February 22, 2024 | OPINION | By Sam Treat
A real argument could be had over the best buffet. Is it Chinese (see the King Buffet review for more)? Is it Cracker Barrel? Is it Jimmy? Is it Warren? Or, perhaps, is it located in a quiet, nondescript building off Eighth St. in Colorado Springs? That was the question I sought to answer as I set out on my first Indian buffet adventure at Little Nepal Restaurant.
Accompanied by the irreplaceable Sammy Heller ‘24, I was filled with anticipation that became downright delight when the aromas of the buffet greeted us at the entrance. The dining room was brilliantly decorated with glitzy chandeliers and tapestries covering the ceilings and walls, respectively. After being seated, we promptly ordered mango lassis and headed to the buffet line.
The buffet, coming in at $20, is unlimited and requires a new plate for each buffet visit. Beginning with the basmati and yellow rices, the buffet contains many of the most popular Indian dishes. For my initial round, I collected a colorful plate of yellow rice, naan, chicken tikka masala, onion pakora, vegetable samosa, mint chutney, tamarind chutney and hot sauce.
The vegetable samosa was my first bite. It was wonderfully crisp while still staying together in a way that some of the flakier samosas I’ve tried would not have. Both Sammy and I recommend pairing the vegetable samosa with the tamarind and mint chutneys.
The rice and naan both served their purpose as classic Indian sides but were lacking in verbose flavor. The onion pakora, was sneakily delicious and perfectly crisped – but if Little Nepal was to include garlic naan in the buffet line, I believe it would solve many of the world’s largest issues.
The chicken tikka masala was, crushingly, somewhat bland. As much as I dislike being critical, I hold myself to immensely high standards of journalistic integrity and just could not deceive my robust, loyal readership. The saving grace, though, was the hot sauce. It seems that the buffet food is cooked at the lowest spice level, so you must take it upon yourself to seek out that delicious heat that lingers on your taste buds and opens your pores.
The hot sauce, or even the medium sauce for those less adventurous, as well as the chutneys, are very necessary in the world of the buffet. Do not be shy in their usage. Having discovered that valuable lesson on my first plate, my second plate looked somewhat different.
Opting for the tandoori chicken with tandoori vegetables, I covered it with hot sauce and mixed Dal Makhani (a lentil dish) with basmati rice on the side. My mouth was on fire, but so was my soul. The heat was serious and it paired perfectly with the flavorful tandoori-fired chicken and vegetables. The Dal was a welcome calm flavor that was ideal for pairing with the rice for a welcome respite from the fire of the sauce-covered chicken.
For those readers with an itch for sweet treats: fear not. The buffet offers banana pakora, mango custard and rice pudding. The banana pakora was revolutionary for me being a banana and pakora lover who had never once considered combining the two. The result that Little Nepal’s combination produced was spectacular—almost a banana bread-like flavor but somehow better (not something I say lightly). The mango custard, like our mango lassis, was beyond words both in terms of refreshment and richness. Not one for the hyper-sweet rice pudding, I found Little Nepal’s version to be slightly less sweet than average, but still too much for my palate.
The service for our entire visit was kind and attentive, even bringing by freshly baked naan to our table. For just $20, one can eat themselves into oblivion and feel no shame about it (the wait staff clears plates quickly so you cannot watch them stack up). While buffet food, in general, is of less quality than ordering dishes off the menu, the quantity of food makes up for it. Furthermore, Little Nepal was constantly refilling dishes with fresh batches of food. I was genuinely delighted with my experience here and look forward to going again in the future—I’d encourage you to do the same!