So, I know I previously promised I was going to seek out the worst restaurant in OKC, and, while that project is still in the works, it unfortunately hasn’t come to fruition yet. I’m not going to lie, it’s been surprisingly difficult to find bad restaurants around Oklahoma City. Additionally, with the roads all icy, the last thing I wanted to do this week was risk my life to drive to some mediocre restaurants across town and then suffer food poisoning during the snow day. Instead, I decided to use the winter weather as inspiration to seek out comfort food. For me, one of the most comforting cuisines out there is Indian food. Lately, I’ve been scrolling through the YelpOKC social media pages for recommendations on places to eat, and I saw they recommended Taj Cuisine of India. This restaurant is an Indian buffet literally right across the street from OCU on 23rd street. I love Indian food, I love buffets and I love not having to drive long distances in bad weather, so this week I decided to check it out.
First of all, let me preface this by saying buffets are like my ultimate safe space. I love the freedom of being able to jump back and forth between appetizers, entrees and desserts. Plus, I love a good deal, and if you eat a decent amount at any buffet, then you’re likely to get your money’s worth. I know there are many, many sketchy buffets out there, but luckily I have yet to have a first-hand negative experience with one (knock on wood). One thing which greatly surprised me about this buffet in particular was the abundance of clearly labeled vegan options. There were so many different types of curries, breads, rice, and other dishes which were vegan friendly. Additionally, at around $12 for all you can eat, I think Taj is more cost-effective than many other restaurants which specialize in plant-based cuisine. For the carnivores out there, there were also a lot of chicken and fish dishes, and I would say the breakdown between meat dishes and vegetarian dishes was around 50/50.
As for the taste, I thought it was pretty solid. As I mentioned earlier, there’s just something about warm curry on a very cold day which just hits the spot. I thought overall everything I ate was pretty delicious, and, in particular, I really liked the desserts. I thought their naan was a little dryer than some of the naan I’ve had at other Indian restaurants. However, that is such a minor detail, it really didn’t detract from the overall experience. One thing that stood out to me about Taj was there wasn’t a lot of spicy food, which I know Indian cuisine is kind of known for. This was awesome for somebody like me who is a total wuss when it comes to spice, but those who love spicy food may be kind of disappointed.
All in all, I’m going to keep this review really short and sweet. Taj Cuisine of India is a nice local spot, especially for vegans and vegetarians. I would also recommend this place for anybody who hasn’t had much previous exposure to Indian food and they want to sample a bit of everything to see what they like. The buffet setup also means there is not much waiting, so this is also a good spot for anybody who wants to have a sit down meal, but they’re short on time.
Once again, I’m sorry my review of the worst restaurant in OKC hasn’t materialized yet, but keep sending me suggestions at ehmelton@my.okcu.edu!
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