India Garden: Omaha, NE
I love a good buffet. The problem is, so few of them are good. That’s why I was very pleased to find a gem like India Garden in Omaha. Most buffets will play is safe, offering up the items on their menu that have the widest appeal to the average diner, staying away from less mainstream, ethnic delicacies. So when I found Goat Curry, complete with tender pieces of goat, still on the bone, immersed in a thin, flavorful curry broth, I knew I was on to something.
Indeed, India Garden does not disappoint. While you will find the obligatory Mint Chutney, Naan, Basmati Rice and the like. You will also find items like Paneer Saag, Goat Curry, Crab Masala and more. This willingness to step a bit astray from typical Indian buffet offerings and embrace less commonly seen cultural favorites, sets them apart.
Drawing from the cookings of both North and South India, their authenticity speaks volumes about their dedication to great food. Weekdays (except Monday, when they are closed) they set a 21 course Lunch Buffet, which swells to 35 courses on the weekends. However, they also offer a full menu of Northern and Southern favorites.
One more thing that they do at India Garden to earn my respect is vary their buffet offerings day in and day out. While this means that you can’t be guaranteed to find that favorite item on the buffet any given day. It means you do get a nice variety. Additionally, while mantaining this variety, they are sure to offer a few different kinds of meats (chicken, lamb, seafood) and a few very well prepared vegetarian dishes.
On my recent visit, I had an outstanding chicken makhani. Chunks of chicken floating in a thin, red cream sauce. Crab masala, with large pieces of crab and fish were great and the lamb curry, as always was aromatic, spicy and very well prepared. Dessert was a mango custard, that was probably 80% pureed mango, with bits of fruit in it. Watermelon slices accompanied it on the side and together they made a cool, sweet ending to a great meal.
If for no other reason than to see what they offer next time, I will surely be returning to India Garden soon.
India Garden
2819 S 125th Ave
Omaha, NE 68144
(402) 697-0101
Best Indian buffet, probably best Indian, in Omaha for 10+ years. Quality fluctuates over time as kitchen help comes and goes and ownership changes, but overall have managed to maintain an excellent standard for the price.
Better than any of the highly praised Indian restaurants I tried in Denver last trip there.
Always good: chicken makhani, saag paneer, vegatable korma, lamb curry, mint chutney and naan, and whatever that dessert is with pasta, milk, butter, honey and white pepper.
My youngest has been eating their fare since the womb, and at age 3 it’s his favorite restaurant.