Chutnees - Alachua County

Chutnees is one my favorite restaurants not just in Gainesville, but anywhere. Here’s why: 1. Food Could there be anything more important in a restaurant? I can deal with shortcomings in any other area except here. Gladly, Chutnees does not disappoint. Their menu is VERY extensive and makes choosing your dishes kind of agonizing (although you’re guaranteed to win whatever you choose). Personal favorites include the Lamb Bhuna, Chopli Kabob and Chicken Makhni. The Naan (bread) is FANTASTIC. I’ve tried the regular, butter and garlic. All great, but the garlic Naan is truly exceptional. Make sure to try the Mango Kulfi (ice cream) for dessert and the Mango shake is also delicious. 2. Spiciness I put this as a separate category since we ARE talking about an Indian restaurant. Everyone has different tolerances for spiciness and Chutnees is happy to accommodate them all. I think they have 5 or 6 different levels so if you want the taste without the burning sensation you can have that and if you want to really sweat they can oblige that too. I personally usually go with medium or medium-hot, but having such a wide range of options helps when I take friends that aren’t accustomed to spicy food. Even my most sensitive friends aren’t bothered by the mild. 3. Customer Service The other reason going to Chutnees is such a treat is the service. We’ve always been served by Liz when we went and she is great. Very knowledgeable about the dishes and ALWAYS beaming. I never have to ask for a refill or for a dish to be taken away, because she’s already taken care of it unobtrusively. The owner, Mrs. Aqueela Khuddus is often there and checks up on you to make sure everything is to your satisfaction. She might be the sweetest, most caring lady I’ve ever met. You’ll have to resist the urge to get up and hug her. It’s clear where Chutnees gets its direction from. 4. Cleanliness I’ve been to many Indian restaurants and this is one area where I’ve felt many were sorely lacking. Not so with Chutnees. It’s always spotless whenever we go. The silverware and utensils are always gleaming and there are no spots on the glasses or stains on the table. The bathrooms are very clean as well in case someone overestimates their ability to tolerate the spiciest levels! 5. Decor/Ambience I’ll be honest, as a guy, I almost never care about this. In fact, I only ever notice it if it’s really bad or good. Chutnees definitely falls into the latter category. The restaurant is decorated nicely giving it a very authentic feel. The soft Indian music also adds to the mood. There are even small touches like the fabric enclosure that the bill comes in. Chutnees is definitely one of my favorite restaurants. My thought process when leaving is always the same: MAN, that was great. Which is immediately followed by: I need to come back very soon! NOTE: Sabri Nihari is an Indian restaurant on Devon Street in Chicago and is widely considered to be the best Indian restaurant in the US.