| rev:text
| - My fiance and I went for the weekend lunch buffet because we love our Indian cuisine.
It was relatively empty when we went in, only another gentleman dining when we arrived. The ambiance is a little dark for my liking, but the restaurant itself is pretty. What concerns me a little bit about standing buffets is that if there are no people to eat it, it just sits there all day.
The buffet selection is wonderful -- it has a lot of dishes that you don't find in other Indian buffets, such as soups and fried fish. I enjoyed everything that I ate. The food is much better than what I had when this place was Karaikudi Palace. Their saag paneer is to die for -- I ate plate after plateful, and I also enjoyed the tenderness of their goat curry, and I don't even like the gaminess of goat so much. The aloo gobi was fantastic, spiced perfectly with a surprising addition of okra -- I LOVE okra. The naan was soft and fluffy, though I wish they had a garlic naan option.
The chicken curry had a lot of bones in there, to my dismay, as picking them out between bites was not particularly enjoyable.
Their desserts are also delicious; the gulab jamun was warm and sweet, and the halwa was flavorful. The only thing I missed was a traditional rice pudding.
I have to say that I love the level of spice in these dishes. I do prefer my food on the hot side, and I could stand for more spiciness, but I do think that what Mint has is perfect for most people.
Our waiter was friendly and helpful -- he asked us if we tried certain dishes and how we enjoyed the food. I think I swallowed a gulp of spice at one point in one of the soups and started coughing, at which point, he immediately came over to fill my glass, which I thought was kind of him.
Some of the plates were chipped, and while this doesn't really affect my dining experience, I want to make note of it because with the decor so pretty, the chipped plates really don't belong in the dining room.
Another thing I noticed were the owner's family and friends eating from the buffet as well, probably because business was so slow. This doesn't bother me, and I don't have a strong opinion on this, though I can imagine some diners finding this unprofessional?
The weekend lunch buffet is $15 per person, which I think is a little high for what it was. Still, I understand since we're in Scottsdale, and everything is a bit more expensive here than in surrounding areas, such as Tempe or Mesa. I will very likely return for a quick Indian buffet fix, though I do think that there are better values for your dollar elsewhere.
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