First, I'm not Indian, but this was considered one of the better Indian in DC metro. They Raised prices 30% and made everything extra like the side dishes. Total bill was 30% higher for 30% less food. Total netflix. I think they already lost half their customers. I'm definitely not going back. Official inflation is 3%, not 60% like these crazy guys.

Minerva sucks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> First, I'm not Indian, but this was considered one
> of the better Indian in DC metro. They Raised
> prices 30% and made everything extra like the side
> dishes. Total bill was 30% higher for 30% less
> food. Total netflix. I think they already lost
> half their customers. I'm definitely not going
> back. Official inflation is 3%, not 60% like
> these crazy guys.

Bombay Bistro weekday buffet. Minerva always did suck.

Minerva sucks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> First, I'm not Indian, but this was considered one
> of the better Indian in DC metro. They Raised
> prices 30% and made everything extra like the side
> dishes. Total bill was 30% higher for 30% less
> food. Total netflix. I think they already lost
> half their customers. I'm definitely not going
> back. Official inflation is 3%, not 60% like
> these crazy guys.

The price of wholesale food to restaurants has doubled. While Chilis or Applebees can take a hit the independents cannot. The profit margin on food in a restaurant is razor thin.

No thanks. I'm not paying 60% more Indian food. I can buy a jar of mango curry sauce and it's 90% as good for 20% of the cost. Or I'll just go to Bombay Bistro


Mrs Ghandi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Minerva sucks Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > First, I'm not Indian, but this was considered
> one
> > of the better Indian in DC metro. They Raised
> > prices 30% and made everything extra like the
> side
> > dishes. Total bill was 30% higher for 30% less
> > food. Total netflix. I think they already
> lost
> > half their customers. I'm definitely not going
> > back. Official inflation is 3%, not 60% like
> > these crazy guys.
>
> The price of wholesale food to restaurants has
> doubled. While Chilis or Applebees can take a hit
> the independents cannot. The profit margin on food
> in a restaurant is razor thin.

Minerva always seemed more of an Indo-Chinese restaurant to me rather than a straight Indian restaurant. They would make chili chicken, which seemed much closer to a Chinese dish. Also, their butter chicken would always be runny as hell. Not the thicker, flavorful type that you can get at other Indian restaurants (e.g. - Preet Palace, Bombay Cafe, Jaipur, etc.).

I think Minerva - who does have 3 locations, should close their Fairfax location in that ghetto shopping center next to Hooters. What a dump.

Minerva sucks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Official inflation is 3%, not 60% like
> these crazy guys.

Please link to source of current inflation at 3% for their suppliers.

It was already ridiculously expensive when it opened, based on the demographics of the surrounding community, it won't last much longer, IMO

justsayin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Minerva sucks Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Official inflation is 3%, not 60% like
> > these crazy guys.
>
> Please link to source of current inflation at 3%
> for their suppliers.

Here's a link that talks about 3.6% food inflation rates back in March:

http://economicsnewspaper.com/policy/spain/food-and-beverage-inflation-shot-up-3-6-12505.html

Bombay Bistro has been terrible for years. Prices are good, and the buffet looks pretty, but it's marginally edible.

Minerva Indian Cuisine - Inspection Report

Inspection Information:

Facility Type: Full Service Restaurant
Inspection type: Risk Factor Assessment
Inspection date: July 06, 2011
Number of critical violations: 4
Number of non-critical violations: 0

Definition of critical and non critical violations

Violations:

A summary of the violations found during the inspection are listed below.

