Bayleaf Indian Restaurant & Bar

Tried the Malai kofta and garlic naan when we came in a second time. Orders were slightly backed up due to multiple big party tables at dinner time on a Saturday evening.But the food was worth the wait - piping hot, delicious curry and very fresh, soft, crispy naan. Still holds the title of my favorite North Indian restaurant in Austin!

I was quite excited to try out Bayleaf, but I feel I may have been led slightly astray. My expectation for excellent Indian restaurants are for them to have superbly flavored dishes, no matter what is ordered. Unfortunately, dining in here on a Saturday around 1:30pm, this was not the case. While certain dishes we had during lunch had stronger flavors than others within the same restaurant, ultimately I felt these dishes lacked desired depth of flavor, and were quite one note.At first, I thought this might be due to user error. For many dishes, you can specify "how spicy" you'd like it prepared. The options are "Extra Mild", "Mild", "Medium", and "Spicy" and generally correspond to increasing concentrations of capsaicin at many establishments. However, there are a few restaurants where "spicy" does not necessarily refer to capsaicin levels, but actually refers holistically to quantity of spices and herbs present, not just chilies. After dining at the restaurant, I wondered if Bayleaf fell into this category. However, after taking some of the curries I ordered home and having them as leftovers the following day, I can state with certainty that the preparation of the dishes at the restaurant failed to optimize release of the aromatics of the spices. However, after an additional 24 hours sitting in the fridge, the curries were decidedly more flavorful than what was served at the restaurant. It would be preferable to have the flavor experience at the restaurant, rather than after 24 hours.We opted for Hara Bhara Kabob, Chicken Malai Methi, Scallop Pasanda, Badam Milk, and an order of Roti. For the pasanda, a spicy level of "mild" was selected, and for the chicken malai methi, staff recommended to get that at a "medium" spicy level. Neither one ended up lighting any fire beneath my bum or on my tongue.The Hara Bhara Kabob (appetizer) appeared to be cakes of whole spices, spinach, potatoes, peas, and herbs, served with a tomato based accompaniment. The cakes appeared to be deep fried to a dark brown, almost burnt color. While they were not burnt, it did appear that the cakes were cooked too long such that the aromatics were no longer present. Imagine taking a bite of one of the kabobs, and finding whole pieces of star anise and green cardamom in your mouth while chewing---yet alarmingly being unable to taste the anise or cardamom at the source. Aside from the annoyance of having constantly remove whole spice pieces from my mouth, the texture of the cakes were nice. The light dusting of spiced salt on top of them was pleasant, and the tomato masala dipping sauce provided a nice contrast. The cashew half in the center of each was a nice touch. Unfortunately, the cakes themselves were relatively bland.Both the Pasanda and Malai Methi were equally one note. The scallops in the Pasanda were delicious, plump, and pretty juicy. The Pasanda itself had a very nice intense tomato flavor and pretty creamy, but overall it was very one note in terms of spices. The 24 hour takeout version had a better flavor profile. They both came with basmati rice.The chicken in the malai methi was also well cooked, plump, and not dry at all. Unfortunately, the flavor detected in the curry was primarily creamy. While there were cilantro, green onions, and fenugreek leaves (and I assume other spices), all those took a back seat; overall the curry was exceedingly one note bland. I was disappointed by this at the restaurant. However, after waiting 24 hours, the takeout version achieved much better flavor extraction while sitting in the fridge and surviving a brief microwave nuke.Roti: This was user error, I should have ordered a chaapati instead. Anyways, the roti seemed naan-like, except not as soft. It was rather thick, not thin. It was large, cut into 4 pieces, and more on the chewy side, rather than being thin, soft, and easy to tear. It was drizzled with some fat. I imagine it was ghee, but it didn't have that aroma.Badam Milk: Milk, almonds, green cardamom, and I suppose sweetened with some sugar, the resulting concoction was quite thick--much thicker than milk or cream, and it had a great flavor, truly the only item ordered that had achieved a great extraction from the spices.Water served at the restaurant is served as bottled water. You have a choice of chilled or room temperature water. Menus are viewed via a QR code displayed on the table. However, ordering is done with the staff members, not online. Booth seating is available along one wall leading towards the bathrooms, while the remaining tables in the room seat larger parties. There is also seating off to the side near the front windows of the restaurant. The kitchen is visible through a couple of large interior windows.Unfortunately, flavor at Bayleaf is definitely toned down, both capsaicin wise and in terms of spices. This is disappointing.References for comparison: Chennai Tiffins in Mansville, RI and Dhaba Express in Parsipanny, NJ.

