Midtown Lunch

Last week I started brainstorming locations for my first ML post. I really wanted to do Kabobeesh,which I hear has incredible kebabs and naan, but their prices were a little more than what I wantedto spend at lunch time. Also their menu is confusing, where fish curry is served “mostly on Mondays”and biryani “mostly on Fridays”. So, there’s that. The final decision came down to the lunch buffet atNew Delhi Indian restaurant, on 40th and Chestnut. I had looked at their website, skimmed the buffetofferings, as well as the traditional dine-in menu, and I was ready to feast. Then, I walked over with twoco-workers on Monday afternoon and realized they were closed on Mondays–a minor oversight on mypart.
Thankfully, right around the corner is Tandoor India, which also offers an $8.95 lunch buffet and this iswhere we landed. The exterior of the restaurant leaves much to be desired, but the quality and quantityof food easily makes up for what the restaurant lacks in aesthetics. We were immediately seated, brought a pitcher of water and ushered up to the buffet.

The first section was cold food: a green salad, various hot and sweet sauces, a chickpea concoction, some pickled onions, and raita, an Indian yogurt sauce, which was almost gone by the time we left because I put it on everything I ate. And when I was finished with the hot foods, I used some naan to shovel more raita into my belly.

The hot foods section was very generous and offered three very solid vegetarian options, the baigan bharta (eggplant), the saag paneer (spinach with fried cheese) and the dalmaharani (lentils). For the meat lovers, there were two chicken dishes, one with bone whose name is escaping me and one without called Makhani chicken. This dish was delicious and had a subtle spice and a creamy tomato flavor.

Finally there was some bone-in goat, whose flavors I chose to remain blissfully unaware of. I had some less than pleasant experiences with eating goat during a five month stint in South Africa, so I left this to the other hungry diners. One of my favorite parts of the buffet was something I’ve never had at an Indian restaurant before. They were in the same serving tray as the samosas and tasted like little deep fried spinach fritters. Anyone have any ideas what these were? Recipes? Locations for All You Can Eat Little Deep Fried Spinach Fritter Buffets?

All in all, a very delicious meal and enjoyable lunch experience. Although, I do think my taking pictures of the food had the staff freaked out. I plan on trying New Delhi soon, not on a Monday, and deciding which is the best Indian lunch buffet in University City.

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

• All you can eat for under $10!
• Authentic, spicy Indian flavors that aren’t all heat
• Fried Spinach Fritters are my life fuel!

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

• I’m supposed to eat goat!?
• Where’s the beef and the lamb?
• I can’t get past the somewhat seedy atmosphere.

Tandoor India Restaurant, 106 s 40th St (@ Chestnut St), 215-222-7122