sauce over rice. Butter Chicken: It was good, but had a sweet tang to it that just kept throwing me off. Palak Paneer: I felt it was very bland, but my sisters liked it a lot. I tend to like my food to be salty, so I think most people would like it. Chicken Tikka W'kana: Easily my favorite. It was very flavorful. I could eat that sauce and rice all day. Not a lot of meat in the actual dish though. Awadhi Chicken Biryani: Delicious. Everything I want in a biryani. It was cooked like a chicken pot pie? The chicken and rice were moist and the bottom was the best part with gravy :) Lambs: I don't eat lamb, but my group ordered 2 types: Lamb Vindaloo and Kashmiri Roganjosh Everyone agreed that the roganjosh was tastier. They did not have the mango cheesecake, so we also got the rose cheesecake. I couldn't really taste the rose, but the cheesecake was definitely sweeter and creamier than regular cheesecake. The average dish is between $15-20. Their appetizers and breads are somewhat overpriced. However, I think the quality of the food is good. It warrants coming back again. There are some dishes that look interesting, but I would get the biryani again for sure. The chef came out personally to see how we enjoyed the food as well.
Undoubtedly the best Indian cuisine in Greater Houston area!!! Very yummy and authentic taste!! You never feel heavy after eating food at W'kana unlike other Indian places. It is because chefs at W'kana are very careful about ingredients in all of their dishes.
Sajeev M.
Gourmet and slightly daring dishes with no pretentiousness. Try the shrimp appetizer and the biryani served with a bread top. Not the cheapest place but there are places were you spend more and get less. Sunil is a fantastic chef and his ability to accommodate just about any need is quite fantastic.
Karen V.
Amazing chicken! Incredibly tender and flavorful. My friends ordered the jackfruit biryani and a bunch of other curries and also enjoyed it. The owner was also very friendly.
Jennifer B.
We pass by this place a lot on the way to work and I convinced hubby to give it a try. When we entered, at 6 pm on a Saturday, we were the only customers in the restaurant. That should have been our cue to exit, but we were really hungry and eager to get home after a long day. A tall man (possibly the owner) greeted us at the back of the restaurant. We asked for take out, and he handed us a menu, directed us to a table and gave us waters. So far, it was pleasant. He also gave us a complimentary snack while we waited. I didn't really enjoy it, but appreciated the gesture. I ordered the Paneer Tikka W'kana and 1 order of Tandoori Naan. Hubby ordered Lahori Seekh kebab. The waiter assured us that there would be rice included with both our meals. We received the check which totaled to $34. I assumed the food would be plentiful and enjoyable based on the price. We got home and the portions were disappointedly small. The naan was about a foot long, cut in half, very dried out and priced at $3. Seriously.. I could find a better, cheaper, fluffier naan at a grocery store. We only got 1 cup amount of rice for both of us. The rice was decent. I wish we would have gotten 1 and a half cup of rice. The flavor of my dish was the saving grace of the whole experience. It actually met my expectations. However the paneer was solid blocks, not even slightly melted like typically at other restaurants. Hubby's lamb was dry and didn't have enough sauce, so he had to use ketchup to eat the rest it was also odd that they didn't include utensils or napkins with the takeout bag. The whole experience was disappointing and we will not be returning. Instead we will remain loyal customers to Russo's, just a few doors down.
Amazing service. Delicious food !! We had a group of 20+ people for lunch and I was just totally impressed with the speed and accuracy of how the food came out Each dish was beautifully prepared with perfect spices I can't help but say it again. Delicious daal. Delicious chicken and lamb curries!!! Define a revisit!! Well done chef for not writing down any of our 20 orders but getting them all right!!!
Consistently superb. I've been going to Wkana Cafe since they opened in Meadows Place years ago. The way they cook is so fresh and unique, I've never tasted this style food with such level of complexity in flavor profiles. The ingredients and combinations are delicately prepared in a way that is singular to Chef Sunil's style. Usually, I love the rogan josh lamb in their lunch menu. Sometimes I get one style kebab for lunch and a different style kebab to take home. My new favorite is the jackfruit biryani. Chef Sunil's preparations of chicken and lamb are always juicy and never overcooked. I highly recommend W'kana to everyone.
