Midtown Lunch

A few friends had raved about the buffet Indian lunch at Palace at the Ben.  At $9.95, it falls right under budget. I was hesitant about heading over there on such a snowy day; I was concerned that less traffic would affect the variety and freshness. While it was true that the traffic was way low (there were few other parties during prime lunching time), I was luckily proven wrong regarding my hypothesis. The Palace still put out their quality wares for the few of us there to enjoy it.

After seating us in the rather regal dining area, warm naan bread was placed on the table and I head over to the buffet area to inspect the 8 or so trays of food. Equipped with some of Zach’s buffet rules, I made sure that I tried a little bit of everything for my first round.

First plate, not so pretty, but its hard not to make a big old mess. I liked the veggie pakoras, which I coated with tangy  sauce,  but I wished they were hotter. The eggplant skin was a little bitter so it did not make it to the championship round of my lunch plate.

And the winners are:  the buttery chicken korma and a creamy vegetable dish with carrots and potatoes tied for first place, followed by the the vibrant and photogenic tandori chicken. I appreciated that none of these dishes tasted dried out/like they had been sitting out for a while, a problem that buffets often present.

Both chicken dishes were very tender and different enough from each other that I didn’t mind the lack of other carnivorous options. They offered one dessert, a rose water rice pudding-like thing, which I ended up liking more than I expected.

Other choices included basmati rice, chickpeas, lentils, and other vegetables. For 10 bucks, Palace at the Ben’s buffet lunch does a good job at serving basic Indian dishes in a classy setting, regardless of how many  feet of snow is on the ground.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Even when traffic is low, the food is fresh
• I appreciate the thought that was put into the design of the space
• There is a good variety of vegetables
• $10, all you can eat…

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• If I am having Indian food, I want some more spice in my dishes
• Where is the paneer?
• I would like a choice of meat other than chicken

Palace at the Ben, 834 Chestnut St (btw 8th and 9th St.), 267-232-5600