Sizzling Tandoor Restaurant at Uptown, Victoria

We celebrated my mother's birthday today with lunch at Sizzling Tandoor. This is our favourite buffet in the city and where we've gone for her past two birthdays. Conveniently located at Uptown, with abundant free parking, and costing $13.65 (including tax) per person, it's a great place to enjoy an Indian meal.

last year's lunch

Like the rest of Uptown, Sizzling Tandoor is only a few years old. Though small with only around fifteen tables, it's a modern and nicely decorated space, with wall murals featuring camels and the Taj Mahal.

Each time we've been to Sizzling Tandoor, it has been quite full, but we've never had to wait for a table. Though there is the option to order off the menu, we've always gone for the buffet, which seems to be the best value and -- for Indian food amateurs like us -- allows us to sample a greater variety of interesting and tasty things.

We enjoyed pakoras (dry and in curry), dhal, butter chicken, tandoori chicken, potato and squash curry, corn and spinach curry, rice, and naan. From the salad bar we tried a few different salads and potent chutneys. I thought that all of the dishes were delicious, each with a distinct blend of spices, and would be hard pressed to pick a favourite! The naan was fresh and soft and was brought to our table in a little basket, which was replaced when it ran out. For dessert there were melon slices and carrot pudding, which I bypassed for one of my favourite desserts -- rice pudding. I had two bowls of this sweet, mildly spicy treat.

today's lunch: curries, pakoras, and chicken; naan; and rice pudding

Next December I likely won't be visiting Victoria, so will miss our annual birthday lunch at Sizzling Tandoor, but I'm sure my parents will continue to enjoy this great Indian buffet for years to come. I'd recommend that anyone in Victoria give it a try!