It was meh. I was excited to see the chef from North India, but the food was okay. The chicken tandoori was oily, and the marination tasted weird. Raar chicken was different. I asked for medium, and their medium was spicy. This tasted and looked more like Kadai chicken. Why not just call that?This restaurant has potential, but its menu is too extensive. Serve a few items and make it well. Tasted nothing like north Indian cooking

Forgot to take more pictures, but have to rave about this little gem in Round Rock. Everything was absolutely delicious. I have strange food requests sometimes and the chef even came out to talk with me and make some adjustments! Beautiful, delicious food, clean and bright seating, and service with a smile. Thank you Bayleaf crew!

Such an intimate and cozy place upon first walking there. The service was attentive, even as I asked the waiter a million questions. We were seated right away and were promptly given water bottles.We ended going with the non-vegetarian meal for 2, which was good bang for your buck, For $48, you're able to choose 2 protein entrees, dessert, and a drink. Now onto the food: - Vegetable pakora: Nice and crispy. It went well with both the green and red sauces.- Chicken skewers: This was actually slices of ground chicken. Strong flavor, tender, and included a sweet sauce.- Chicken tikka masala: The mild was a good spice for me. Very good flavor and a lot less sweeter than a lot of other restaurants. The chicken was charred, which meant it was probably skewered first and then sauced.- Lamb vindaloo: Delicious and a good portion.The set came with plain naan, which was light and fluffy. My favorite way to eat it was dunking it in the tomato based soup that was also included. The kheer rounded out our dessert round with the perfect amount of sweetness.It was a very filling meal and we ended it with Chai - also included in the set! We left very full and very happy. Highly recommend checking this place out!

I had read in food group page that they highly recommends Bayleaf and I must say the raving recommendations are spot on! This family owned Indian restaurant seriously provides the BEST attentive service like fine dining. As soon as we walk in we're acknowledged and seated immediately. The waiter instructed us to scan the QR code to pull up the restaurant menu and boy do they offer so many classic traditional dishes! There's 178 items on the menu including drinks. Even the Chef waived from the kitchen window. That really made us feel so welcomed! Clean restaurant and all the seats were made ready for diners. The vibe is awesome and immediately when you walk in you could smell the amazing spices and aroma in the air making you more hungry! Menu:https://www.bayleafaustin.comWe ordered:Mango juice - delicious! Mango lassi - the best mango lassi I've ever had! Chicken bryianna- the BEST one I've ever had! The chicken is juicy and packed with flavor. We got mild but it was still spicy after a couple bites. So good and highly recommended! Chicken tikka masala- creamy, juicy chicken, the spice is on point, and comes with rice . Rice is perfectly cooked! Highly recommended! 2 garlic naan: comes out fresh and hot! I wish there was more garlic but it was goodVeggie samosas: the best veggie samosas I've ever had! So much spices in it and it was soooo freaking good! The potatoes are cooked perfectly and it's super crispy on the outside side. Not oily and the 3 dipping sauces were amazing. We love all the sauce. The mint chuctney was amazing! That should be packaged and sold! Gulab Jamun: came in 3 balls and it was the perfect sweet dessert to end our dining experience! So good! When ordering the waiter will ask you how spicy you prefer. We opted for mild but it still had a kick to it. I'm glad I didn't order medium because I would have probably died. The mild was perfect! Do I recommend this place? ABSOLUTELY They are fire! They offer legit Indian dishes that is mouthwatering and delicious. Everything is made with love and super fresh. Prices are reasonable, food is packed with flavor, and the service is impeccable. If you wanted to eat at one of the best Indian food in Austin area and be treated well, come here! We can't wait to come back!

Amazingly good. The madras soup is the best soup I have had. Chicken Tilkka Masala - medium heat- was on point!

In a small strip mall on a side road just off Louis Henna Blvd in Round Rock. Bayleaf has to be one of the hidden gems in central Texas! A notch above typical Indian restaurants decor. I've dined there close to ten times in the last two or three years. My favorite dish is korma. Love the lamb korma and the chicken korma. They have an extensive menu and everything is made fresh. The best Indian food in central Texas! Worth a drive!

Do not miss out on this place. It's an absolute hidden gem. The chicken Coconut Curry is to die for. The biryani is fantastic. The saag is amazing. It's Hard to find good Indian restaurants in pflugerville/RR. It's our new favorite spot.

The service sucks!We ate there on February 1st and the service was abysmal. It's not the fault of the staff, but they had one guy serving ALL of the tables on a Saturday night.You have been warned.