Naan of the Above

It is so sad to see what ‘Naan’ has become. I agree with the other raters who have said this place has gone downhill. Naan of the Above used to be a haven for delicious, reasonably priced food in Arcata. They were never the most authentic, but that’s partly what I liked about them — they took a genuinely unique and tasty spin on many classic dishes. Their curry flavors would rotate frequently but everything was always guaranteed to be delicious. What’s more, the original owner was a great dude who cared as much about his customers as he did the quality of his food. Just about all you could ask for out of a food truck (or any restaurant, really). Unfortunately, that was all a few years ago.
Fast forward to today, Naan of the Above has almost doubled in price, reduced their portions, and watered down their recipes. When I say watered down, I mean they literally dump buckets of water in their curry to dilute it out. We just ordered the butter chicken and South Indian Vegetables, with naan and rice. The rice tasted about the same as it used to, like rice. The naan was OK, fluffy and salty, but lacking the crisp outer crust it used to have (I think they just make it in advance and microwave it now, we definitely didn’t have to wait as long as we used to for the food). Both curries were liquidy and bland. The South Indian vegetables could have just been straight out of a Campbell’s vegetable soup can for all I could tell. It tasted like vegetables in water with sugar and salt. The Butter Chicken was also just a liquidy soup, but with a little cream mixed in. The broth (I mean, curry) was so diluted with water that the oil had separated out in a distinct layer that would not completely stir back in and emulsify. The chicken tasted freshly boiled in water, it was chewy and lacking in any flavor. This bowl of, whatever, didn’t even resemble the butter chicken they used to serve (or any butter chicken I’ve ever had for that matter). It was pale cream in color, had the consistency of pure water, no aroma, and no flavor.
So what did this sad, salty, smörgåsbord cost? Over $ 30. That’s $ 30 for two pieces of white bread, rice, and a couple of bowls of water with some boiled vegetables or chicken. Save your money and boycott this place until the owners decide to value their customers over their wallet.
…I can’t believe I just wrote an essay right now. I’m just really sad. This was my favorite place to eat in Arcata, and now it is straight garbage. Really expensive garbage.

A few years ago this was the place to go for really good food. The portions were large and very flavorful and for a good price. Not since they changed owners, Very small portions and very expensive now. Sorry but I will not go back.

Decent Indian food, but nothing special. Prices are extremely high for what you get. The menu is very basic. Would recommend that you make the drive to eureka and enjoy some authentic Indian food at Bollywood Indian cuisine or Tandoori Bites.

I loved this place a few years ago. They had a new menu every week of super flavorful curries made from local seasonal veg. This place used to be something to go out of your way for. In the years that followed it has plummeted in quality, I think (hope) they changed ownership at some point because there is no way the original owners would have let it slip this much. The Naan is still 5 stars, but all their curries suck now. That and they are RIDICULOUSLY expensive. We’re paying for a bowl of spiced tomatoes and chickpeas, you’re charging me over 5 bucks for that? Hard pass.
Avoid at all cost. The only good place to buy Indian food in Humboldt county is Bollywood.

First timer, I have to say the chicken curry was very delicious. However I wish that the portion was a lot bigger, especially since it was nine dollars. The mango lassi was exquisite, one of the best I have had. You’ll see me again!

Great service, the lentils had no flavor and the price was a bit high for a food truck. But the naan is so delicious, worth the money for the naan!

Very small portions but good food. Disappointed.
Bottom line is that I ordered the veggie curry dish and what I got was a small bowl. If you want a decent meal I wouldn’t recommend going here. I didn’t order a side dish such as the rice because none of them appealed to me. For 10 dollars it was just as filling as a small cup of soup. I guess they changed owners recently. Bummer because arcata needs more decent food trucks.

In my experience, the draw for food trucks is that you can get good food for a lesser price (due to less overhead costs). However, I payed $ 9 for a curry. a price similar to other restaurants, who usually give you a lot more bang for your buck. This curry was mediocre, didn’t contain a lot of the meat or potatoes, and didn’t have the rich, bold flavor that I would expect from good Indian cuisine. Didn’t try any of their sides because of the price of the main dish.
Either their food could be cheaper, or it could be made well enough to justify the price… but with neither of those options in play, I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on this venue in the future.

Decent food, pretty tasty. Small portions for the price though, especially when even rice is extra. Also, we were expecting a one $ rated food truck. We had a hungry family though and most spots were closed so we stayed. Dont recommend.

