Mughal Palace on Broadway, Valhalla is one of my personal favorites for Indian regional cuisine. Stopped back yesterday for a go at the lunch buffet and it was very tasty. There are over a dozen dishes to chose from and I tried to taste as many as I could. The flavors had my palate jumping all over the place. Good, helpful staff too. A poster on the wall noted Mughal would be open New Year’s Day offering a special brunch for $13.95 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. New house specialties will kick in along with the a la carte menu at dinner…
I may have to check them out again, but I went twice this summer and early fall, and was underwhelmed with the buffet. Although I have found that we have very different tastes, since several places you have raved about, I have thought much less of.
What items did you like?
On this visit I tried the Bajia Vegetable Fritters, Chok Peshwari (chickpeas), Aloo Gobi, Murgh Tikka Masala, Lamb Rogan Josh along with some good nan to lap up those gravies. There were others, but I did not make a note. Settled down with a cup of spiced Indian tea…
Good to know! I haven’t been there in ages. Thanks for sharing.
After seeing the movie ‘Lion’ recently we realized it had been a while since we took in an Indian meal. We decided on the Sunday Brunch Buffet at Mughal Palace, one of my favorites for Indian cuisine. We got there about 1 pm and it was crowded with large and small groups. After being seated at a nice window table we went over to survey the buffet. It was loaded with over a dozen selections from salad to dessert. One plate at a time, they say…and it turned out really good. The Tandoori Chicken, Rogan Josh, Palak Paneer, Sag Paneer, the fresh Indian bread for lapping up the tasty gravies. Oh yes, the peppery papadum. Wonderful flavors! Washed it all down with some mango lassi. Staff was very friendly and helpful, too.
While there the owner Alam hinted he was negotiating for another restaurant in White Plains…
1 Like
Was coming down from Pleasantville and passing thru Valhalla when I spotted Mughal Palace on Broadway. I have always enjoyed their Indian cuisine. The craving was there so I stopped in to say hi to proprietor Alam and indulge in their lunch buffet. The dining room was buzzing. I did several platefuls: chicken fritters, salad, rice, sag paneer, chicken tikka masala, a broccoli special, and goat curry. Some nan to help scoop up those delectable sauces, too. All was delish, but I must single out the goat curry as the best. Deliciously spiced and served on the bone.
While there I noticed a new summer house special: a multi-course Prix Fixe Dinner served Sunday thru Thursday for $29.95 per person. It included choice of soup, salad or appetizer, choice of main course from the menu, choice of fresh nan (I like the garlic or onion kulcha), and a beverage. Sounds like a good deal…
1 Like
I’ve had several good meals at their lunch buffet over the years. The buffet selection isn’t as varied as Royal Palace, but the food is very good and I always manage to stuff myself. I’m actually trying Raga in Croton-on-Hudson this week. It has good reviews on Yelp so it will be interesting to see how it is. It’s the same owners as the former India House in Montrose.
I’ve often found that restaurants like Mughal palace and royal palace (especially notorious) have a lack of quality with their ingredients. Since my heritage is Indian, each place I’ve eaten at was so-so.
Royal palace is quite bad with the quality and is often skimpy with several dishes.
There’s no spark in the food and the ingredients that create each dish.
This is why I always recommend once place in queens which gives one of the most authentic flavors. it’s South Indian cuisine, but Ganesh Temple Canteen has that flavor that Indian food should have. Once, you try it, it can give a good comparison about the restaurants listed above.
2 Likes
Three lackluster visits and I will never go there again. Boring food with poor quality ingredients and toned down spicing and flavors.
Thanks for the tip! What region does Ganesh Temple Canteen specialize in? Through the years I have had the pleasure of working with a number of fine Indian restaurants throughout the Westchester area starting with Simson Kalathara at his Bengal Tiger in White Plains, the first in the county back then. Jose Kurian, a former employee at Bengal Tiger who went on to open the first Indian restaurant in southern Westchester called Abhilash in New Rochelle (now Coromandel). His group went on to open Jaipore in Brewster.
I also had the extraordinary experience of meeting and learning from Indian cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey while she was consulting with the Dawat Restaurant Group in White Plains and Manhattan.
In recent years, I have very much enjoyed the modern Indian cuisine at Rasika in D.C. when visiting…
When I asked the Ganesh Temple Canteen, the cooks said it was a mix of regions in south India.
I loved their vermicelli dish with vegetables, paper dosa every time, and Mysore park is amazing.
They serve in the name of deities: “Temple canteen was started in 1993 - mainly to prepare “naivedyam” (food offering).”
The best part is that the canteen is extremely clean and neat.
Rasika seems to be popular in DC, so if I’m ever there I will try it.
Overall, the local Westchester restaurants don’t provide uniqueness and the homeliness of Indian cuisine.
I have yet to try restaurants in NYC, as I know that new ones are providing something special.
Shere- e- punjab in Edison NJ has an authentic preparedness in the food (Dhaaba food as we call it). The quality of ingredients is decent but could be better. However it’s 20 times better than Mughal and royal palace.
Yes, New York City is much more diversified as India cuisine goes…
You’ve mentioned many times you worked with restaurants. What exactly did you do?
Years ago I did all sorts of promotional work for restaurants. I had at one time been the managing editor of a major foodservice trade magazine in the early years and watched first hand as the culinary world grew and diversified into ‘celebrity’ status. I had been communications director of a very successful restaurant group in the area. And I am still fascinated with the field. I have been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in greater Westchester for about 30 years now…
Writing for a publication? Which ones? Anything recently?
2 Likes
Occasionally, I am asked to do a feature or two. I have been cutting back a bit. But I do enjoy contributing to HO…
2 Likes
You didn’t answer my question. What publications?
If you don’t mind, JMF, these last few posts are off topic…
1 Like
Wow … just wow!!!
1 Like
***I have deleted the last post where it seems things have moved from the subject at hand, to more personal questions about posters. Please keep things focused on the topic, we all know threads can wander, but once a poster has answered or reached a point of not wanting to disclose more information please be respectful of each other’s privacy.
Thank you,
3 Likes
