meddle
I had lunch at the vegetarian Indian restaurant "Milan Natraj" in Shibuya. It was my second choice after a different restaurant, but I decided to try it out due to a certain reason. This restaurant is affiliated with the Natraj restaurant in Ogikubo and the one I visited in Harajuku last year, both of which specialize in vegetarian cuisine and offer lunch buffets. The restaurant is located on the 3rd floor of a building about a 5-minute walk from Shibuya Station, and it has a stylish atmosphere. The lunch menu includes individual items as well as a buffet, with most customers opting for the buffet. On weekdays, the buffet includes four types of curry, two types of naan, rice, salad, and dessert for 1,290 yen. The price is the same as the Harajuku branch, but drinks are not included in the buffet price at this location, making it slightly more expensive. The buffet area is a bit cramped for the size of the restaurant, making it difficult to access when there are other customers. The salad was fresh, with two types of dressing available - sesame and carrot. The curry options included sambar, mixed beans, pumpkin, and vegetable curry, which were similar to the ones offered at the Harajuku branch in December, except for the types of beans. The curries were mildly spiced, with the pumpkin being slightly sweet. Chilli powder and pepper were available at the buffet table for those who wanted to add extra spice. The naan was delicious, with plain and spinach vegan options. The turmeric rice was slightly soft. I found that the naan paired better with the curries than the rice, so I ended up eating more naan and drinking the sambar like a soup. The dessert was kheer, which had a gentle sweetness and was tasty. Overall, the dishes were well-prepared with a gentle flavor, making them delicious. However, the lack of included drinks and slightly slow restocking of curries and desserts led me to give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5.