Tikka your fancy

Curry in a Hurry buffet delivers a wide-ranging Indian food feast.

photo

Arshia Khan

clockwise from left: naan, band gobi, chicken tikka masala, pakora

The area’s newest Indian restaurant is living the American dream. Having started out as little more than a convenience store side project, the big criticisms that seemed to get brought up with Curry in a Hurry were its size and location. Both have been improved by a recent move to west Little Rock’s Market Place shopping center.

It also doesn’t hurt that the restaurant’s new space is the former home of Amruth’s, a local forerunner of the same cuisine. Being known as a place to go seek Indian food in a market without a ton of options is not a bad thing (nor is it bad that those options are either long-established or growing). Of course, the potential downside is that the new digs are surrounded by many other dining options.

Yet, despite that fact, a recent lunchtime visit to the new Curry in a Hurry found parking to be no problem at all. As of that visit the restaurant still lacked a large roofline sign, but a bright yellow banner advertising the lunch buffet — the same image splashed on the eatery’s website and Facebook page — was enough to put two and two together.

Inside, the rich orange walls, dark wood panels and black-covered booths provide a feel of both comfort and class. Not too ritzy, mind you, but clean and neat. While reportedly an improvement over the original home, the place still isn’t huge. Booths and tables look to seat a few dozen perhaps. Seating is pretty much self guided as it’s only steps from the front door. The buffet tables are at the far end from the door. There’s no exact system for moving end to end, but the flow never seemed to get complicated enough that anyone was stepping on other toes.

While the smell alone is probably enough to lure most people to the buffet right away, there is a vast and expanded menu offered (though it was not offered to us on our visit; the buffet was assumed). At first, that menu seems all big and complicated. There are two sections of appetizers, either veggie or nonveggie. Following that are dishes from the tandoor (a special kind of oven) and selections of breads (13, to be exact). Then, after a full page of vegetarian dishes, come several pages of selections sectioned off by primary meat: chicken, beef, seafood, lamb and goat. But closer inspection reveals that the same preparations carry across different kinds of meats. For example, there’s a spicy kadai chicken, as well as the same kadai preparation on other meats like lamb or shrimp. The same goes for curry or masala (of different kinds) or korma.

That’s why it’s kind of nice to have the buffet option. While it may not have all the dishes with all the kinds of meat, it can give the amateur an introduction to what kadai chicken or aloo mattar (veggie) are. If it’s to your liking, you might consider kadai mutton or khima mattar (beef) the next time through the door. Of course, to the menu’s credit, it provides a fairly simple description of each and every dish along the way. “Chicken cooked in mild sauce” may not give you much on chicken korma, but it’s better than nothing.

By way of innovation, it should also be noted that Curry in a Hurry appears to lack any large counter with domineering cash register. When our meal was finished, a server came by with an iPad to deliver our tickets and accept payment. It came complete with an attachment to swipe a credit card and the ability to tap on a tip. It could also to send a copy of the receipt to a provided email address.

Fancy doings, and a thoughtful way to maximize the use of the expanded, but still not infinite, space in the new location.

THE DISH: OUR REVIEW

Lunch buffet ($6.95): My first impression was that the buffet is on the small side with only two tables, but after a couple of trips back with two different main dishes each time, I was forced to rethink that assessment. Of those selections, the kadai chicken was a hands down favorite. Spicy and complex, I could have filled up on just this. The curry chicken would be a second, though it was a bit bland. Both of those, as well as the chicken tikka masala, could have been kept much warmer. They ranged from lukewarm to tepid. For sides, I found myself piling up on what was labeled onion pakora, a sort of mix of deep fried veggies. Oddly, there was very little onion taste. It was more like fried potatoes, which I liked. I also give props to the slightly bland but warm and fresh bread called naan. Excellent for mopping up. (sw)

Lunch buffet ($6.95): There’s a nice collection of dishes present, but most of what I tried could have been warmer as the buffet’s items — even with the use of steam trays — were mostly lukewarm if not cool, especially the chicken tikka masala (which could have used more spice). Still, the kadai chicken is almost worth the price of the buffet. It was served warm with chunks of moist chicken and a palate-pleasing range of spices. Curry in a Hurry didn’t ease up on that dish’s spiciness. It’s the one thing I went back for more of. Of course, buffets sometimes have snafus (like not-quite-warm food) so perhaps I caught Curry in a Hurry on a bad day. Having eaten from the menu on a previous trip to the restaurant (at its old North Little Rock location) I can say that the freshly prepared dishes are great. (ss)

Lunch buffet ($6.95): As expected from an Indian restaurant, Curry in a Hurry offers plentiful vegetarian options on the menu and the lunch buffet. The lentils were up to par, maybe a little heavy on the cilantro, but satisfying nonetheless. The channa chaat utilized the cilantro in a superb way, adding a gazpacho-like bite to this chilled soup. The aloo mattar was the spiciest dish on the veggie side of the buffet, but it begged for a little more of a kick. The band gobi, naturally sweet from the mash up of onions, was the main reason I went back for seconds. The bite-sized pakoras may have reminded me a bit of Chick-fil-a waffle fries, but how is that a bad thing at all? The gulab jamun sealed the meal. It’s a dessert that’s similar to a donut hole bathed in syrup. Need I say more? (sb)

AGREE? DISAGREE? Visit our Facebook page and share your thoughts about the review.

RESTAURANT INFO

LOCATION: 11121 N. Rodney Parham Road, Suite 36B, Little Rock

PHONE: (501) 224-4567

WEBSITE: curryinahurryar.com

DINING HOURS: Monday; Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. lunch; 5 p.m.-10 p.m. dinner

PRICES: $6.95-$14.99

ALCOHOL: N/A

IN A NUTSHELL: The city’s newest Indian restaurant has moved to Little Rock’s Market Place shopping center. The space, which was a former Indian restaurant, has been updated and feels clean and neat. It has an expansive menu, but a simplified buffet at lunch. Like most Indian restaurants, it caters to both vegetarians and carnivores. Our reviewers could not find fault with the service or the food.

Upcoming Events