Code Observation / Corrective Action
2-201.11(A)(1)-(5) Corrected During Inspection Critical Upon discussion with the person-in-charge, one or more of the elements of an effective employee health policy is either missing or incomplete. A complete employee health policy is required to be in place at the food establishment. At the time of this inspection, the Health Department provided and reviewed handouts and resource information to be used by the person-in-charge to develop a complete employee health policy.
A complete employee health policy must have the following elements: 1) Employee training on foodborne illness, particularly symptoms of illness and prevention of the Big Five illnesses (see "The Big Five Foodborne Illnesses Information Sheet" handout); and 2) Documentation that employees have been instructed of their responsibility to report symptoms of, diagnosis of or exposure to foodborne illness to management (see "Employee Health Agreement" handout); and 3) A management plan to restrict or exclude employees, as applicable, who have symptoms, diagnosis or exposure to foodborne illness (see "Employee Illness Decision Guide for PIC/CFM" handout). The information provided at the time of this inspection will help you develop and implement this policy. Handouts are available in the following languages: English, Chinese (traditional), Korean, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese. If you have any questions about your employee health policy, please contact your area inspector or contact the Health Department at 703-246-2444, TTY 703-591-6435.
3-501.14(A)(2) Corrected During Inspection Critical The following cooked potentially hazardous food(s) are not being adequately cooled from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and to 41°F within a total of six hours. ob cool tomato sauce in a plastic tub filled with tomato sauce approximately 8 inches deep, from previous evening 50F- 52F and stored in the walk in refrigerator
Potentially hazardous foods shall be cooled from 135°F to 70°F within two hours and to 41°F within a total of six hours to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria. Foods that have been temperature abused are to be discarded. In the future, fill the container with the tomato sauce with approximately 2 inches deep of tomato sauce.
3-501.16(A)(2)(a) Corrected During Inspection Critical The following food item(s) were observed cold holding at improper temperatures using a calibrated food temperature measuring device: cooked goat in sauce 47f, chick peas 47F at the beverage air prep on the left (per manager the lid is left open during lunch hour)
Potentially hazardous foods (time/temperature control for safety food) shall be held cold at a temperature of 41°F or below unless the permit holder is using "time as public health control" as specified under 3-501.19 to limit bacteria growth.
3-501.17(A)(1) Corrected During Inspection Critical The following ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous food in the refrigeration unit is not used within 24 hours of preparation and is not properly dated for disposition within 7 days at 41°F: Tandori chicken, basmatti rice, yogurt, butter chicken, tomato sauces, chick pea masala, etc. stored in the walk in refrigerator
Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous foods (time/temperature control for safety food) that are prepared on site and held at 41°For below shall be clearly labeled and date marked with a "USE BY" not exceeding 7 TOTAL DAYS. If the food is held for only 24 hours, no date marking is required. For example, if foods like leftover soups, chili, tuna salad, potato salad, pasta salad, etc. are prepared on July 6 they shall be date marked with a "use by" date not exceeding July 12.

Comments:

The purpose of this visit is a risk factor assessment. Thank you for your time. If you have any questions, please call 703-246-8442

This place sucks. Ever since The Connaught Place in the city of Fairfax (behind Old Town Hall) closed years back, there hasn't been a decent Indian restaurant in our area. To think we lost that gem for the "revitalization" of the city of Fairfax is a real shame. There's nowhere decent to eat down there unless you want a sandwich or a sandwich or a sandwich!

I Connaught Eat There Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This place sucks. Ever since The Connaught Place
> in the city of Fairfax (behind Old Town Hall)
> closed years back, there hasn't been a decent
> Indian restaurant in our area. To think we lost
> that gem for the "revitalization" of the city of
> Fairfax is a real shame. There's nowhere decent
> to eat down there unless you want a sandwich or a
> sandwich or a sandwich!


I'll agree with you 100%. The Connaught Place was the best in Fairfax. Period. However, if you get up to the Fairfax Circle area, Jaipur is worth a try. Their food is actually quite on par with with the Connaught Place offered. Also, I think the owners that had the Connaught Place, also have an Indian restaurant on Rt. 7 just past Baileys Crossroads - it's on the left side sort of by Duangrat's Thai restaurant.

Just Sayin' Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bombay Bistro has been terrible for years. Prices
> are good, and the buffet looks pretty, but it's
> marginally edible.

I can agree with you on Bombay Bistro, too. For some reason, their tandoori chicken was always very, very dry. It just seemed odd that they'd overcook it so much, then put it out on the buffet table under a heat lamp. I haven't been back there in over 6 years. The food just wasn't for me.

I believe the restaurant on Rt. 7 by Bailey's Crossroads is Raaga. I did hear at one time, it was owned by the same people as the Connaught Place. I'm not sure anymore, though.

http://raagarestaurant.com/home.html

Bombay Bistro is pretty good, We went in for dinner, and had a great meal. It was it had more spice than the watered down buffet places..

For a good , clean and consistent buffet, try Rasoi Of India, in C-ville by Giant, ..


Edit, and yes even the Minerva in the clock tower has gone way down hill. the buffet was nasty looking, like a pile of 3rd graders ran through finger painting with marsala.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2011 09:21PM by Take a Stand.

Take a Stand Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> For a good , clean and consistent buffet, try
> Rasoi Of India, in C-ville by Giant, ..
>

Centreville actually has 3 Giants. Which one?

