Review: Annam Indian Restaurant ★★★★★
I’ve been to a lot of Indian places in the Tokyo, as well as Japan, but I had never heard of Annam Indian restaurant until it popped up as one of Tokyo’s highest rated Indian restaurants on TripAdvisor. So, decided to drop in and see if the place was worth all the fuss.
That was in 2017. At the time, this place did not disappoint. The prices were good, albeit on the higher side of average. Fairly typical décor for what you find in an Indian restaurant in these part.
The owner, named Deep, was hanging around near the entrance with a warm greeting and nice smile. I’ve met the owner now on more than a dozen occasions. He’s a really nice guy.
The rest of the staff is mostly Indian, and there was a good focus on service. It was incredibly prompt and personable. Unlike most India places in Japan, lunch does not come out all on my tray. They bring each dish in stages, which makes it feel a little more classy. This also gave the impression the food was made to order, instead of just coming out of a huge pot in the back.
The Food
The salad was really good, with a very nice dressing. Fairly sure they made the dressing in house, which gave a nice touch.
Some tandoori chicken came next. It was just perfect. This was the best dish we had. Might be the best I’ve had in the Tokyo area, to be honest.
Curry, naan and rice after that. The curry was great, top notch in fact. The naan and rice were ok. I’ll accept average carbs if the other parts are well made.
Over the next few years, I would visit every two months or so. Annam became one of my new favorite Indian joints. Best of all, it was never obscenely crowded. I never had cue outside for 30 minutes, like other popular restaurants.
Good Things Often Don’t Last
We were really happy with Annam Indian Restaurant, then something changed. The quality of the food coming out of the kitchen took a huge nosedive. Portions got smaller as well. The prices were already on the high side, and I was willing to pay if the quality was there. After two very disappointing meals I decided it was time to move on.
I think there is an important lesson here. Never underestimate or under appreciate the staff in the kitchen. Without food consistency there won’t be return customers.
I’m disappointed that the quality slipped here. If you’re in the area, I recommend skipping Annam and heading to Dhabas India. You might have to wait on line, but the food is always amazing.
While you’re here, why not check out some of other REVIEWS or TRAVEL WRITE UPS from around the world.
Contact & General Information
Price: Mid-Range (but pricier than other Indian restaurants at this level)
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm & 5pm-8pm/Sat-Sun 11am-8pm
Website: Annam Indian Restaurant (it looks like it hasn’t been updated in a long time)
Location: Google
