Skip to main content

Namaste

Advertised as both Indian and Nepalese, I stopped in for a weekday lunch buffet.  Finding little different from a standard Indian menu the one selection which seemed to hail from Nepal were these little lentil balls.  Surprising on several levels (they were served cold and were a bit more zippy than expected), they didn't rise to awesome.  Unfortunately, nothing here did.  Everything about the place is pretty average, from a 1950s restaurant design to the food, which was "okay".  Given that it was a buffet I was able to sample a good number of dishes.  Everything seemed fresh but nothing stood out and a few offerings were downright bland.  I had the roasted cauliflower curry, which was watery, and the yellow dal and spinach/corn curry which were adequate but forgettable.  The rice had a teeny bit of anise added but disappeared under the dal.  The bread was good but as unremarkable as everything else.  I could have added a number of sauces to zip things up.  They had the standard cilantro chutney, tamarind sauce, yogurt raita and a red pepper sauce.  There was a very vigorous "pickle" and a nice yet undefinable brown sauce.  I put the brown sauce on the mostly-iceberg lettuce salad which was otherwise sad.  The best two dishes were the Mattar Paneer and the dessert, a Carrot Halwa.  Mattar Paneer is not my favorite dish but often appears in these buffets.  This was one of the better versions.  The cheese was dense and nicely chewy, the sauce both sweet and spicy.  The Carrot Halwa was a smooth dish which was gently seasoned and not over-sweet.  It does make for a nicely affordable lunch.  With tax and tip I came in just over $15 but I don't know that I would go back.  It took two tries to get the check and it wasn't like they were busy.  There were two businessmen in the cavernous establishment other than me, but that was it.  A larger group came in as I left.  They seemed to be related to the owners.  If it is this empty at lunch each day I don't know how they will be able to make it. 

Casual Indian and Nepalese
1504 King St. and 6138 Rose Hill Drive
http://www.namasteva.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield.  After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat.  Finally, someone suggested this amazing place.  It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall.  With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable.  For about a minute.  Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices.  My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations.  The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs.  When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask.   But onto the food.  We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and sc...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sweets

Yes, vegetarians, even vegans, like sweets.  No, I do not eat an apple for dessert.  Sorry Mom.  I tried all these out so you don't have to -- that's why I'm fat and you lovely readers are presumably not.  All winners are, of course, subjective. Best Cupcakes:  Georgetown Cupcake .  Hate to honor this tourism trap but they truly earn their cred.   Sprinkles is a good runner-up.  Sorry, the gargantuan cupcakes at Baked and Wired are just "too much." Best Chocolate Croissant:   Best Buns .  Absolutely no competition. Best Cakes/Individual Desserts:   Randolph's Pastries .  Hands down.  I can recognize their treats blindfolded. Best Macarons:   Bakeshop .  With the added benefit of Taro Root offerings now and then. Best Pie:   Pie Sisters .  Try the Key Lime. Best Donut:  This one is tough.  For a somewhat lower guilt factor, go for the small, very affordable cake varieties ...
Post a Comment
Read more

RASA

The popular grain bowl trend gets a twist with this Indian-inspired takeout bowl place.  Same concept -- a base, greens, toppings, etc., but the options are mostly Indian inspired and the majority of offerings are vegetarian (although not vegan, given the heavy use of Ghee in cooking).  My take is mixed.  Some of the items were outstanding, some less so.  I got the Lemon Tumeric Rice, which was delightful.  Fresh and tangy, with a little bite, it was one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried.  On top of this I got the Tofu/Cauliflower protein.  It was half and half.  The cauliflower was perfectly roasted, the roasted onions delightful, and the nuts were a beautiful added crunch.  The tofu, however, was watery, and the green and red peppers well past prime.  Next, I added sauteed spinach, which was incredibly bland, and the peanut sesame sauce, which was "okay" but forgettable.  I didn't do additional toppings, although there were ...
Post a Comment
Read more