veggieburgh

Prince of India has two things going for it: (1) the price and (2) a well-regulated buffet. Students and hospital employees get a 10% discount, but even when we forgot to ask for it, our bill was below $18 including tip for a filling weekend dinner. And unlike many Indian buffets, Prince of India’s has excellent temperature control. The naan is wrapped in foil and covered with a lid, so it is moist and hot when you fish out a piece. The curries and veggies were piping hot. And the kheer (rice pudding with golden raisins) is pleasantly chilled.

The narrow dining room has vivid orange and green walls, dark wood tables and plastic booths, and the requisite music videos playing in the back, with lovers entwined in poppy fields and dance floors. Fabric flowers adorn the walls, and a full bar lines the back wall. Though generally crowded at lunch, it was vacant except for a table of kitchen staff when we arrived for an early Saturday dinner.

Some dishes were excellent; others were less satisfying. The vegetable jalfrezi, a creamy curry with carrots, peas, and potatoes was luscious and warm, much like the navratan korma at India Garden. The carrots were perfectly cooked: they melted in our mouths while still maintaining a little bite. The aloo fali was distinctly spiced (perhaps with fenugreek?), with crisp tomato sauce and tender potatoes. The naan and kheer, again, were better than most available at buffets, simply because they were the right temperatures, not for standout recipes. The channa bhaji was pretty typical, if a bit salty.

However, the pakoras were burnt husks of once-proud vegetables. And the saag was shameful. Bland and way too salty. Notice that TastyBurgher Erika rated Prince of India’s saag lowest overall on her four-dimensional saag chart. (Scroll down; once you see this chart you’ll never evaluate saag the same again.)

Surprisingly, none of the dishes are spicy, but the condiments are. There’s an invigoratingly spicy mint chutney, a carrot onion mix, and ground chickpeas, all of which add a major kick to the otherwise mild dishes. But don’t reach for the raita to cool off— it’s spicy too. The raita nicely straddles sweet, sour, and tangy, but leaves a pleasantly burning aftertaste.

Overall, the service was speedy, the price was low, and the food was hot. The food wasn’t outstanding, but certainly a good value.

[4 veggies]

Recommended:

• Vegetable jalfrezi
• Aloo fali