Gurkhaas Grill and Bar

FOOD

The buffet brings together basmati rice, biryani, tandoori chicken, several curries and an Indo-Chinese selection. It offers more than one way to put together lunch: a curry-centered plate with rice and naan, roasted chicken with a few sides, or smaller portions that let you compare several preparations. The choices have enough contrast that a return to the line can produce a different meal rather than simply another serving of the first plate.

Rice gives the spread two useful starting points. Basmati is the straightforward companion for the sauced dishes, leaving room for each curry to stand out. Biryani brings a more seasoned rice preparation into the mix and can take a more prominent place on the plate. Naan offers another route through the sauces, particularly if you prefer bread alongside your chicken or paneer rather than making rice the foundation of the whole meal.

Tandoori chicken provides a roasted counterpart to the curries. The reddish pieces offer a change from the spooned, sauce-rich dishes beside them, making it worth leaving room for both styles. It is a useful distinction within the buffet: choosing chicken does not mean choosing just one preparation, and a piece from the tandoor can sit comfortably beside a smaller helping of curry.

Chicken tikka masala and chicken curry give the sauced side of the meal different directions. Tikka masala pairs chicken with a rich tomato-based sauce, while the separate chicken curry offers another preparation to compare. The buffet format makes that comparison easy without committing to two full entrées. Saag paneer adds spinach and Indian cheese to the selection, giving vegetarians a substantial dish and everyone else a welcome alternative to another helping of meat.

The Indo-Chinese dishes broaden the choices beyond rice and curries. Stir-fried noodles bring a different texture to the plate, while chili chicken adds another sauced chicken preparation. They work as a change of pace rather than an entirely separate meal; a modest helping of noodles can accompany the Indian dishes just as easily as it can become the focus of a second plate.

The chilled selection deserves a look as well. Leafy salad with tomato and red onion sits alongside cut fruit, including watermelon and a mixed-fruit platter. A yogurt-based accompaniment offers another contrast to the hot dishes. These are useful additions if you want something fresh between curries or prefer to finish with fruit rather than another round of the heavier selections.

Selections may change from visit to visit, but there is plenty of contrast across the buffet: roasted chicken beside curries, rice alongside noodles, and fruit and salad to round out the meal.