Indian and Bento Box Spots on the Peninsula

Whether you are in the mood to grab a bento box to go and have a picnic at Bay Meadows Park, dine al fresco on a perfect patio, or have your event catered with delicious fare, here are a few great finds for a nearby dining experience this summer:

Vedas Indian Restaurant is now open in San Mateo and brings a new standard in Indian cuisine to the Silicon Valley. The master behind the kitchen is award winning chef Pradeep Kumar and this is his first expansion from the popular original establishment in Milpitas. His vision of keeping 500 years of Indian culinary tradition alive while bringing the full potential of Indian flavors forward into the future is what guides Vedas. Spices and sauces are used to enhance the flavors, not to mask the main ingredients. Lunch brings a daily all-you-can-eat buffet, while dinner switches to a la carte offerings from a number of categories. Stop by and try the kebabs from the clay oven or chicken tikka masala this summer on the beautiful backyard dining area Vedas offers on the patio.

Naru Bento is compact and specialized in Taiwanese or Japanese bento boxes. Near the Caltrain station and take-out only, Naru Bento uses some of the Bay Area’s most renowned meat producers including Mary’s free-range chickens and Niman Ranch pigs, all free of hormones and antibiotics. You can choose from the selection of meats such as pork or chicken katsu or minced kurobuta pork, accompanied by small compartments of rice, egg and pickled vegetables to complete the bento box. Yelpers rate this stamp-sized operation 4.5 stars and recommend the chicken katsu and winter melon tea.

Bombay Garden offers a full Indian buffet for lunch and dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with unusual south Indian dishes in 3 locations. The buffet offers a range of appetizers, a salad bar, and a rotating selection of curries and tandoori main courses. The buffet also includes naan, basmati rice, raita and chutneys. The food of Southern India is vegetarian and less spicy than that of the Northern region. You can even order online to avoid waiting in lines for pickup.

Curry Up Now_BayMeadows_208

Curry Up Now is not only the Bay Area’s first Indian Street Food on a Mobile Truck inspired from street foods, but also a favorite hotspot in downtown San Mateo. They aim to bring the street foods of Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi, Chowpatty, Mumbai, New Market, Kolkatta, elite boarding school (Sem, Sherwood, Sonn & All Saints) town of Nainital, Uttarkhand to the public. They have hundreds of reviews on Yelp, earning them 4 stars and tons of regular customers. Try naughty naan paired with the sexy fries. The popular restaurant has added a new bar to their portfolio adjacent to Curry Up Now called Mortar and Pestle in downtown San Mateo. Read all about Mortar and Pestle here.

Grab your plate and strike a pose with your delicious dish! As we develop community, we want to see how you live or play at Bay Meadows. Share your fun lifestyle photos with our community by using #baymeadowslife in our Fame x Frame Photo Contest. You could WIN $50 or our Grand Prize of $500 at the end of 2014 and be featured in a live pop-up photo gallery exhibit. Click here for official rules. Each month, Bay Meadows will select one photo to WIN a $50 gift card at Whole Foods Market San Mateo. Simply hop on instagram or twitter at tag us using #baymeadowslife or submit up to 10 photos per month to photos@BayMeadows.com .

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