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Best Indian Food in Sunnyvale - Turmeric

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Try the Indian Buffet at Turmeric

Cooler weather has arrived in Northern California - just the thing to make you want to eat delicious, warm Indian food. In this segment of the Bay Area Best Indian Food: Indian Restaurant Guide, I review one of my favorite Indian restaurants on the Bay Area peninsula, Turmeric in Sunnyvale.

Turmeric is a great restaurant in every way. The location is excellent, the interior decor is pleasant, the food is delicious and the staff are helpful. Turneric has a full menu, but I particularly recommend the lunch buffet. It's one of the best Indian buffets in the Bay Area - you'll love it. And if you are visiting in San Francisco, consider a trip down the peninsula - there's a lot to see from the mountains to the ocean to the bay, with a great meal at Turmeric as the prize.

Here's my review of this fine Indian restaurant in Sunnyvale.
All photos are taken by me, during a delicious lunch buffer at Turmeric. Images © E. Friedman 2011.

Beautiful Interior at Turmeric

Colorful textiles brighten the walls

Textile in Turmeric Restaurant, © E. Friedman 2011Turmeric is one of the most pleasant and attractive restaurants along Murphy Ave. in Sunnyvale. Turmeric has large dining areas upstairs and downstairs. The buffet, which I recommend and review here, is located upstairs.

The interior is cheerful, with bright textiles decorating the walls. Not only to they add a happy tone to the dining room, they also dampen sound waves and thus reduce noise. Even during the busy lunch hour, the dining area of Turmeric remains quiet enough for conversation.

This pleasantly quiet setting is important. Not only does it make eating more relaxing, it also makes it possible to talk to your friends or business associates. And located in the heart of the Bay Area computer industry, many a technical or business meeting has taken place over lunch there. I know, because I've been involved in several :-)

Turmeric in Sunnyvale

This Indian restaurant is located on Murphy Avenue

Murphy Avenue Sunnyvale CA, © E. Friedman 2011Murphy is a fun, attractive street in Sunnyvale, California, an excellent place to walk. There are cafes,restaurants and boutiques lining both side of this short street, with lots of benches and outdoor tables. There is limited parking along the street and a large free parking lot next door, accessible through a passageway. You can park there for 3 hours, if you come for lunch, try to arrive before noon to use this lot as it fills up. Otherwise, park on nearby streets.

You also can arrive by train to reach Murphy and restaurants such as Turmeric. The Sunnyvale Caltrain station is just across the street at the end of Murphy, about a block away from Turmeric Restaurant. What could be more convenient?

Turmeric Hours and Location

Turmeric in Sunnyvale is located on S. Murphy Avenue just a block or so away from the Caltrain station. Turmeric is open for lunch and dinner. Lunch has an excellent, large buffet.

Location: 141 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale CA 94086

HOURS

Lunch: Monday - Friday 11:30 am - 2:00 pm; Saturday - Sunday 12:00 noon - 2:30 pm

Dinner: Everyday 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm

Website CLICK HERE-----> Turmeric Restaurant in Sunnyvale, California

Parking for Turmeric

Turmeric Restaurant Sunnyvale CA, image © E. Friedman 2011Parking is fairly easy near Turmeric, unless you arrive just at noon on a workday. There is a parking lot with FREE 3-hour parking on the side of the building opposite to Murphy St. You can enter the back door of Turmeric or just walk through the passage way to Murphy and come in the front.

I don't recommend that you try to park on Murphy. There are only a few spaces and anyway it's nice to keep that street pretty much free of traffic and pleasant for pedestrians.

If the 3 hour lot is full, pull out the side entrance (not the one on Evelyn) and park along the couple of blocks nearby, also free parking.

Or best of all: leave the car and come by train. Caltrain Sunnyvale is across the block from the end of Murphy street, just a short walk from Turmeric. Handy!

Indian Buffet at Turmeric

Lunch buffet at Turmeric in Sunnyvale, © E. Friedman 2011

I highly recommend the lunch buffet at Turmeric. All dining there is delicious, from menu or buffet, lunch or dinner, but the lunch buffet is my favorite.

Turmeric's lunch buffet overs a wide variety of dishes, both vegetarian and those with meat. Some are spicy, others are mild.

