Traci and I went on a bit of an Indian food-eating binge over the holidays.
On our way back from the airport in Tampa from our visit to New Orleans for Christmas, we stopped at Amrit Palace in Ocala. As on our first visit some months back, we had a good meal. I tried a lamb curry this time and Traci had a chicken curry. We shared an order of naan bread (great for sopping up the curry). While Amrit's interstate billboards may be huge, the restaurant's main dining room is small, which made us feel like we were having a conversation with the whole room. I still think menu prices are a bit on the high side, but both of our meals have been very good and the service is fine, too.
A few days later we were down in Melbourne (Space Coast area) visiting a friend. Flipping through a guide in our hotel room, we saw an ad for Taste of India, a local Indian restaurant. While the predictable move would have probably been to try a seafood place for lunch, we were still craving more Indian food. So off we went to find Taste of India. What a good find. For twelve bucks each (cheaper during the week), we enjoyed a buffet filled with a nice selection of authentic Indian food.
Several years ago we had tried an Indian buffet place in Orlando (Altamonte Springs) and had been disappointed. The selection was small, the food wasn't spicy and looked like it had been sitting for some time. At Taste of India, on the other hand, there was a nice selection and no shortage of good flavors. Unfortunately for us, Melbourne is three hours away. The last time I had been there must have been five years ago. I guess it makes the forty-five minute drive to Amrit in Ocala look short in comparison.
I think our visits to Amrit and Taste of India made us even more interested in finding a place in Gainesville that serves up good curry. So with this in mind, after reading a good review about Buddha Belly, as well as having seen some ads, we decided this past Friday to give this new restaurant a try. Buddha Belly is located on the other side of town from us, on NW 16th Ave just west of Main Street. The restaurant's set-up is fast-casual. You order at the counter and then your order is brought to your table.
The menu is an interesting mix of curries, fried rices and sandwiches. Sides include sweet potato fries, zucchini fries, and 'shroom fries. I ordered chicken and steak fried rice and Traci decided on a special butter chicken curry. A friend with us tried one of the sandwiches and the zucchini fries. The portion sizes for the fried rice and curry are huge. This is good fried rice, not the greasy rice at the corner Chinese take-out place. My rice was filled with chunks of meat and veggies, and wasn't greasy. Traci similarly enjoyed her curry. Our friend's sandwich was somewhat smallish and he wasn't impressed.
Service was solid. The manager came to our table and checked on us twice. I hope this is an idea that sticks. Big portions, reasonable prices (nine bucks or less for most entrees) and a place that, at least on this visit, seems to care about serving up good quality food. We'll be adding Buddha Belly to our rotation. I've tried other local fast casual concepts like Bento Cafe and Rolls 'N Bowls and have never understood what the fuss is about. Buddha Belly, on the other hand, is a place I get.
