India Palace313 Littleton Rd., Chelmsford, MA
This week's buffet survey is unique in that we're visiting a restaurant that is part of a chain. We visited their Nashua location in my first review. Today, we get to see how a chain of Indian restaurants compare from one location to the next in their buffet quality...
The Offerings:
Chutneys/Sauces:
raitha: Once again, I could not decipher and distinct deviations in flavor from how this spiced yogurt always tastes.
onion: n/a. It looked like what they serve in Nashua.
mint: n/a
tamarind: I'm having a hard time recalling how the tamarind chutney tasted in Nashua. Their chutney was quite good, but a little on the sweet side. It must be similar because I mentioned the tamarind chutney having the same flavor characteristics.
(left to right: empty bowl of seaweed salad?, raitha, onion chutney, mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and salad fixings at top)
Salad: Their salad section, unlike their Nashua counterparts, had the fixings (iceberg lettuce, carrot, red onion, green chili, and lemon wedges, separated out, so that one could fix at their own risk. I find this arrangement optimal for concocting the perfect salad to begin my Indian feast. I would also like to note that there was an empty bowl (you can see it in the picture) that appeared to have contained seaweed salad. If it was, in fact, seaweed salad, I'm sad to have missed out.
Soup:
lentil soup: It appeared to be an assortment of lentils and mixed vegetables in a spicy broth. I didn't try it.
Bread:
naan/garlic naan: Just like their Nashua location, they make their naan bread available in a pan up at the buffet. I am therefore to take as much or little naan as I like, so long as they keep it adequately stocked. Also like the Nashua India Palace, they have both regular and garlic naan available. It did seem, though, that their naan was thinner then that of their Nashua location and, perhaps, the thinnest I've seen. This isn't too much of an issue, it still tasted pretty good.
Appetizer:
onion pakora: Their pakoras had an interesting batter. it was more orange and bready than what I'm used to for pakora batter. I prefer the crispier, flakier crust.
Entrees:
(clockwise from top left: malai kofta, aloo gobi, mushroom chicken, and saag chana)
(clockwise from top left: aloo gobi, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, and mushroom chicken)
dal makhani: Their dal was simultaneously creamier, sweeter, and tangy-er than what I'm used to tasting.
saag chana: I'm happy to finally see this dish at a buffet. This dish combines my love for chickpeas with my love for creamy saag. This particular dish was so sweet and creamy, its flavor resembled malted milk. I was thrown off at first, but I found the more I tasted, the more I enjoyed it.
malai kofta: I've been wary of this dish in the past because it seemed so heavy: battered dumplings in a sweet, yellow cream sauce, similar to that of vegetable korma. Today I finally bit the bullet and gave it an honest try, and I was pleasantly surprised. The balls were lighter than I expected. They almost tasted like lighter matzah balls. Not bad.
aloo gobi: I am consistently only mildly enthused by this dish and this experience was no different. I think my lack of passion for aloo gobi can be attributed to the dish's dryness, and it's supposed to be dry. It's okay, it's my fault, not India Palace's, or the fault of anyplace else I've tried this dish.
mushroom chicken: What a treat! Juicy chicken in a tangy sauce with mushrooms! I've seen this dish with only mushrooms in the past. I think chicken was the missing link in my book. Either mushrooms alone don't cut the mustard, or this place knows how to properly flavor a mushroom curry. I'd say it's the latter.
chicken tikka masala: This was exactly the way I remember it being in Nashua: AMAZING. Bright red sauce that's both sweet and tangy at the same time. Juicy, pre-marinated chicken. India palace still is the best when it comes to this dish.
tandoori chicken: I've tasted moister tandoori chicken in my visits. That said, this tandoori chicken was good, but nothing to write home about.
Desserts:
laddu: This was my first time ever seeing this dessert. They looked and tasted like balls of sugar and dough. Their neon orange color made them more eye-catching than flavorful. As far as flavor goes, they just taste like...sweet. No real other flavor here.
mango pudding: This, I'm pretty sure, is the same dessert they serve at the Nashua location. It has a very sweet, creamy flavor. It reminds me of "champagne" flavored Jelly Bellys. I like the added touch of assorted fruit chunks.
paysam: Speaking of assorted fruit chunks, I was pleasantly stunned to find them in this dessert which I've never seen before. I love vermicelli in sweet cream. This dessert is a variation on the classic kheer. under this name, I usually witness it served warm and with noodles, instead of rice.
Price: $10.09 (weekday. including MA tax)
The Offerings:
Chutneys/Sauces:
raitha: Once again, I could not decipher and distinct deviations in flavor from how this spiced yogurt always tastes.
onion: n/a. It looked like what they serve in Nashua.
mint: n/a
tamarind: I'm having a hard time recalling how the tamarind chutney tasted in Nashua. Their chutney was quite good, but a little on the sweet side. It must be similar because I mentioned the tamarind chutney having the same flavor characteristics.
