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Royal Indian Cuisine, located in downtown Auburn, CA, has been serving delicious and delicious Indian cuisine from varied regions of the country since 2018. This fine restaurant is family owned and operated, and serves lunch and dinner every day of the week except Monday. As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's just a little past 11 o'clock in the morning, Tuesday, September 29, 2026, and I've arrived at Royal Indian Cuisine to "open up" the restaurant, and to enjoy the delicious cuisine of India in the gold country for fine dining. This fine restaurant is situated inside the Hink Block next to Club Car Bar and Grill, located in downtown Auburn, CA. Downtown Auburn is a shopper's and a "Foodie's" paradise, as it features several blocks of small shops, boutiques and countless restaurants, along with two micro breweries. What more could you ask for?
Photo: The dining room is quite spacious and sparsely decorated, but it's truly attractive and comfortable. The furniture has a few booths, but mostly is furnished with tables, each covered by a white tablecloth and already set with silverware, napkins and a water glass. An empty buffet is located at the rear of the restaurant, as lunch today was being served off the menu. Royal Indian Cuisine has been serving amazing Indian cuisine to Auburn, and western Placer County, and is open every day of the week, except for Monday. Lunch and dinner are served, with a 2-hour break in mid afternoon between the lunch and dinner seatings. Great gold country dining!
Photo: This little guy sits near the cash cheerily holds a basket of candy, and smiles for you to take a sample or two. I wasn't sure what the small round candy in the dish was all about... along with the spoon.
Photo: The total menu is HUGE and features all your Indian favorites, with selections from every region of the country. The second menu page showcases specialties, both Tandori and Seafood, along with Vegetarian entrees. I went with "Fish Masala," as my main dish, and a "Vegetarian Samosa" for an appetizer, as I never can resist a samosa or two as an appetizer. The menu is five pages of Indian goodness.
Photo: My "appetizer," before my official appetizer arrived was a 22-oz bottle of Indian brewed Taj Mahal beer, which is as good as beer can get. It also worked as dessert.
Photo: I enjoyed the view of Lincoln Way - the main street in downtown Auburn - as I sat at my booth and sipped my Taj Mahal beer. Downtown Auburn is a wonderful place to explore and enjoy, as it has many attractions to offer to both tourists and locals. Do you want to simply relax and enjoy? There are benches everywhere and lots of shady trees, along with lots of friendly locals.
Photo: From the "Vegetarian Appetizers" section of the meal, I began my lunch with a couple of "Vegetarian Samosas." Like all appetizers on the menu, my samosas included a cup of "Tamarind" and a cup of "Mint Sauce," for my dipping enjoyment. Each samosa was a savory pastry, stuffed with seasoned mashed potatoes and deep fried to a perfect, crispy golden brown on the outside. The mashed potato filling wasn't your mom's Idaho potato filling, as it was seasoned with Indian spices along with a hint of chickpea. Delicious! The "Mint Sauce," which was my favorite was very thick, and was more like mint chutney than sauce. It was thick, rich with a well-balanced flavor, and was hands-down my favorite, as I enjoyed every drop of it. On the other hand, the "Tamarind" uplifted the taste sensation, as it was thick, sweet, sour, tangy and flavorful. It made quite a contrast between the mint, and I alternated between the two dipping sauces. Such an amazing appetizer! The "Vegetarian Samosa" is listed on the menu as an appetizer, but between the samosas and the dipping sauce, it could almost make for a lunch, albeit it on the light side. Combine this amazing appetizer with a small bowl of lentil soup, and you'd have a complete and delicious vegetarian lunch.
Photo: I spooned a generous helping of mint sauce on to a piece of one of my samosas for a true taste sensation. Note the mashed potato filling and the crispy deep fried crust of the samosa.
Photo: Meet Jarnail, my friendly server, who brought my orders to me with a smile and treated me like a rock star. Jarnail is a great guy, and a fellow food enthusiast, and I enjoyed chatting with him.
Photo: I toast Jarnail, and talented staff at Royal Indian Cuisine with a glass of Indian-brewed Taj Mahal beer, as I prepare to enjoy a delicious lunch. Naan bread, samosas and a bowl of fish masala... what could be better?
Photo: From the "Seafood Specialties" section of the menu, I went with "Fish Masala" as my main entree. The menu simply describes this amazing dish as, "Fish cooked in a mildly spiced sauce." All selections from this section include your choice of rice or naan, I went with naan, as when I'm enjoying the cuisine of India, naan is something I can't resist. The "Fish Masala" came in a bowl, and I added the samosa along with a piece of the naan so I could enjoy them all at the same time. The remainder of the naan came in handy for scooping every bit of the savory red sauce from the bowl. This amazing seafood bowl began with a filet of white fish, pan-seared, and cooked in a thick, bold, mildly spicy onion and tomato based sauce, with a combination of spices blended to compliment the delicate fish. The fish was rich, thick and very earthy tasting, and with my first spoonful, it was love at first taste! When the bowl of "Fish Masala" was first placed in front of me, it seemed small, but size was deception, as this delicious bowl of fish stew along with the generous four slices of "Naan" kept me well-fueled all day, until I enjoyed a light dinner later in the early evening. The rich, thick, savory sauce was simply delicious, and complimented the tender white fish, and it all worked together to make for a satisfying and delicious fish stew. When you combine the "Fish Masala," with the "Naan," and add in the 22-oz Taj Mahal Indian beer, you're talking about enjoying an Indian vacation without leaving friendly downtown Auburn!
Photo: A spoon of "Fish Masa" showing the thick, rich, earthy goodness. It was love with the first taste and simply delicious! I could eat this wonderful cuisine every day of the week... My lunch of fish stew, naan and vegetarian samosas was simply delicious, as the food was perfectly cooked, presented beautifully and transported me to India, while enjoying the serenity of beautiful downtown Auburn. The cuisine of India is certainly showcased in style at Royal Indian Cuisine! Mumbai meets Auburn at Royal Indian Cuisine, where the food is authentic and delicious, and the staff will treat you like royalty. For some of the finest authentic Indian cuisine in Placer County, visit Royal Indian Cuisine, located in downtown Auburn, CA. Royal Indian Cuisine Copyright(c) 2026 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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