Midtown Lunch

In a surprising development, Kashmir Express (the by the pound buffet that lives above the all you can eat Kashmir Buffet on 8th btw. 39+40th) has reopened.  I thought for sure that when they closed back in July that would be the end of this ill conceived take out joint, but they’ve returned like a Pakistani phoenix.  Gone is the strange, and grossly unappetizing by the pound buffet that used to untouched- replaced by a standard take out counter featuring much of the same food available before (but now in proper take out form.)  They also have kati rolls.

Check it out, after the jump.

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I guess the “hospitality special” is now over, because the Kashmir Buffet has raised their price from $7.99 to $9.99. At $8 this weird, borderline scary, all you can eat Pakistani buffet was a strange treat. The kind of thing I would recommend everybody try just once (just to prove how much of a Midtown Lunch’ing badass you really are.) At $10, it’s much less attractive- especially with the far less scary Spice Fusion buffet just 10 blocks north (on 8th Ave. btw. 47+48th). You’re still a badass if you go.

Related:
Adventure Lunchers Should Flock to Kashmir Buffet

Paying for Indian food by the pound always seemed like a losing proposition to me, so I wasn’t exactly surprised to see the gates down on Kashmir Express Friday (on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th.) They were closed temporarily by the DOH last year, and last week’s closing could be temporary as well- but to me this looks a little more permanent. Thankfully the all you can eat Kashmir Buffet (in the basement of “The Cave” next door) is still open. I’m a fan of the food… just not paying what it weighs.

Related:
Adventure Lunchers Should Flock to Kashmir Buffet
Kashmir Offers Up More Creative DOH Cover Ups

There are two kinds of lunchers in Midtown.  Those who will travel (us), and those who won’t (the people who eat at Cafe Metro.)  And within the group of people I like to refer to as Midtown Lunch’ers (those who travel) there are two sub sets of people:  those who are just looking for good lunch at a decent price, and those who treat every lunch as some sort of adventure.  Adventure lunchers are the ones who flocked to the 38th St Restaurant and Bakery (now Ying Du) after I wrote this post. Adventure lunchers are the ones who used Street Meat Palooza as a personal checklist (stomachs be damned!)  Adventure lunchers are the ones who would choose grossing out their co-workers over their own personal well being.  And yes, some of them will even eat the Walgreens Sandwich. (Although there are a lot of people who will eat a gross cold cuts sandwich from Walgreens, but wouldn’t eat at Ying Du… and those people are lame.)

It was with that attitude that I ventured into Kashmir Buffet on Tuesday, determined to finally try what is now the cheapest all you can eat buffet in Midtown.

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Well that didn’t take long. The Kashmir all you can eat Indian/Pakistani buffet on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th is now $7.95. That’s a $1 reduction since they reopened in March, and only $2 more than what you would pay for just one pound of food at their street level by the pound deli. $8 for an all you can eat Indian buffet is unheard of! (Even Rangole was $9.) Which begs the question… are we excited that the price has been lowered, or terrified of an all you can eat Indian buffet that only costs $8. Only one way to find out… full report coming tomorrow. (Btw- do you think that “30 Years Hospitality Special” is code for “Price To Get People to Eat Here Again”)

There was a time when the $9 Indian buffet was the norm in Midtown (remember Rangole?).  Those times have long gone, but it looks like the economy may be reversing the trend. Kashmir Buffet (on 8th Ave. btw 39+40th), which closed a few months ago to become the “Cave Lounge”, has reopened for lunch only.  The all you can eat Pakistani/Indian buffet is $8.99, and just before Noon yesterday looked tasty and fresh (unlike the upstairs, pay-by-the-pound Kashmir Express, which always looks like it’s been sitting out for hours).  They had at least three or four choices of meat, plus some interesting looking sweets (that are usually featured in the upstairs window) plus bread is included. I think originally the buffet may have been $8, but whatever. Considering that most buffets in Midtown are $10 and above, I’m all for it! Welcome back…

Photo of the inside is after the jump.

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This is kind of old news I think, but I completely missed it when reporting on Kashmir Express’ re-opening last month. The original downstairs Buffet portion of Kashmir did not reopen last month along with Kashmir Express (the upstairs by-the-lb-buffet take out portion).  Instead, they are converting what used to be a restaurant with an all you can eat Indian buffet, into a bar called “Cave Lounge”.  Kind of strange considering the “Express” part has never really seemed to take off (while the buffet had a few fans). 

The interior of the cave, plus the one piece of good news is after the jump…

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The Kashmir Buffet and by the pound steam table on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th has reopened, after being closed by the DOH last month.  (Unfortunately it didn’t come quickly enough for Eat Me Daily, who called them out for not being “Open 24 hrs.” as it claims on their sign.)  In other news, the food court with Church’s located a few blocks north (on 8th Ave. btw. 44+45th) has still not reopened.  I’m starting to think this one may be gone for good…

Kashmir, the Indian place on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th was closed by the DOH, and their creativity had me almost believing they actually were just “Closed For Renovations.”  The first tactic they used is nothing new… they pulled the gate down half way, covering up the DOH sticker that was put on their take out by the lb buffet shop that is above ground.  But their cover up on the actual downstairs restaurant, was something I’d never seen before.  Check it out after the jump…

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Normally they give away free topping coupons the day after Hideki Matsui hits a homerun, but why should we be punished because it is the Yankees’ offseason?  Problem solved.  Today is free topping coupon day at Go Go Curry on 38th St. btw. 7+8th. 

The new House of Pita on 8th Ave. btw. 39+40th finally replaced the Mandler’s Sausage sign.  They smartly decided to keep the H.O.P. name, and only add the “Chicken Bar” part to the sign underneath.  I guess they “discovered” that Chicken Bar already exists.

Kashmir Express, the Indian take out place on 8th Ave. btw. 38+39th, has converted to a by the pound buffet.  Looked pretty good, although having to pay for my lunch by the amount it weighs is always a scary proposition.  The $4.99 price tag is not bad, but Indian food can get heavy!  And it forces you to break the #1 rule of eating at buffets by the pound… go easy on the rice and bread.

A shot of the buffet, plus Piece of Chicken’s shocking new menu changes, after the jump… Read more »