India Palace

India Palace Restaurant
770 Ellice Ave
(204) 774 6061, (204) 999 7870
Fax: (204) 772 9084
http://indiapalacewinnipeg.com/menu.html


January 2011


You don’t have to read a lot of my work to realise that I don’t like eating out of buffets. Generally, restaurants cook buffet foods in mass and keep it heated for prolonged periods of time. The flavours are bland, and intentionally so, in order to appeal to the majority of the masses. That’s the whole point: the mass majority will enjoy buffet foods but the true foodie will always order off the menu. I want it cooked after I order it and I want it prepared to my specifications. Alas, there are occasions when you just don’t have time to wait for the preparation and the buffet stands as your best option. Today is one of those days.

One of the longest tenured Indian restaurants in Winnipeg, India Palace offers all the regular selections that you want out of their buffet. The Palace dining room used to be a dark and cozy space, conducive to a quiet and intimate meal. After their renovations, the brighter and more modern dining area loses a lot of its cosiness and lends itself more to a business atmosphere. The modest but adequate buffet table sits tucked away in the corner.

A wise Indian restaurateur (the owner of Charisma of India on Sherbrook St) once told me to skip the salad—it’s the same as I make at home and it’s essentially just grass. I carry that sagacious advice for the rest of my life. Skipping the vegetables, I dash straight for the vegetable dishes. The curried vegetables have a nice flavour but I prefer the vegetable korma. Korma is one of my favourite dishes but I find the presence of chicken adds a significant dimension to the dish. Regardless, this vegetable korma does not disappoint. The chana masala (chickpea in curry sauce) is normally an intensely flavoured dish but the Palace’s version is quite weak and subdued. However, there is no such thing as a bland Indian dish, so when I say the chana masala tastes subdued, that doesn’t mean it is tastes flavourless. One of my favourite Indian options is palak paneer, which is absent in the buffet. Although a sign says palak paneer, the host tells us it’s only available over the evening buffet. Pity.

Over to the meat dishes, the beef curry also tastes a bit subdued. Again, I understand that they want to make the buffet choices approachable to all. The fan-favourite butter chicken glows with a bright, almost fluorescent orange. The sauce tastes a little tangier than expected but overall, this is the best selection in the buffet line. Most butter chicken dishes have the meat stripped off the bones but the Palace cooks whole chicken thighs and drumsticks in the sauce. On one side of the argument, you have to put extra effort into removing the meat from the bones when you eat, but on the other side, boiling chicken with the bone adds extra chicken flavour. It certainly works here as the dish is delicious. Finally, the tandoori chicken waits at the end of the buffet line. Without the benefit of a sauce to maintain its moisture, these chicken pieces look dry and overcooked. When there’s butter chicken right beside it, I skip the tandoori.

When eating Indian foods, I like to have a few dishes that kick my butt and leave me smoking from the ears. As you can imagine, none of the options from the buffet have any heat. The Palace offers several side condiments, including a spicy pepper sauce. After a literal cupful of the “hot” sauce, I don’t break a sweat. There’s no heat to be had here; chilli heads need not apply. You won’t need any beverages to combat a burning tongue but if you want something anyway, stay away from the generic wines. Fort Garry ale or Taj Mahal is the way to go. The attentive server removes your plates as soon as you finish, so you won’t have any trouble tracking someone down.

If you must eat from the buffet, Indian restaurants are good places to go. While the foods indeed are prepared to please the masses, being immersed in sauces means that the food won’t go dry after incubation. Stick to the saucy dishes and pour on the hot chillies. I’ve eaten off the menu at India Palace a number of times and they make good food—acceptable buffet, but good food.

*** /5

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