Clay Oven

May 27 2011 Clay Oven closed several years ago. more

I also used to live in Orlando and always enjoyed the Clay Oven, so when I saw the review below and was in town for the weekend I was excited to return for a meal. The review below was posted 3 weeks ago..... more

I used to live in Orlando, and have eaten at a lot of Indian restaraunts around America since moving. The Clay Oven is the best food and service anywhere around the area, and it is as good as the best anywhere else around the country. I have moved back to the area recently and cannot wait to go back to eat there. The food is not ""hot"" spicy, but it has great indian flavors. Some places are either too hot, or too bland, where everything tastes ""Americanized"" and has no distinct and separate flavors for each item. The Clay Oven tastes authentic. They are clean. Their workers are courteous and quick to replenish the buffet. Oh yeah! They have a buffet! And it is great too. If you move here or are passing through, drive the extra miles to eat there instead of all of the over-hyped, over-priced tourist-traps off of Orange Blossom Trail, or International Drive. By the way, the prices are reasonable versus the tourist restauraunts. I'd rather spend the gas money to eat great food than to eat overly-priced, overly-spicy hot food that has no flavor other than ""hot"". That's my take on the Clay Oven in Winter Springs (Orlando Area). Pros: It is never packed out. No wait. Looks like a hole-in-the-wall place, but it's a diamond in the rough. Cons: Bathrooms could be cleaner. Welcome to India! more

Don't let the half-abandoned strip mall in this ordinary section of Highway 17-92 fool you; hidden away is gourmet-level cuisine in big portions, prepared by a chef who used to serve Presidents. On my last visit, I couldn't decide what to order, so I went for the tandoori mixed grill, and got a cornucopia of delicious chicken, shrimp, salmon and lamb dishes on basmati rice that was as light as a cloud. Don't miss the house special nan bread, good enough to order as a dessert! The waiters and waitresses were very attentive, but for some reason on the night we came, they kept forgetting to bring all the standard basics to our table without prompting, such as the papadums and sauce, beverages, silverware, menus....it got to be kind of a running gag, after awhile that we were invisible. Prepare to take some of your dinner home; and don't be surprised when the leftovers taste as good as you remember--or even better! more

I have been going to the clay oven for a year now. And to me their food is worth the drive. The staff is very nice and attentive. The chef and his wife are great hosts and make you feel that u are part of the family. They strive to enhance the presentation of the food as well as the costumer service. My favorite the simosas, and the chiken tikka Masala. more

I used to love the food at Clay Oven and thought it was worth the 50 minute drive from my home. However, Clay Oven just changed ownership and it shows. I ordered several items for take out recently, including samosas, lamb pasanda, chicken tikka masala, and tandori chicken. After getting home, I discovered that they had not packed the lamb dish in my order. The samasos were placed on a bed of lettuce THAT HAD BEEN DRESSED and were soggy. The rice was lumpy. The tandori was soaked in some sort of orange colored sauce. To top it all off, when I called and asked to be credited for the lamb, I was told they were too busy to help me and was assured they would credit me that evening. That didn't happen. I will never go back to Clay Oven. Once again, change of managment has ruined a restaurant. more

I cant stop thinking about Indian food. Ever since my brothers started the hype on naan and butter chicken more than 6 months ago, I dont think Ive gone a day without thinking about this wonderful cuisine. Today, I am hungry. The main buffet had 9 entrees in heavy stainless steel bowls. The entrees included a chick pea and potato curry, a chicken pasanda curry, tandoori chicken, three vegetarian curries, basmati rice, and gulab. I made a plate and when Akbar brought my water, I inquired about naan. He told me it was coming up and he was right. A few minutes later, he brought out a round naan on it cut only in half, lengthwise. The naan was warm and buttery and good. I ended up having 3 plates of food and I concentrated on the chicken pasanda curry and rice and naan dipped in the pasanda curry sauce. Pros: Place was empty, Wait staff was sweet, Waiters smelled great Cons: lack of entrees, too many veg. dishes more

I don't know which restaurant the other reviews are for, but the Clay Oven on 17-92 in Longwood serves very tasty food at decent prices. I love their Indian chicken wings, Chicken Korma, and their Peshwari Naan. This is my favorite Indian restaurant in any part of the country. I think there is another Clay Oven down in the tourist area, but I have never eaten there and I don't know if it's the same company. more