Out to Lunch: Maharaja Lunch Buffet

This is surely one of the best hidden lunch spots in the city. Even better than Jake's. The lunch buffet at Maharaja is only $9.95 and includes as many gulab jamun (those syrup-soaked donut-holes) as I want. I also love it because buffets makes trying foreign or strange foods ten times easier. I always worry when I order something new with an unpronounceable name that I will end up with something very spicy or very weird. Because of that, I've shied away from Indian restaurants for years. But here, I try a little of everything and take iPhone notes of what I like.

Here are some of my new favorites:
Matar Paneer: peas and homemade cottage cheese stewed in a ginger curry sauce
Avial: Mixed vegetables (yams, gourds, bananas, beans) in a coconut curry with chiles.
Vattalappam: steamed rice and coconut cake with dried fruit/raisins
Lamb Shahi Korma: Lamb in saffron, almond, and cardamon sauce

Backyard Discovery: Bombay Sweets

Ignore the odd strip-mall facade because this place is awesome.


We took the Vespa down to Bombay Sweets (34101 S. 13th St. near 13th and Howell) for dinner last night. All of the food is Vegetarian, mostly Indian, but features some Pakistani and Bengali cooking as well. And for dessert.......you can't miss the 5 huge cases of Indian sugary cookies, spiced nuts, and honey soaked donuts. Total cost of dinner for two: $11. I'm so glad I found out about this place, although I guess I'm a little behind the curve. Look at all the reviews!


The Shepherd Express is talking about it.

The AV Club ran a story two months ago and provided the picture above.

OnMilwaukee.com is talking about it....TWICE!

The WISN City Voter gave it a nod.

The Milwaukee Magazine November "Cheap Eats" issue lists it.

Even that crazy Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods wrote about it in the Minneapolis St.Paul Magazine