In Praise of Mediocrity: East Bay Eats at Flavors of India

In the Grand Lake district, we now have a Flavors of India restaurant, second outpost -- the first opened in Rockridge in 2006.

It's not great Indian food. We'll be the first to admit it. You want GREAT and in the East Bay, head to Breads of India (which recently relocated to a beautiful and cavernous new space in the ever-reviving Old Oakland area); or the East Bay outpost of Taste of the Himalayas in North Berkeley (which arguably and elegantly hovers between Tibetan and Indian cuisines); or try the plethora of regional Indian restaurants and cafés that line either side of University Avenue in West Berkeley; or follow Alice Waters to her favorite chaat spot, Vik's.

At Flavors, the décor is warm and pleasant, the tables usually packed -- we're not the only ones in the neighborhood glad for the new addition, and the service young, and slow; verrrrry slow.

We were dismayed, on our second visit, to discover how many of the "flavors" we were reasonably enjoying came out of a can or box -- as the entire pantry is on display for diners who navigate the labyrinthine path to the bathrooms.

That all said, we find Flavors of India to be a decent local option, and a cut above the other types of Asian foods available in the immediate four-block area (we usually call over to Piedmont Avenue for take-out/delivery Chinese, or head downtown for Vietnamese).