@Which One: Are you completely clueless?---Just google "Rasoi of India"

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/crime-punishment/2011/01/feds-restaurant-owners-got-fraudulent-visas-workers


Three local restaurant owners are charged with pretending their employees worked in the computer industry to help them fraudulently obtain visas.
Charging documents say Prashanth Goguri, Kishore Konda and Mannem Reddy are the owners of Symmetric Solutions, which operates Minerva Indian Cuisine and other retail businesses in Virginia and Maryland. From 1998 until last year, the documents say, the three men submitted fraudulent immigration applications on behalf of their workers, telling authorities that the employees worked in computer technology, rather than in the restaurant industry.

That allowed employees to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the United States when they otherwise wouldn't have been eligible, prosecutors say.

Court records say the three businessmen helped at least 24 employees submit fraudulent documents to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services through the scheme.

Reddy was charged by information with conspiracy to commit immigration fraud and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Alexandria last week. His attorney didn't return a call for comment Monday.

Criminal complaints were filed against Goguri and Konda, and warrants have been issued for their arrests. Phone numbers listed for Goguri and Konda were disconnected, and neither had a lawyer listed in court records.

The defendants provided their employees with the fraudulent tax information and employment documents necessary to secure lawful residence, court documents say.

"The aliens did not work for Symmetric Solutions in the positions described in their applications and supporting documentation but were rather employed by Minerva Cuisine restaurants," Reddy's plea agreement says.

According to the plea agreement, Reddy agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. Charging documents against Goguri and Konda indicate that Reddy told authorities that all three men signed fraudulent immigration forms for workers.

Those forms included a letter stating that one worker was a business object developer when he was actually a caterer and kitchen helper and another saying an employee was a management analyst when he was a waiter, court records say.

Based on the false information in those forms, the workers obtained lawful status in the United States.

Court records show Goguri and Konda both came to the United States on worker visas in 1997. Reddy came the United States in 1987 and became a naturalized citizen in 2001.

Reddy's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 11. He could face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to his plea agreement.



Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/crime-punishment/2011/01/feds-restaurant-owners-got-fraudulent-visas-workers#ixzz1Yb8ulaGC

Guest,

Thanks for providing this information - very interesting! Those guys are gonna get some jail time.

Delhi Dhaba in Arlington is good. Been there for years.

They thought IT stood for Indian Tandoori.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

Jaipur is MONEY! great Indian food.

Jaipur is very good.

The best you'll find in NoVA is Tandoori Village on 28 between Centerville and Manassas.

Ken Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jaipur is very good.
>
> The best you'll find in NoVA is Tandoori Village
> on 28 between Centerville and Manassas.

Jaipur = Yes.

Tandoori Village = I'm not fully sure of yet. I've been there three times on a Saturday for the weekend lunch buffet. Their naan is the best. Some of their dishes are so-so. The beef has been a bit fatty at times. Their tandoori chicken they call chicken tikka, which I'm more familiar with having in a sauce, not cooked in just the plaint tandoori oven as I think of that as Tandoori chicken. Their price isn't too bad @ $9.99. Though, for the weekend buffet, I might prefer Preet Palace in Centreville slightly more.

Yeah, the buffet is just okay. The entrees served at dinner are much better.

As for chicken tikka, that is always just the chicken. You might be thinking of chicken tikka masala which is the tikka chicken in a tomoto-ish sauce and is actually Irish. Or is it Scottish? Either way, it's what I usually pick if I'm eating at a new place because they almost always use good breast meat for the tikka and then throw all the 'parts' into the curry dishes like butter chicken.

Any update on the case against Minerva owners?

Get a membership at restaurant depot and go to town and make your own food. Some stuff is even cheaper than Costco if you have a chest freezer to store it all!

http://www.restaurantdepot.com/BranchFlyers/jan13_ne.pdf

More Complete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Delhi Dhaba in Arlington is good. Been there for
> years.


Wow, used to go there in the early 90's. Since then graduated to Minerva.

I haven't been recently, but i thought Minerva was pretty good. Not every Indian place offers dosas, and their's were good.

I like the Bollywood Bistro in Old Town; tried only once, but it was really good.

This place in Kingstown has great food. http://myaditi.com/menu.html

Does anyone know what happened to these three guys? Did they go to jail?

In India they wipe their asses with their hands, not toilet paper, and the concept of using soap to wash your hands after is unheard of. So when you eat at Indian restaurants, just remember that the chefs who were making the bread and curries were stuffing their hands down their ass cracks a few minutes before and walking right out to cook.

RawDog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jaipur is MONEY! great Indian food.


I ate there for the first time ever on Monday (a customer suggested it for lunch - the buffet).

That place rocks.

RawDog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jaipur is MONEY! great Indian food.


i second this. jaipur is f'ing awesome