Indian restaurant menus are long, and a first order can mean choosing a curry, a rice, a bread and a side one at a time. Royal Kitchen in Oakland has a category built to shorten that: the To Go Combo Box. It lists seven boxes, each packed in a three-compartment container with rice, naan bread and a small salad. This guide explains what each box holds, which one suits which kind of eater, and what to ask before you order.
What every To Go Combo Box includes
The To Go Combo Box category sits in the middle of the Royal Kitchen ordering page, between the tandoori dishes and the vegetarian dishes. Six of the seven boxes carry a near-identical description: three compartment containers, rice (8oz), naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad. What changes from box to box is the curry in the first two compartments.
The seven boxes are the Chicken And Veggie Combo, Lamb And Chicken Combo, Lamb And Veggie Combo, Paneer And Veggie Combo, Vegan Combo, Veggie Combo and Goat and Veg Combo. The last one has no description on the page, so ask the restaurant what it contains before you order it.
Chicken And Veggie Combo: the balanced box
The menu describes the Chicken And Veggie Combo as one chicken (5oz) and one veggie (5oz), with rice, naan bread and salad. It is the simplest way to get one meat dish and one vegetable dish in a single container, so it works when two people want to share, or when one person wants variety.
Order Chicken And Veggie Combo if:
- You want one meat curry and one vegetable curry in the same box.
- You like the idea of dipping naan into two different sauces.
- You are ordering for yourself and do not want to build a meal from separate dishes.
Menu card — Chicken And Veggie Combo
Listed under To Go Combo Box on the Royal Kitchen ordering page: one chicken (5oz), one veggie (5oz), rice (8oz), naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
Lamb And Chicken Combo and Lamb And Veggie Combo
The Lamb And Chicken Combo pairs lamb (5oz) with chicken (5oz). The Lamb And Veggie Combo pairs lamb (5oz) with a veggie curry (5oz). Both come with rice, naan bread and salad.
Order a lamb box if:
- You want lamb in your takeout but do not want a full-size lamb dish.
- You want a second compartment of either chicken or vegetables to balance it.
- Anyone in your group eats meat, but not everyone eats the same meat.
Menu card — Lamb And Chicken Combo
Listed under To Go Combo Box on the Royal Kitchen ordering page: lamb (5oz), chicken (5oz), rice (8oz), naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
Paneer And Veggie Combo: a vegetarian box with paneer
The Paneer And Veggie Combo is the box for guests who want a vegetarian meal with paneer in it. The listing describes a veggie curry (6oz) and paneer cottage cheese in sauce (5oz), with rice, naan bread and salad. The Royal Kitchen menu has a long paneer list in the Vegetarian Dishes category, including Shahi Paneer, Saag Paneer and Mattar Paneer; the box listing does not say which one goes in the container, so ask.
Menu card — Paneer And Veggie Combo
Listed under To Go Combo Box on the Royal Kitchen ordering page: veggie curry (6oz), paneer cottage cheese in sauce (5oz), rice (8oz), naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
Vegan Combo and Veggie Combo
The Vegan Combo is described as 2 vegan curry (5oz each) with rice, naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad. The Veggie Combo is listed as two veggie (5oz), with the same rice, naan and salad. The difference is the label: the Vegan Combo uses the vegan label, while the Veggie Combo does not say.
Royal Kitchen’s website describes a dairy-free vegan menu, and the ordering page has an All Vegan category with dishes such as Channa Masala (Vegan), Dal Tadka (Vegan) and Tofu Curry (Vegan). If you need a strictly vegan meal, order the Vegan Combo and confirm with the staff that the naan bread in it is a vegan one, since the page lists a vegan tandoori roti separately from its naan.
Menu card — Vegan Combo
Listed under To Go Combo Box on the Royal Kitchen ordering page: 2 vegan curry (5oz each), rice (8oz), naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad.
Order on the Royal Kitchen menu
What sits behind the words chicken, lamb and veggie
The box listings name the protein or the category, not the curry. To get a feel for what could be inside, here is what the main menu lists by section:
- Chicken Dishes: Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Curry, Chicken Korma, Chicken Saag and Chicken Vindaloo.
- Lamb & Goat: Lamb Curry, Lamb Korma, Lamb Saag, Lamb Vindaloo and Goat Curry.
- Vegetarian Dishes: Channa Masala, Dal Tadka, Daal Makhni, Palak Saag, Aloo Gobi and Malai Kofta.
The combo listings do not promise any of these, so treat the lists as a guide to the kitchen’s range and ask which curries the boxes use.
Add a drink, a dessert or a starter
- Mango Lassi or Salty Lassi to drink.
- Raita or Mix Pickles on the side.
- Gulab Jamun (2 Pc) or Kheer for dessert.
- Vegetable Samosa or Papri Chaat to start.
Ordering for a group
For a table of people, the ordering page has a Party Menu category with a Samosa Tray (10 Pcs). Individual boxes also work for a team lunch, since each person gets their own container and nobody has to share a dish. The restaurant’s website lists a delivery page, which is worth a look if the group is spread out.
Location and how to order
Royal Kitchen is at 175 98th Ave, Oakland, CA 94603. The ordering page shows the current opening time at the top.
Order through Royal Kitchen’s own page rather than a third-party app. The restaurant receives the full order with no app commission.
FAQ
What comes in a To Go Combo Box at Royal Kitchen?
The ordering page describes each box as three-compartment containers holding two curries or a curry and paneer, rice (8oz), naan bread and a 3 oz fresh mix salad. The portion size of each curry is listed as 5oz, apart from the veggie curry in the Paneer And Veggie Combo, which is listed as 6oz.
Which To Go Combo Box is vegan?
The menu lists a Vegan Combo as two vegan curries (5oz each) with rice, naan bread and a fresh mix salad. Royal Kitchen also has an All Vegan category on its ordering page. The website says its vegan menu is dairy-free.
Which curries come in the combo boxes?
The listings say ‘one chicken’, ‘one veggie’ or ‘lamb’ without naming the curry. Ask the restaurant which curries it is offering in the boxes before you order.
Is Royal Kitchen halal?
The Royal Kitchen website says its meats are 100% halal. The ordering page does not carry a halal label, so ask the staff if you need to confirm a specific dish.
Where is Royal Kitchen in Oakland?
It is at 175 98th Ave, Oakland, CA 94603. For the current opening time, check the ordering page, which shows it at the top.
Order a To Go Combo Box from Royal Kitchen
Choose your box, ask about the curries, and order straight from the restaurant. Ordering direct means Royal Kitchen gets the full order with no third-party commission.
