The Buffet at Mumbai Bistro

Fast, fresh, homestyle Indian food is the motto of Mumbai Bistro. Here, the main feature is the by- the- pound Indian buffet where everything goes for $4.95 a pound. During my lunch trip there was a steady stream of customers, but I was able to get my food and pay very quickly. A few tables are available in the small space.  The serving trays are reheatable, just be cautious when you carry your tray so your selections don’t mush into one Indian food blob.

While the selection is limited to one steam table row, I was pleased to see many of my favorites. The bright colors and cleanliness of the buffet helped jump start my appetite. For my plate: veggie korma, sag paneer, chicken tikka, and chicken vindaloo.

The chicken vindaloo was not spicy at all, so spice heads might be disappointed. But both chicken dishes were very tender. The veggie dishes worked for me as well. The sag paneer had some spice to it; this is a hard dish to mess up. I also really enjoyed the fresh veggie taste of the korma. I liked everything on my plate; each dish tasted different and nothing was one note, though the flavors weren’t as vibrant as Indian food can be.  I would get all 4 things again.

My plate weighed one and 1/2 pounds, which was a lot of food. You can also get food in 10 oz portions; $3.99 for veggie, $4.99 for chicken. But my basic math skills tell me that $4.95 for a pound is the better deal.

Remember that the selection changes daily, check the website if you are really set on getting something specific.

Side orders and appetizers are available from the kitchen. The tandoori chicken comes with a breast and a leg. It was noticeably dry, especially when compared to the other chicken dishes they were serving.

The other sides to chose from are samosas, rice, chutneys, raita, desserts, and of course- naan. All of these items must be ordered as a side, though it would have been nice to have them included on the buffet. The naan is listed as Kantos brand, not made on site. Similarly, lassis are on the menu but are found in the bottled beverage section, not made fresh. These are forgivable shortcuts.  Besides the tandoori chicken, I loved everything that I ate and I appreciated the speed and convenience.

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

  • A rotating selection of tasty Indian staples
  • Vegan, gluten free, and lactose free options

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

  • Closed Mondays
  • No fresh lassis or naan
  • Chicken is the only meat available

Mumbai Bistro, 930 Locust St (@ 10th St), 215 418 0444

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2 Comments

  • No beef/lamb/goat? At least the stuff you did get (besides the tandoori chicken) looks really, really good.

  • Had takeout from Mumbai Bistro over the weekend. It was delicious. Actually made my stomach feel better after a day of eating crap.

    One special thing to note: Mumbai Bistro lists the items on its menu that are gluten free. It was our luck that all of the 6 dishes prepared that day (Saturday) happened to be gluten free.

    It’s surprising that more Indian restaurants don’t do the same. As a cuisine, they use very little to no flour (except in the breads, of course). You’d think it would be easy.

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