I give this spot a high three. I saw it driving by and I turned around because I’ve been craving naan, curry, and rice. I got the chicken vindaloo, garlic naan, and Indian rice. I was satisfied with the flavor as everything was exceptional. Tasted great, temperature was right, plenty of garlic on the naan. The timeliness it took to get the order was about average. I was a little thrown off by the very limited number of dishes. Three entrees, the usual sides etc. Not very many choices.
As I said before the food was great but the reason for a high three is the coast. I ordered a typical meal that cost about 18 dollars. When it came out I was looking around like it was a joke where’s the rest of the food. Expensive, delicious small portions. Now I know. I’ll most likely come back.

Yummmmm… Best food cart in Arcata! I just wish they were open every day… Or at least Sunday’s. Likely they don’t think Sunday’s are lucrative, but I often find myself «up a creek without a paddle» on Sunday’s because ALL the restaurants in Arcata feel the same way. We need restaurants open on Sunday’s. Especially the ones that are awesome like these guys.
One complaint is that they keep raising their prices. I’ll still pay because I understand it is tough to get by in this economy. Price to portion ratio is a little high so I go there less frequently. Something to consider when running a business.

Since changing owners, this place no longer satisfies me.
The portions are small and very expensive. $ 3.25 for a side of raita? $ 4+ for naan?
The worst part is the sound system now plays American Classic Rock and the guy at the counter is so rude. I was kind of shocked at how he spoke to customers coming to the window at 5 minutes til closing. Not the way to run your business if you want people to come back!

This food truck does not deserve to have won best food truck in humboldt county this many times. Especially since changing ownership, everything has gone up in price at least 1 – 2 dollars on food that was already prohibitively expensive in the first place. What they serve here is cheap indian street food in small portions with a massive markup. If you want to charge 5 dollars for some damn garlic naan, open an actual restaurant.
with the addition of the food taking forever, this food truck defies most tenets of traditional food truck philosophy. It is only successful because A) arcata is full of yippy idiots who don’t know any better and B) There are literally no other Indian restaurants in Arcata and only 3 in the whole county.
Way to go, Naan of the Above, you’ve got a monopoly on Indian food which is reflected in your overpriced food and slow service.

Food is absolutely great. New guy that runs it has zero social skills and comes off as rude. It’s quite expensive too.

This lunch truck is the best — way above and beyond what I expected! I was visiting from the East Coast and happened upon it, and was blown away by the quality of the food. The naan was huge. The mango lassis were delicious and the chicken tikka was as good as the best Indian restaurants in the Philly area. Super friendly staff, and very quick service. I will for sure seek out Naan of the Above when I next visit Arcata.

This food truck will rock your palate! I recently had the Chicken Korma and it was the most delicious Chicken Korma I have ever tasted! The service was fast and the staff was so accommodating and pleasant! I ordered a garlic naan and it was huge! And, I had plenty left over for lunch the next day.
I highly recommend the mango lassi! Refreshingly awesome!
Simply, the best Indian Food in Northern California.
Can’t wait to go back and eat under the yellow tents!

Great, tasty, satisfying naan and chicken vindaloo. We thoroughly enjoyed everything, and it was still hot when we got back to Eureka, so you can eat al fresco under the awnings or take it home.

CLOSED TODAY? WRONG. Naan of the Above was open this noon with a delicious Hyderabadi vegetable curry – so rich, and mildly spiced! Their naans are enormous, never burned, but lightly golden, and dripping with ghee. I paid over $ 11.00 for about 12 ounces of this single dish and ONE naan. I am told they are very particular about the quality of their ingredients, hence the sky-​high prices. The buffet at Tandouri Bites lndian restaurant in Eureka is a better bargain, but the food can barely compare!

The flavor is okay. I used to eat here all the time, but I think either I’ve become a food snob or this place was never truly that great. I guess in college anything sounds good…

Slower than molasses in January and not worth the wait. Not sure when the people with good reviews ate there, but I unfortunately do not share in their love of this place. The spices in the curry tasted raw (not toasted like they should be) and too heavy leaving a grainy texture, naan was passable and a good portion of our chickpeas were crunchy. Won’t be back, especially with better options now in Eureka. I’d sooner cook these dishes on my own than pay the prices NOTA charges for disappointment. On the plus side, staff was kind and polite.