A Generous Indian Meal at Indian Masala

A plate at Indian Masala can take a pleasantly crowded turn: a spoonful of biryani beside butter chicken, a few vegetables in masala, rice, chutney, and warm garlic naan torn into manageable pieces. The restaurant is built for that sort of exploring, with a broad Indian buffet for sampling and an à la carte menu for settling into a favorite.

It is an especially useful dining room for a group that cannot quite agree on dinner. Meat dishes, vegetarian preparations and a notably wide range of vegan choices all have a place here, while diners who already know they want chicken tikka masala or a particular biryani do not have to make a buffet plate their only option.

The buffet is the natural starting point for anyone in the mood to try more than one thing. The spread can include soups, rice dishes, masalas, chicken, goat, tofu and vegetable preparations, turning one meal into a small tour through different sauces, seasonings and textures.

Plates and utensils are set out at the entrance to the buffet area, then the choices begin to accumulate quickly. A diner might start with a little chicken tikka masala, make room for biryani, and circle back for dal or a vegetable dish rather than having to commit to a single entrée.

The value is in the range as much as the quantity. This is a meal for taking a modest first serving, finding the dishes that suit your table, and going back with a clearer plan.

Weekend buffet service has included unlimited dosa, prepared fresh for diners at the table. That adds a welcome made-to-order note to an otherwise self-service meal: a crisp, warm dosa is very different from an item that has been waiting on a steam table.

The dosa works nicely alongside the buffet's curries, chutneys and rice dishes, though it can easily become the center of the plate. Buffet offerings and schedules can change, so it is worth confirming the current weekend setup before making a special trip for dosas.

Butter chicken is one of Indian Masala's recurring favorites, with a rich, flavorful sauce that gives it the comforting, linger-over-it quality people expect from the dish. It is a sensible choice for a first à la carte meal, especially with naan nearby.

Chicken tikka masala is another dependable name on the menu and buffet rotation, valued for a sauce with real depth rather than just a blunt hit of spice. Tandoori chicken offers a different direction for the table, while chicken biryani gives rice a more prominent role.

Biryani also comes with lamb, making it possible to take the meal beyond chicken without moving into a full curry-and-naan routine. Rice dishes can be a meal in themselves here, or a useful way to round out several smaller shared choices.

For diners ready to move past the most familiar Indian restaurant orders, goat is a worthwhile part of the menu. Goat vindaloo and goat in a spicy sauce offer more assertive options, and the vindaloo has been a particularly appealing introduction for people trying goat for the first time.

Spice can be adjusted to different preferences. Extra-spicy preparations can bring genuine heat, while a medium-spiced chicken biryani may still carry a noticeable kick. Those who prefer a gentler route can order lamb tikka masala with a mild sauce.

That flexibility is useful at a shared table. One person can pursue a hotter goat dish while another stays with a mild lamb curry or the creamy ease of butter chicken.

Indian Masala gives vegetarian and vegan diners far more to work with than a token side dish and plain rice. Buffet selections have included Manchurian tofu, tofu tikka masala, mushroom masala, malai kofta and dal, with white rice and tamarind rice available to build out a full plate.

Naan, poori, pickles and several chutneys make the buffet more interesting between the larger dishes. A little pickle can sharpen a mild bite of rice; a chutney can change the direction of a dosa or a piece of bread without requiring another full serving of curry.

The selection is broad enough that plant-based diners can browse instead of simply making do. Exact buffet dishes vary, of course, but the restaurant's menu is notably welcoming to vegetarian and vegan appetites.

Garlic naan gets particular attention here. It arrives warm with a noticeable amount of garlic, and it is the right practical tool for catching the last of a curry sauce after the fork has done its work.

For a starter, the chicken lollipop is a lively option for sharing around the table. A cauliflower appetizer has also developed enough of a following to inspire return visits on its own, which is not a bad distinction for a dish that might otherwise be overlooked in a long menu.

These are the sorts of additions that make an à la carte meal feel less like one curry per person. Order an appetizer, add naan, choose a couple of mains with different heat levels, and the table has plenty to pass around.

The buffet includes desserts as well as savory dishes, with rice pudding, milk-based pudding and other sweets appearing among the offerings. After a plate of masalas and biryani, a small serving of something cool and milky is a gentle way to close the meal.

Inside, the restaurant is relaxed and generally quiet enough for conversation. Booth seating gives small parties a comfortable landing spot, while the dining room also has room for larger groups. Near the entrance, a fish tank and sofa add a little domestic ease before the meal begins.

Dim lighting and background music have accompanied lunch service, and the staff keep the tone welcoming and efficient. Plates are cleared promptly, water is refreshed regularly, and the service supports a meal that can be as leisurely or as straightforward as the day calls for.

Indian Masala offers indoor dining, buffet service, à la carte ordering and takeout, so the same menu can work for a sit-down lunch, a larger dinner table or an evening when curry and naan are headed home instead. A children's menu broadens the options for family meals, too.

A dedicated free parking lot removes one small complication from the visit. Buffet schedules, prices and individual dishes can change, so current details are best confirmed directly before planning around a particular lunch buffet, weekend dosa service or favorite menu item.