It feels like I've waited forever to experience the lunch buffet (Saturdays from 11:30-2:30) here. A few weeks back it finally worked out that I was free one Saturday at lunchtime and they were CLOSED. Heartbreaking! I persevered, however, and finally got to go last weekend. Hurrah!
We were greeted as soon as we entered, and seated at a booth. The interior is a little dark, and not particularly attractive, but the place settings are fairly nice (though a little old-fashioned). It's a medium size restaurant, and there were only a few other guests dining. We were starving, so immediately stuffed our faces with the following:
Tandoori Chicken - Simple bone-in chicken pieces, fairly moist with great flavor
Lamb Curry - This lamb was SO tender. The sauce was probably the most strongly spiced and flavored
Chicken Curry - Excellent basic curry, a teeny bit spicy, but we're talking probably 4 out of 10.
Navaratna Korma - Mixed vegetables in a mild, sweet and coconut-y yellow curry sauce. Probably my favorite dish.
Okra Bhindi - A spicy blend of pan-fried okra and other vegetables
Daal Maharani - Lentils in a thin, but flavorful sauce
Veg Chow Chow - This was a surprise as it was very similar to chow mein. I liked that it included vegetables, but it was a little greasy.
Vegetable Pakora - A mix of vegetables, pretty potato dense, battered and deep fried
Bhatura - Similar to a scone, with a big air pocket in the middle. Not necessarily sweet, but I dipped it in the tamarind chutney, which reminded me a bit of a donut.
Naan - Good, basic naan. Would have loved it if it was a little warmer and crispier on the edges, but it was very soft, and that was enjoyable too.
Basmati Rice - Well-prepared, fluffy, and just exactly what you'd hope for.
Raita - If you've never had this before prepare yourself because it's one of my most favorite things. Similar to tzatziki, it's a yogurt based sauce/dip. Their version includes cucumber, carrot, and I think a bit of tomato. It's so simple, but it is delicious with nearly everything (naan most especially).
Gulab Jamun - Like fried donut balls in a light citrus-y syrup. At first I thought these were too sweet, but they kind of grew on me!
Service was excellent. I think our waters were filled probably 4 or 5 times. The young man who assisted us the most was extremely friendly, answered our questions, and made sure we had anything we required.
I have only two small suggestions. One would be that while the temperature of the curries and other entrees were great, the fried foods (bhatura and pakora) were only warm, and I really like my fried items hot (to maintain crispiness). I know it's a buffet, so there's only so much they can do, but maybe if those items were kept covered or offer a smaller portion at a time so there could be fresher ones served more often? Second, most of the food was very heavy, and the items that were more vegetable-based managed to be weighty too, as they are fried or served in a rich sauce. They did have a small "salad" section, but it was just a few cut up vegetables, and not very appetizing-looking. Maybe offer plain steamed vegetables or beef up the salad options?
At $9.99 per person it will be difficult to return to eat when it's not the buffet (though I'm very curious to try some of their other dishes), because that's such a steal, and I really enjoyed the option of so many different varieties of entrees. I'm curious to see if the buffet offerings are always the same, or if they switch it up. Regardless, it's an excellent restaurant, and I'll definitely return. read more