(left to right: empty bowl of seaweed salad?, raitha, onion chutney, mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and salad fixings at top)
Salad: Their salad section, unlike their Nashua counterparts, had the fixings (iceberg lettuce, carrot, red onion, green chili, and lemon wedges, separated out, so that one could fix at their own risk. I find this arrangement optimal for concocting the perfect salad to begin my Indian feast. I would also like to note that there was an empty bowl (you can see it in the picture) that appeared to have contained seaweed salad. If it was, in fact, seaweed salad, I'm sad to have missed out.
Soup:
lentil soup: It appeared to be an assortment of lentils and mixed vegetables in a spicy broth. I didn't try it.
Bread:
naan/garlic naan: Just like their Nashua location, they make their naan bread available in a pan up at the buffet. I am therefore to take as much or little naan as I like, so long as they keep it adequately stocked. Also like the Nashua India Palace, they have both regular and garlic naan available. It did seem, though, that their naan was thinner then that of their Nashua location and, perhaps, the thinnest I've seen. This isn't too much of an issue, it still tasted pretty good.
Appetizer:
onion pakora: Their pakoras had an interesting batter. it was more orange and bready than what I'm used to for pakora batter. I prefer the crispier, flakier crust.
Entrees:
(clockwise from top left: malai kofta, aloo gobi, mushroom chicken, and saag chana)
(clockwise from top left: aloo gobi, tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, and mushroom chicken)
dal makhani: Their dal was simultaneously creamier, sweeter, and tangy-er than what I'm used to tasting.
saag chana: I'm happy to finally see this dish at a buffet. This dish combines my love for chickpeas with my love for creamy saag. This particular dish was so sweet and creamy, its flavor resembled malted milk. I was thrown off at first, but I found the more I tasted, the more I enjoyed it.
malai kofta: I've been wary of this dish in the past because it seemed so heavy: battered dumplings in a sweet, yellow cream sauce, similar to that of vegetable korma. Today I finally bit the bullet and gave it an honest try, and I was pleasantly surprised. The balls were lighter than I expected. They almost tasted like lighter matzah balls. Not bad.
aloo gobi: I am consistently only mildly enthused by this dish and this experience was no different. I think my lack of passion for aloo gobi can be attributed to the dish's dryness, and it's supposed to be dry. It's okay, it's my fault, not India Palace's, or the fault of anyplace else I've tried this dish.
mushroom chicken: What a treat! Juicy chicken in a tangy sauce with mushrooms! I've seen this dish with only mushrooms in the past. I think chicken was the missing link in my book. Either mushrooms alone don't cut the mustard, or this place knows how to properly flavor a mushroom curry. I'd say it's the latter.
chicken tikka masala: This was exactly the way I remember it being in Nashua: AMAZING. Bright red sauce that's both sweet and tangy at the same time. Juicy, pre-marinated chicken. India palace still is the best when it comes to this dish.
tandoori chicken: I've tasted moister tandoori chicken in my visits. That said, this tandoori chicken was good, but nothing to write home about.
Desserts:
laddu: This was my first time ever seeing this dessert. They looked and tasted like balls of sugar and dough. Their neon orange color made them more eye-catching than flavorful. As far as flavor goes, they just taste like...sweet. No real other flavor here.
mango pudding: This, I'm pretty sure, is the same dessert they serve at the Nashua location. It has a very sweet, creamy flavor. It reminds me of "champagne" flavored Jelly Bellys. I like the added touch of assorted fruit chunks.
paysam: Speaking of assorted fruit chunks, I was pleasantly stunned to find them in this dessert which I've never seen before. I love vermicelli in sweet cream. This dessert is a variation on the classic kheer. under this name, I usually witness it served warm and with noodles, instead of rice.
Price: $10.09 (weekday. including MA tax)
Final Score: 4.8/5 (Better than Nashua)
I find it a pleasant coincidence that the past three buffets I've been to have all been excellent quality and worthy of "A" range scores (all 4.8's to be exact). Overall, this location surpasses that of Nashua in quality. They had a neater salad section. I liked their setup better too. In Nashua, one must walk into a separate room to access the buffet. At this location, the buffet line is alot closer to the dining room, which is also set up better. I hated having to squeeze in between tables on my way up to the Nashua buffet. They also had one more desert than did Nashua. The only questionable feature of Chelmsford was their naan quality. it seemed thinner and doughier than Nashua's naan, which was oily and crispy. Oh well, I declare Chelmsford the better location
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