Pakistani-Indian Lunch Buffet at Shalimar
Shalimar is a located on Fulton Street, near the Atrium and right around the corner from the post office.
The restaurant offers a lunch buffet every day of the week, which attracts an abundance of people, as well as dinner during the night.
As I walk through the doors of the restaurant, I was warmly greeted with a smile from one of the waitresses and was seated at a table by a glass wall that lets light shine through and gives the restaurant a distinctive cheerful ambiance.
Bollywood music was gently played, which gave the restaurant the true feel of a Pakistani-Indian environment.
At the peak hour of noon, more people were walking into the restaurant, but even with the constant flow of customers, the staff was attentive to everyone’s needs.
The vegetarian specialty dishes at the buffet table consisted of Vegetable Korma, Bund Gobi Aloo (cabbage cooked with potatoes), and Mattar Paneer (green peas cooked with homemade cheese).
The meat dishes were Chicken Tikka Masala (boneless chicken cooked with peppers and onions in cream sauce), Tandoori Chicken (grilled marinated chicken), and Lamb Curry. There was Naan bread as appetizer, and Kheer as dessert (traditional rice pudding with milk, almonds, and pistachios).
I got myself a plate full of Biryani rice, scooped a generous amount of green pea dish, and got some Tandoori Chicken. The food was served hot which felt pleasant, especially on cold winter days.
The rice was well seasoned and satisfied my taste buds, the vegetable dish was adequate, but the Tandoori lacked flavor.
When my meal was finished, I got a plate of Naan bread with Chicken Tikka Masala, which turned out to be a delicious dipping sauce for the freshly pan-fried bread.
I finished off with Kheer, which was tasty and will definitely leave you craving more.
Shalimar offers a special 15 percent student discount. However, it is only valid for pick up orders.
The restaurant also offers a membership card that you can collect stamps on. For each time you finish a buffet, you get a stamp, eventually allowing you a free buffet after 10 stamps.
Overall, the food was satisfactory, the service was excellent, and the decor was pleasant, due to the paintings and framed photos hanging on the walls that gave the restaurant a cozy, homey touch.
The lunch buffet costs $7, which is a steal for what you are getting. The dishes from the menu, however, range from $9 to $14.
Shalimar is open every day of the week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.