I ate at a new-to-me Indian buffet for lunch today. It was a nice change
of pace for $6.99, although it was just good, not great. Sometimes good
is good enough. I always like Indian vegetable dishes better than meat.
They have a Sunday brunch that costs a few dollars more. I think it's
worth a try.

While I was eating, nosy me watched two Indian families come in and order
from the menu plus the buffet. I heard an order of a goat dish and saw a
bowl of some red chunky chutney with a plate of fresh naan.

Selections (I had a little bit of everything except chicken 65 and gulab
jamun.):

tandoori chicken

chicken 65 masala

butter chicken

beef dish - can't remember what it was called, very tender and rich

vegetable korma

chana masala - my favorite today

rice with peas - very good

naan - good

raita and a dark sweet chutney

chicken corn soup - seasoned very lightly, maybe an option to appeal to
kids

gulab jamun

raita and a sweet dark syrupy condiment

I like Indian food, but don't think it would sit very well, like in a buffet. I like those things they serve in crock pots, some kind of lamb stew, etc. with rice and peas.

On Wednesday, July 9, 2014 3:20:52 PM UTC-7, Tara wrote:
> I ate at a new-to-me Indian buffet for lunch today. It was a nice change
>
> of pace for $6.99, although it was just good, not great. Sometimes good
>
> is good enough. I always like Indian vegetable dishes better than meat.
>
> They have a Sunday brunch that costs a few dollars more. I think it's
>
> worth a try.
>
>
>
> While I was eating, nosy me watched two Indian families come in and order
>
> from the menu plus the buffet. I heard an order of a goat dish and saw a
>
> bowl of some red chunky chutney with a plate of fresh naan.
>
>
>
> Selections (I had a little bit of everything except chicken 65 and gulab
>
> jamun.):
>
>
>
> tandoori chicken
>
>
>
> chicken 65 masala
>
>
>
> butter chicken
>
>
>
> beef dish - can't remember what it was called, very tender and rich
>
>
>
> vegetable korma
>
>
>
> chana masala - my favorite today
>
>
>
> rice with peas - very good
>
>
>
> naan - good
>
>
>
> raita and a dark sweet chutney
>
>
>
> chicken corn soup - seasoned very lightly, maybe an option to appeal to
>
> kids
>
>
>
> gulab jamun
>
>
>
> raita and a sweet dark syrupy condiment

I love Indian buffets. I prefer to go to the buffet than order from the menu. The one you went to has a good variety of dishes.

My favorite is Chicken Tikka Masala and I like to sop up the sauce with naan. Good naan is very important to me. Bad naan would be a deal breaker.

What is Chicken 65 Masala?

Nellie

On Wed, 09 Jul 2014 19:54:34 -0700, Nellie wrote:

> What is Chicken 65 Masala?

I should have tried a taste. I'll try it next time. It looked like
little fried bites of chicken. It was red and mixed with lots of sliced
jalapeno.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_65

"Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Chennai,
India, as an entree, or quick snack .The flavour of the dish comes from
ginger, garlic, red chilles and vinegar although the exact recipe can
vary. It can be prepared using chicken on or off the bone. Curry leaves
play an important role in the flavor."

I got very spoiled at another Indian buffet that has since closed. For
around ten dollars, you could choose: a delicious salad, raita, two or
three chutneys, two soups, 8 or 10 hot dishes, rice, dessert, naan,
papadum, and masala dosa. Everything was vegetarian. I'm not
vegetarian, but I tend to prefer the vegetarian dishes at an Indian
place. They have the most delicious, complex taste.

Tara

On Friday, July 11, 2014 6:42:02 AM UTC+10, Tara wrote:
>
> I got very spoiled at another Indian buffet that has since closed. For
> around ten dollars, you could choose: a delicious salad, raita, two or
> three chutneys, two soups, 8 or 10 hot dishes, rice, dessert, naan,
> papadum, and masala dosa. Everything was vegetarian. I'm not
> vegetarian, but I tend to prefer the vegetarian dishes at an Indian
> place. They have the most delicious, complex taste.

Common enough, since the meat dishes tend to be the usual cookie-cutter Western menu standards, while vegetarian places are more likely to do more authentic Indian food.

One can do meaty Indian of the standard of vegetarian places. Just add meat!

