These days the regular fast food joints like McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Taco Bell, and even Jack-in-the-Box are all making claims that their menu features gourmet food. Unfortunately it is just a bunch of talk and hype. The menus, although changed somewhat from their dreary regular fare, still are basically unchanged and cannot compare to any real restaurant. My big question is: why would anyone waste ten bucks at a blah fast food joint like BK, Wendys, or McWhatever when they can have fresh, hot, restaurant made food for about the same price? Indian restaurants across the country in big cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York have worked out the best (and fastest) way to get fast Indian food on the go.
Just about every good Indian and Pakistani restaurant these days will offer a gourmet lunch and/or dinner buffet that will leave you way more satisfied than any drive through. Thats right, fast Indian food is just around the corner. Check your local SuperPages and call ahead to make sure that they offer the lunch or dinner buffet and also check how much they cost. Most of these great Indian restaurants charge $9.95 per person for their lunch spreads. It could be slightly higher for dinner but usually that is the price for both.
You come in, grab a plate and serve yourself. Take as much or as little as you want, but for heavens sake, dont pile it up all on the plate like you are in some Las Vegas buffet. There is no need to mix all the foods. Take a little salad first and when you finish that just leave your used plate on the table and go back to the line and grab another clean plate. This may seem elementary but you would be surprised at the crazy questions that the busboys and waiters receive, like What do I do with my plate? Obviously some people have been way too sheltered all of their lives and need to get out more.
After the salad you can attack the main entrees, of which there are usually at least five to ten different choices. Vegetarians will delight in the lentils and veggie curries. Personally I love the Chicken Tandoori and Chicken Tikka. Chicken Masala is also creamy and delicious, spicy and buttery. There are creamed spinach dishes that will make your mouth water, as well as different colored curries that make the fast Indian food look like the best choice you have made in a long time. Pair everything with some fresh Naan bread straight from the tandoori oven and you are in Nirvana my friends.
If you still have room left over you can try the desserts, which are usually rice pudding or the little sweet and syrupy fried Indian doughnut balls in a honey syrup that are just to die for. Did I mention that this is All You Can Eat? So load up, your ten bucks has never gone as far. One last thing: most Indian food is pretty healthy (except for the butter and fried items) and depending on what you grab you could eat a lot and still stay thin.