Bengal Buffet

its more than excellent for people who like spicy food !!! i go there whenever i can

This is probably the only Halal restaurant in town serving Indian / Pakistani / Bangladeshi cuisine.  It is owned by the folks that own the Haat Bazaar grocery store in the same strip mall.

On my first visit I was a little surprised that there was no table service at all. You are expected to get your own utensils and drinks. Once I understood how things worked here, that has not been an issue at all. If you tell the manager it is your first time there, he will give you a tour of the buffet.

- Drinks are included in the buffet price.
- The chicken, mutton (goat) and beef dishes are outstanding. They are cooked home-style and are very authentic. The spice/heat level might be a little high for people unaccustomed to authentic Indian food.
- Except for the chicken tikka masala, all the other meat dishes are bone-in, which is how they are cooked back in the Indian subcontinent.
- The Pakoras are the best in town.
- They also have a salad bar with fresh veggies, salad dressings, raita and Indian style pickles.
- They usually have a couple of traditional sweet dishes for dessert.

Bengal Buffet can accommodate 170 people and is suitable for birthday parties and large private parties as well. They also cater.

I have been dining at Bengal Buffet regularly for over 9 months now. In my opinion their chicken curry is the best in town and very authentic (bone-in and spicy).

If they had table service or clearly displayed instructions for first timers, this would be a 5-star review :)

When Mirage Restaurant moved across town a while back, did you wonder what could possibly fill its former space at Parker and Yale? Well, the proprietors of Haat Bazar a few doors down [see previous review] had some ideas of their own, and with a little help from their friends, have now converted it into an all-you-can-eat, all-the-time eatery serving foods from their native Bangladesh!

The owners of Bengal Buffet are Muslim, and thus all meats (and other foods) on the premises are prepared and cooked according to strict Halal specifications. The sauce surrounding the chicken pieces in the curry dish often called Murgir Jhol is rich with chopped onions, garlic and ginger, while Kosha Mangsho [sometimes labelled simply "Mutton Qorma"] features large chunks of goat marinated in yogurt with turmeric and red pepper (among other seasonings) before being stewed for hours (still on the bone, for maximum flavor). At this juncture I should probably point out that when eating food from South Asia in general, the term "mutton" nearly always refers in fact to goat rather than to sheep, which are usually just included in the "lamb" category.

Between 1947 and 1971, Bangladesh was part of Pakistan, despite the two countries sitting on opposite sides of India. Therefore, certain dishes often thought of as quintessentially Pakistani can be found at Bengal Buffet as well. One example would be the intensely juicy chicken kebabs which will almost invariably be offered during your dinner there. Another must-try item in this category is Biryani, in which basmati rice is first steamed with whole cinnamon, cloves and cardamom, *then* mixed with seared meat before the whole shebang is slow-cooked for a memorable mix of flavors.

Meat, meat, meat. It's all I've talked about so far isn't it? Well, don't worry, you can find a few veggie options here too. The Palak Paneer is a zesty, earthy wonder, combining my favorite cubes of squishy cheese with the very Bangla veggie Sarson ka Saag (mustard greens). But there's also a very nice version of Dhal (stewed lentils or split peas) for you legume lovers. And on my last visit I was treated to a delicious (if rather spicy) combo of zucchini and potato as well.

I guess my point is that you're bound to find something you like at the steam table at Bengal Buffet. And I haven't even mentioned the desserts, like Payesh (vermicelli in sweetened condensed milk), or Gulab Jamun (balls of fried dough in sugar syrup). So head over and stuff yourself silly, won't you?