I wish I could give zero stars because this place deserves nothing but scorn. Kanishka Restaurant is an absolute disgrace to Indian cuisine, and it’s run by an owner, Atul Kotchaar, who has absolutely no respect for his staff, his customers, or the food he serves.
First, let’s talk about the horrible working conditions. The staff are treated terribly – I’ve seen it firsthand. Atul Kotchaar is the epitome of a bad boss. He pushes his employees to work ridiculous hours far beyond the legal limit, even though they’re only supposed to work 20 hours a week. I’ve seen the workers slogging for 12, 14, and even 16 hours a day, all while Atul barely acknowledges them. The poor employees look exhausted and miserable. It’s clear that he doesn’t care about their well-being, only about making money while exploiting them to the max. It’s shocking that this kind of mistreatment is allowed in this day and age.
Now, let’s talk about the food – or should I say the frozen disgrace that they try to pass off as "authentic Indian cuisine." I’ve never had such a sad, bland, and uninspired meal in my life. Most of the dishes are straight-up frozen, like the samosas and dumplings. They’re not even freshly made – they’re just reheated from some industrial freezer, and you can tell. The samosas were soggy and tasteless, with the filling more reminiscent of cardboard than any type of spiced potato. The dumplings were no better – rubbery, bland, and seemingly pulled from a box you’d find in a cheap grocery store freezer aisle. There was absolutely no freshness or flavor in any of the dishes I tried.
The overall atmosphere of the place is depressing, and it’s clear no effort has gone into creating an authentic, inviting space. It feels more like a fast-food joint with no soul, which would be fine if the food was good, but unfortunately, that’s not the case here.
To top it all off, the prices are absolutely ridiculous for the low-quality food you’re getting. For what they charge, you could get far better food at literally any other Indian restaurant in the area – places where the staff aren’t abused, and the food is made fresh, not out of a frozen box.
In short: Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from Kanishka Restaurant. Atul Kotchaar should be ashamed of how he runs this business, and I hope the workers find a way out of this toxic environment. There are plenty of much better Indian restaurants out there – do yourself a favor and support those instead. Kanishka is a place that should be avoided at all costs.