A Big South Indian Buffet at Chennai Cafe in Frisco

At Chennai Cafe in Frisco, a buffet plate can begin with a crisp dosa, pick up a spoonful of sambar and chutney, then make room for curry, biryani and a square of Mysore pak before the meal is through. It is a broad, food-forward South Indian spread built for trying more than one thing.

The format works especially well for diners who know exactly what they came for and diners who are still learning the difference between appam, dosa and the many curries on the line. Instead of committing to a single entrée, you can sample across the room, return for a favorite and give an unfamiliar dish a fair second taste.

Vegetarian dishes and nonvegetarian selections are set out in separate areas, which makes the large spread easier to navigate. The variety is substantial; the buffet has included more than 25 items, though the exact lineup can change.

The most immediate reason not to rush through the buffet is the live dosa station. Dosa is made fresh to order here, bringing a hot, crisp counterpoint to the prepared dishes on the buffet line. Asking for one is an easy way to turn a self-serve lunch or dinner into something with a little more ceremony.

Appam gets similar attention. These soft, bowl-shaped South Indian pancakes are prepared fresh at a live station and are particularly good alongside curry, where their gentle texture gives you another way to gather up the sauce.

For families, fresh dosa and appam can be especially approachable introductions to the meal. They are familiar enough in form—a crisp pancake here, a tender pancake there—while still opening the door to sambar, chutneys and curries that may be new to the table.

A dosa has company at Chennai Cafe. Sambar and chutneys are central to the South Indian rhythm of the meal, adding tang, spice and a savory depth that makes a plain-looking plate much more interesting once everything is tasted together.

This is a good buffet for small experiments. Try a little chutney with dosa, then come back with sambar; pair appam with curry; add rice to a sauce you first tasted on its own. The meal does not demand a correct order of operations, and that is one of its pleasures.

Chennai Cafe is not limited to vegetarian South Indian dishes, although there are plenty of those. The buffet also provides nonvegetarian curries and meat preparations, giving a mixed group a reasonable chance of finding several paths through the meal.

Among the dishes that have appeared in the spread are Ambur biryani, Andhra chicken curry, mutton curry, crab curry and kebabs. Ambur biryani brings a rice-centered option to the plate, while the curry selection makes it easy to compare different preparations rather than settling on a single sauce.

The kal dosa set with salna is another memorable combination. Kal dosa is a softer style of dosa, and salna supplies the kind of gravy that encourages a slower, more deliberate second helping.

The separate vegetarian area is not an afterthought. With South Indian staples, rice dishes, sambar, chutneys and other vegetarian preparations available, a meat-free plate can be as exploratory as any other route through the buffet.

That separation also helps a table with different appetites settle in without much negotiation. One person can build a plate around dosa and vegetable dishes; another can go straight toward biryani and curry; both can meet again at the appam station.

Garlic naan has been included among the buffet options, an appealing extra for anyone who likes a warm bread alongside curry. It is a different texture from dosa or appam, and a reminder that a large buffet is less about following a strict sequence than finding the combinations that suit your own plate.

Dessert belongs in the spread, too. Sweets and Mysore pak have been noted among the offerings, giving the meal a proper finish after a plate of savory dishes. Mysore pak, with its rich, sweet character, is not the sort of item that needs a large portion to make an impression.

The restaurant is an indoor, spacious setting with a simple South Indian-inspired look that keeps the attention on the food. Seating includes a dining area, booths and a bar area, so the room can handle a couple sharing a meal as comfortably as a larger family gathering.

The natural routine is to take a first lap around the buffet before filling the plate too quickly. With this much to consider, a survey helps: note the curries, spot the vegetarian section, check on the fresh stations and leave room for dessert.

Chennai Cafe is primarily experienced as a buffet restaurant for lunch or dinner. Reservations have not generally been necessary, and a weekday lunch has been known to have no wait, though that is not a promise for every day or meal period.

There is a free parking lot. Parking is often described as ample, although finding a space has occasionally been less straightforward. Once inside, the roomy dining setup makes the restaurant a practical choice for groups who want a meal with plenty to discuss between trips to the buffet.