Narayanni's Restaurant
• 10131 81 Ave | Edmonton, AB | T6E 1W9
Average User Rating:
8.83/10
8.83/10
Recommended by:
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"Brilliant buffet raises bar for Indian cuisine"
R John
December 2010 — "One might wonder whether yet another Indian buffet is really necessary in Edmonton, where they seem to pop up (and disappear) like mushrooms after a rain. And where there are entrenched and established leaders in the field, such as the New Asian Village chain. I wondered, when I heard that a new one had popped up just off Whyte, on the “wrong side” of the tracks. But we thought we’d try it out one evening six weeks or so ago, and have been back several times (this review is mostly from one visit, but informed by our going back).
Narayanni’s Restaurant, one block south of Whyte and one block east of the CP tracks, is tucked in on a quiet avenue next to Alhambra Books. The building is an older one, but has been meticulously renovated into a lovely and warm room. The back wall is dominated by a fireplace, and the buffet is a circular one while seating is along three of the four walls.
While most buffets also offer menu service, Narayanni’s does not, having a fixed price for lunch Tuesday through Friday (currently $17.99), dinner Tuesday through Thursday ($24.99), and dinner Friday and Saturday evening ($29.99). There are no other options.
The other item of note other than the food is that this is a South African-Indian restaurant. There are a few minor differences that will be noted by those who like Indian food, but it will not be very different.
On our first visit, we tucked in to the appetizers with relish, and were very happily rewarded. The lamb pastries, rather like lamb mini-sausage rolls, were delightful, as were the two salads available. The pumpkin soup was also rather good, although by far the spiciest thing we would eat there. Too much for my rather bland taste.
The mains can be divided into two basic sections: the vegetable dishes, which are vegan and, the sign says, organic where possible; and the meat dishes, which feature free-range chicken and Alberta lamb. There was a fish and shrimp dish on Friday night, but the basic curried lamb and chicken are always available.
You start with Basmati rice, and there follows five or six vegetable dishes. I particularly liked the sweet cubed squash, the mildly spiced peas and cauliflower, and the salty spinach, although the green beans, the okra, and several others we’ve been treated to are all very, very good. I can see how this could become a destination for vegans, who have few options in any city.
The meat dishes are next, and the cubes of curried lamb highlight this area. A much milder curry than you might expect gently flavours the tender lamb pieces, giving them a near perfect balance of meaty and spicy. The hotter chicken cubes are also very good, and the chicken is excellent, reminding me of what chicken used to taste like. There’s a taste of chicken that sneaks past the curry, making the dish exquisite, if a little hot. Rather more pedestrian are the chicken Masala whole pieces, which would stand out as excellent on most buffets, but here they pale beside the curries.
The one Friday night we visited, there was a curried shrimp and hard-boiled egg mixture which was interesting and very tasty. Friday and Saturday, for the extra few dollars, there is a wider selection available.
The drinks selection is good, if not particularly extensive. I like the Indian beer Kingfisher, a medium lager which handles the heat from the curry very well. Stay away from the paukish South African beer offerings, if they’re anything like the ones I tried. Castle lager might be Brahma or Corona for the disservice it does to the South African beers.
The dinner was finished off with excellent coffee and a tiny but lavishly chocolatey mousse, tinged with cinnamon and chilled whipped cream. A perfect end to a very good meal.
Service was very attentive throughout, without being overwhelming or in your face. Very professional and at the same time friendly.
It may seem a bit pricey compared to other Indian buffets, and indeed it is a bit more, but the quality of the food and the preparation make me more than willing to go back.
Narayanni’s is not to be missed.
"
User Rating
8.83/10
8.83/10
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DescriptionEast Indian cuisine and South-African inspired fusion dishes are the specialty of this casual eatery, which offers buffet choices for lunch and dinner.
Location Information10131 81 Ave
Edmonton
AB
T6E 1W9
