Dining Out: Bountiful buffet at Memsahib

The choice of a favorite Indian restaurant involves a lot more than food.

When I’m talking about Indian restaurants, I’m really talking about Indian lunch buffets. I know that serious foodies scoff, and I know you get the freshest, most interesting stuff when you order off the menu, but I like buffets for the same reason I like small plates. A dollop of a lot of different things, rather than a big plate of one thing, is simply more fun for the tastebuds.

Let’s face it, though: most Indian buffets are pretty much the same. You’ve got your naan, your pakoras, several vegetarian curries, tandoori chicken, rice pudding for dessert. I love it all, don’t get me wrong, but I’m never up for a discussion about the virtues of Kumari’s tikka masala versus India Rasoi’s. I tend to choose based on other things. Am I in the mood for the Ambassador’s English Raj suavity and lovely garden view? Or perhaps Mehek’s breezy California Contemporary vibe?

I had been aware of Memsahib, which occupies a corner of Lexington Market, for a while, but my first Memsahib experience was actually at the sister restaurant in Rockville, where I met a group of friends for brunch. Although the strip-mall location was dingy, the restaurant was lots of fun – good food, naturally, but also low tables with pillows to recline on, and big screens playing colorful Bollywood music videos. It made me want to give the Baltimore version a try.

Despite the developers’ well-laid plans, the Westside/Lexington Market area remains resolutely non-gentrified, which makes the presence of a place like Memsahib all the more remarkable. It’s a multi-level space, brilliant with color and pattern. The walls are painted in hues of saffron, rose, and sky blue; on one wall large Hindi letters spell out a motto that might be translated as “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” Rich textiles drape over every available surface, each seat has its own brocade pillow, and to make thing even more decadent, pillow-heaped banquettes are tucked into a variety of nooks and crannies. And yes, there’s a screen, playing gauzily romantic videos.

And the food? The tandoori chicken and tikka masala were tops, the vegetable samosas were satisfying, and I went back for seconds on the rice pudding. The veggie curries, which involved potatoes and peas, potatoes and okra, and cauliflower, could have used more assertive seasoning. What we really could have used, though, were some identifying signs. Another meat curry was featured, and although I think it involved lamb, it was gristly and undistinguished.

The evening menu is more limited than most, with only a handful of meat dishes, vegetable curries and breads. Still, some of these sound tempting – such as the Bhuna flounder, the shrimp masala and the bhaigan bhartha (roasted eggplant). Throw in the opulent décor and the fact that Memsahib is one of the few restaurants within a stroll of the Hippodrome, and you’ve got yourself a date-night winner.

Memsahib
Location: 400 W. Lexington St.
Open for lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., dinner 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tues.-Sat.
Phone: 410-576-7777
Buffet: $7.95

The Latest Dish…
If you miss the quirky, vegetarian-friendly Zodiac, keep your eyes peeled later this month for the opening of the Lost City Diner at 1730 N. Charles St. The Station North newcomer is the creation of Zodiac doyenne Joy Martin, will have Zodiac chef Christina DiAngelo in the kitchen, will also be veggie-friendly, and will be even more quirky: it will have a science fiction theme! That’s retro science fiction—think “Amazing Stories” and Buck Rogers—so leave the light saber at home.

Shop For Thanksgiving
On Sunday, Nov. 23 (the Sunday before Thanksgiving) the Baltimore Farmers’ Market has its the busiest day of the year, with shoppers being encouraged to visit early for seasonal produce or hostess gifts for Thanksgiving. The market is located on Saratoga Street between Holiday and Gay streets under the Jones Falls Expressway, remains open every Sunday through Dec. 21 from 8 a.m. to sell out, approximately noon. Info: 1-877-BALTIMORE, www.promotionandarts.com.

by Lynn Williams
maindish@baltimoreguide.com