Advantages of an Indian buffet

1. You can see the food in order to decide what you'd like to take.

2. You can select a variety of Indian dishes at one time.

3. You have your food immediately.

4. Dessert is included!

Turmeric Buffet is Large

Indian buffet at Turmeric, © E. Friedman 2011, all rights reservedTurmeric's buffet is a convenient way to introduce people to Indian food. The buffet makes it possible for people to taste each Indian dish before committing to a serving. This style is handy for people who are new to Indian food.

Turmeric's buffet also allows them to easily choose the level of spiciness they prefer. Some dishes are hot with spice and others are medium or mild. The choice is up to you.

Of course, if you order from the menu you also can request that your dish be made very spicy, medium or mild. But with the buffet, you get to sample a little to see what level of spiciness you want.

Wide Selection at Turmeric's Lunch Buffet

lunch buffet at Turmeric in Sunnyvale, © E. Friedman 2011

The big challenge with the lunch buffet at Turmeric is to choose among so many excellent dishes. Do try the naan - it's a delicious Indian style bread. Plain naan is served with the buffet. Or you can make a special request, such as garlic naan.

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric is a commonly used spice in Indian cooking. Turmeric adds color and flavor to food. Scientific studies have indicated that turmeric has potential health benefits, such as reducing the risk of certain cancers. In addition, the use of flavorful spices such as turmeric may make it easier for you to reduce the amount of salt you use in prepared food, and that in turn may also be a health benefit.

Reference for some of the health benefits of turmeric and other spices is a 1999 scholarly article by Winston J. Craig in the American Journal of Nutrition, Health Promoting Properties of Common Herbs

Indian Food at Turmeric is Delicious

Indian food, © E. Friedman 2011This main dish from the lunch buffet was very tasty. The main course I selected is the colorful Tandoori Chicken.

Raita and Other Sauces

raita and mint sauce, © E. Friedman 2011Turmeric offers a very good selection of sauces and side dishes with the buffet. These include a cucumber-and-yogurt dish called raita. Sometimes raita is a little bit spicy. Raita is generally taken on other dishes such as curries or rice.

Another sauce is a minty green sauce, pictured here along with a small bowl of raita. This green sauce also slightly spicy and an excellent addition to other dishes.

For many, the favorite side sauce is a sweet chutney. Ginger chutney is a favorite.

Turmeric Makes Great Chai

chai, © E. Friedman 2011I love the chai at Turmeric. Chai is an Indian style black tea steamed with milk and spices. Each restaurant has its own version of chai. I always order chai with the Indian buffet at Turmeric. Theirs is delicious and a wonderful taste with the food.

Indian Desserts from Kheer to Kulfi

Indian food desserts, © E. Friedman 2011

Indian desserts are very sweet but delicious. Turmeric generally offers two on the buffet. Pictured here are kheer and mango pudding.

You may be familiar with several Indian desserts commonly served in Indian restaurants even if you've never been to India.

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Turmeric is a Favorite Place to Dine

Detail, wall hanging at Indian restaurant, © E. Friedman 2011I hope you will have a chance to eat at Turmeric, either the lunch buffet or a dinner. The food is always excellent, the staff friendly and helpful and the setting is very pleasant.

If you do go, please come back here to this page and leave your comments about your own experience.

Your questions or feedback are welcome

  • TLRaghavan Jan 30, 2012 @ 8:31 am | delete
    Good to hear about nice Indian restaurants there. I can still remember the struggle to get good Indian vegetarian cuisine at California back in the 70's.
  • gypsyman27 Dec 3, 2011 @ 11:04 pm | delete
    Turmeric is a good name for an Indian restaurant, they use so much of it in their recipes. See you around the galaxy...
  • karmicchristian Oct 1, 2011 @ 5:33 am | delete
    Very nice restaurant review of the Turmeric! Nice to see your liking for Indian food! :)
  • sukkran Sep 7, 2011 @ 4:59 am | delete
    nice review on a indian restaurant and indian food. appreciate your love with indian food.
  • KathyT Aug 22, 2011 @ 9:47 am | delete
    Sounds like an awesome restaurant! We're fortunate in northern NH to have Shalimar of India within an hour of where we live. If you're ever in NH and visit the White Mountains, head over to North Conway... Shalimar is right on the main road through town (Rt 16). Just wonderful! :)
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efriedman

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