The my sole purpose is to review their Lunch Buffet which was both tasteless and overpriced.
We have been to W'Kana Cafe many times and have never been disappointed by the "quality" of the food. I prefer quality over quantity and believe me, being a foodie, the ingredients used by this place are high grade. I personally find this place "value priced". The food is prepared fresh and served hot on the table. I do not mind driving 45 miles from Kingwood to eat at this restuarant rather than flying 4000 miles to my hometown of New Delhi, India to get similar food :-). I have referred this place to many of my colleagues and they have forever thanked me for unraveling this hidden gem to them. So, if you value quality, authenticity, frshness, and value for money, I would recommend this place to everyone. Thank you Sunil S and keep rocking with your signature dishes.
This is probably the best Indian restaurant in Houston. Been coming to this place since they opened on Airport and Kirkwood. The chef is from Fremont, CA, where Indian food is the best in the country. Yesterday, I had the sag paneer, dal makni, and we shared some appetizers. Service is impeccable, the food is the BEST in town, but the only negative thing I can say is that they are very expensive. But worth it!
We got event catering done by Wakana Café. Must say that service provided was great. Sunil ensured that we did not have to worry about anything and everything was available promptly and organized with the event venue management. Food was absolutely delicious - particularly their Tava vegetables and Kulfi Falooda.
This place works if you go for lunch and get one of their lunch specials or kathi rolls (a wrap made with filling of your choice). It's actually quite decent and pretty fast. I would absolutely not recommend this place for dinner however because it stops being fast casual and more like a sitdown Indian place with ludicrously high prices for laughably small portions and pitiful service. They don't seem to know what they want to be. Either they can be a fast casual place, sort of an Indian Chipotle, with affordable prices. Or they can be an upscale place like Kiran's with prices and quality to match and with great decor, ambiance and service. The dinner portions are ridiculously small, the prices high compared to most Indian restaurants ($15-20 per entree) in Houston and the quality is mediocre at best. The plates/cups/silverware etc are flimsy plastic and their takeout boxes melt from the heat of the food (not joking, that actually happened to us!). Also, nothing comes with rice or naan--which would be fine if the entrees weren't so small and overpriced. Considering just how much competition they have in Energy Corridor from other better Indian restaurants (Nirvana, Biryani-N-Grill, Gayatri Bhavan, Amma's Kitchen to name a few), they really need to figure out what they want to be and stick to it. EDIT: The owner/manager or someone related to this business (Sunil S) keeps sending me long nastygrams accusing among various things that I may be promoting another competing restaurant (lol), having never eaten there (wow) and that I shouldn't be writing reviews unless I am a James Beard judge. Erm, sorry to say "Sunil S" but Yelp is for your average customer to write their honest views--even if they are difficult for the owner/managers to read. Considering the rude messages you've sent me privately, I am glad I never approached you about these issues. Downgrading this to a 1 star for rude, unprofessional management. So folks, if you want to eat at an overpriced, underwhelming Indian restaurant with a side dish of vile attitude--this is the place to go. Otherwise, go to the many diverse and fine Indian restaurants in Energy Corridor that have much better food at better prices and with better customer service.
Excellent service. The owner came out and checked our order. Made us a special not available on weekends for my kids. I loved loved their yummy biriyani. All in all excellent food and service. I would say it's rather pricey for a casual dining place. I wish it was more reasonable priced. We would go more often if the price fit.
How many restaurants have you been to where you find unique taste for every single curry you order? I personally have tried more than 15 indian restaurants in Houston area and the answer to the above question is - W'kana. It doesn't matter if you have ordered veg or non-veg, lamb or goat or fish or chicken or shrimp or veg, every dish is mouth watering. I have tried mysore chilly chicked, kerela shrimp, tandoori chicken, laal maas and many more. It is next to impossible to decide which one is best. And yeah in deserts gulab jamun is highly recommended.
