East Side Indian

For the longest time, I thought strip malls were good for nothing. But Austin has changed my tune, and I now realize that strip malls are good for one thing: Indian food. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a single Indian joint that isn't part of a strip mall! There are a great deal of good Indian buffets in Austin, and I like each for different reasons.

India Kitchen is the subject of this blog. Nestled away in the strip mall near the intersection of Riverside and Pleasant Valley, this restaurant is excellent and, as a bonus it is close to me! One of the really nice things about this particular buffet is that the naan is not put out (at least at dinner). It's so nice to have hot, fresh naan brought right to the table. Also, their naan is a bit different from what I'm used to. It's a bit thicker and chewier; it really has its own thing going on.

I have been to India Kitchen many times now due to the proximity, price, quality, and instant gratification (of the buffet, of course). One of my favorite dishes is the spicy eggplant. I'm a huge fan of the lamb meat balls, although with the outstanding vegetarian choices, I often opt for a meatless dinner when I am here. Last trip I had a bowl of the lentil soup, which was absolutely outstanding. India Kitchen is a hidden gem on the East side. Highly recommended.