On 7/10/2014 5:09 PM, Timo wrote:
> On Friday, July 11, 2014 6:42:02 AM UTC+10, Tara wrote:
>>
>> I got very spoiled at another Indian buffet that has since closed. For
>> around ten dollars, you could choose: a delicious salad, raita, two or
>> three chutneys, two soups, 8 or 10 hot dishes, rice, dessert, naan,
>> papadum, and masala dosa. Everything was vegetarian. I'm not
>> vegetarian, but I tend to prefer the vegetarian dishes at an Indian
>> place. They have the most delicious, complex taste.
>
> Common enough, since the meat dishes tend to be the usual cookie-cutter Western menu standards, while vegetarian places are more likely to do more authentic Indian food.
>
> One can do meaty Indian of the standard of vegetarian places. Just add meat!
>
The best Indian buffet around here is the Minerva on Shady Grove Rd on
the Rockville/Gaithersburg boundary. It is not vegetarian and their Goat
Curry is marvelous. I think a vegetarian would be able to choose a
pretty good meal. It's very popular and tends to fill up quickly with
local Indian tech people after it opens at 11:30 AM. There is a
vegetarian buffet with good tasting food nearby, just outside the gates
of the National Institute of Science and Technology in Gaithersburg,
called the Madras Palace but, like many Indian veg places, they use a
*lot* of ghee.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.

On 7/10/14, 5:33 PM, James Silverton wrote:

> The best Indian buffet around here is the Minerva on Shady Grove Rd on
> the Rockville/Gaithersburg boundary. It is not vegetarian and their Goat
> Curry is marvelous. I think a vegetarian would be able to choose a
> pretty good meal....

Jim, have you ever been to Tiffin, or any of the other Indian places
around University Blvd. and New Hampshire Ave.? Tiffin's goat curry is
among the best I've had, and it's available in their lunch buffet as well.

There are also a couple of Indian groceries over there -- that's where I
buy my saffron.

-- Larry

On Thursday, July 10, 2014 1:42:02 PM UTC-7, Tara wrote:
> On Wed, 09 Jul 2014 19:54:34 -0700, Nellie wrote:
>
>
>
> > What is Chicken 65 Masala?
>
>
>
> I should have tried a taste. I'll try it next time. It looked like
>
> little fried bites of chicken. It was red and mixed with lots of sliced
>
> jalapeno.
>
>
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_65
>
>
>
> "Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Chennai,
>
> India, as an entree, or quick snack .The flavour of the dish comes from
>
> ginger, garlic, red chilles and vinegar although the exact recipe can
>
> vary. It can be prepared using chicken on or off the bone. Curry leaves
>
> play an important role in the flavor."
>
>
>
> I got very spoiled at another Indian buffet that has since closed. For
>
> around ten dollars, you could choose: a delicious salad, raita, two or
>
> three chutneys, two soups, 8 or 10 hot dishes, rice, dessert, naan,
>
> papadum, and masala dosa. Everything was vegetarian. I'm not
>
> vegetarian, but I tend to prefer the vegetarian dishes at an Indian
>
> place. They have the most delicious, complex taste.
>
>
>
> Tara



Thanks for that explanation, Tara. I like the vegetarian dishes also.

We had one nearby that closed and it was a favorite too. There is no shortage of them here in the SFBA, but its nice to have someplace that you know is good.

Nellie

On 7/10/2014 8:51 PM, pltrgyst wrote:
> On 7/10/14, 5:33 PM, James Silverton wrote:
>
>> The best Indian buffet around here is the Minerva on Shady Grove Rd on
>> the Rockville/Gaithersburg boundary. It is not vegetarian and their Goat
>> Curry is marvelous. I think a vegetarian would be able to choose a
>> pretty good meal....
>
> Jim, have you ever been to Tiffin, or any of the other Indian places
> around University Blvd. and New Hampshire Ave.? Tiffin's goat curry is
> among the best I've had, and it's available in their lunch buffet as well.
>
> There are also a couple of Indian groceries over there -- that's where I
> buy my saffron.

Thanks, I'll have to plan a visit to the area. I don't get there very
often and the Minerva is easy to get to using US 70.


--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.

On Fri, 11 Jul 2014 08:54:36 -0400, James Silverton
> wrote:

> On 7/10/2014 8:51 PM, pltrgyst wrote:
> > On 7/10/14, 5:33 PM, James Silverton wrote:
> >
> >> The best Indian buffet around here is the Minerva on Shady Grove Rd on
> >> the Rockville/Gaithersburg boundary. It is not vegetarian and their Goat
> >> Curry is marvelous. I think a vegetarian would be able to choose a
> >> pretty good meal....
> >
> > Jim, have you ever been to Tiffin, or any of the other Indian places
> > around University Blvd. and New Hampshire Ave.? Tiffin's goat curry is
> > among the best I've had, and it's available in their lunch buffet as well.
> >
> > There are also a couple of Indian groceries over there -- that's where I
> > buy my saffron.
>
> Thanks, I'll have to plan a visit to the area. I don't get there very
> often and the Minerva is easy to get to using US 70.

Do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? I bought some Spanish saffron
there recently.

--
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.