Went here on a Sunday at around lunchtime. They did not seem to have a lunch menu. For appetizers we got: Papdi Chaat: basically huge tortilla chips with herbs on it. served with a cilantro-y sauce and tamarind sauce. The herbs on it are strong and semi bitter. Trio veg platter: 2 samosa, harra kebab (seemed like spinach kebabs) and paneer tikka (like a triangle of cheese). The samosa was fairly good, but the rest were very bland. I personally think this was not worth the money. Raita: a yogurt dip that was a bit too watery. I did not like it as a dip, but it tasted very good on the biryani breads: Lacha Paratha: was okay, but kinda just felt like naan. W'Kana Contemporary Naan: we got it with the pesto. It was probably my favorite one. I'm not sure what the last one was called, but I think it was Peshawari Kulcha. It was stuffed with nuts and what kind of tasted like jam (mushed dried fruits?) Entrees: I'm also not sure if this is what we got, but I think it was Mili juli subz sheek. It was like a platter of various veggies: cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers. It was grilled in something that made it yellow (curry?) and had a orange yogurt type of sauce. This was great and I would love to just eat the sauce over rice. Butter Chicken: It was good, but had a sweet tang to it that just kept throwing me off. Palak Paneer: I felt it was very bland, but my sisters liked it a lot. I tend to like my food to be salty, so I think most people would like it. Chicken Tikka W'kana: Easily my favorite. It was very flavorful. I could eat that sauce and rice all day. Not a lot of meat in the actual dish though. Awadhi Chicken Biryani: Delicious. Everything I want in a biryani. It was cooked like a chicken pot pie? The chicken and rice were moist and the bottom was the best part with gravy :) Lambs: I don't eat lamb, but my group ordered 2 types: Lamb Vindaloo and Kashmiri Roganjosh Everyone agreed that the roganjosh was tastier. They did not have the mango cheesecake, so we also got the rose cheesecake. I couldn't really taste the rose, but the cheesecake was definitely sweeter and creamier than regular cheesecake. The average dish is between $15-20. Their appetizers and breads are somewhat overpriced. However, I think the quality of the food is good. It warrants coming back again. There are some dishes that look interesting, but I would get the biryani again for sure. The chef came out personally to see how we enjoyed the food as well.
Restaurantji Recommends
Undoubtedly the best Indian cuisine in Greater Houston area!!! Very yummy and authentic taste!! You never feel heavy after eating food at W'kana unlike other Indian places. It is because chefs at W'kana are very careful about ingredients in all of their dishes.
Gourmet and slightly daring dishes with no pretentiousness. Try the shrimp appetizer and the biryani served with a bread top. Not the cheapest place but there are places were you spend more and get less. Sunil is a fantastic chef and his ability to accommodate just about any need is quite fantastic.
Amazing chicken! Incredibly tender and flavorful. My friends ordered the jackfruit biryani and a bunch of other curries and also enjoyed it. The owner was also very friendly.
We pass by this place a lot on the way to work and I convinced hubby to give it a try. When we entered, at 6 pm on a Saturday, we were the only customers in the restaurant. That should have been our cue to exit, but we were really hungry and eager to get home after a long day. A tall man (possibly the owner) greeted us at the back of the restaurant. We asked for take out, and he handed us a menu, directed us to a table and gave us waters. So far, it was pleasant. He also gave us a complimentary snack while we waited. I didn't really enjoy it, but appreciated the gesture. I ordered the Paneer Tikka W'kana and 1 order of Tandoori Naan. Hubby ordered Lahori Seekh kebab. The waiter assured us that there would be rice included with both our meals. We received the check which totaled to $34. I assumed the food would be plentiful and enjoyable based on the price. We got home and the portions were disappointedly small. The naan was about a foot long, cut in half, very dried out and priced at $3. Seriously.. I could find a better, cheaper, fluffier naan at a grocery store. We only got 1 cup amount of rice for both of us. The rice was decent. I wish we would have gotten 1 and a half cup of rice. The flavor of my dish was the saving grace of the whole experience. It actually met my expectations. However the paneer was solid blocks, not even slightly melted like typically at other restaurants. Hubby's lamb was dry and didn't have enough sauce, so he had to use ketchup to eat the rest it was also odd that they didn't include utensils or napkins with the takeout bag. The whole experience was disappointing and we will not be returning. Instead we will remain loyal customers to Russo's, just a few doors down.