Bismillah Restaurant

[Doug McClure]

I've recently had the chance to try the buffet at the Bismillah
Restaurant. This is a new Pakistani/Indian restaurant that has
replaced Indian Taj Restaurant on Clairemont Mesa Blvd, just west of
I-805. I am not aware of any other Pakistani restaurants in San Diego,
though I assume there must be some in Los Angeles.

There are a few dishes that I've not heard of before: for example,
Bismillah Special Chicken (chicken with garbanzo beans) which I tasted
the first time I ate at this restaurant. Also, from the menu I also
see Haleem, beef cooked with wheat and lentils, which I didn't have
the opportunity to taste. There are some others that I didn't
recognize.

I think most buffets have a few more dishes than Bismillah serves, but
I think the food is above average. I do think the tandoori chicken is
the best I've eaten in San Diego -- the taste is about the same as
everyone else's, but it is far juicier than anywhere else. I think
they bring out just a little bit of chicken at a time and therefore it
doesn't get a chance to dry out in the heated serving dishes.

The first time I ate at the restaurant I learned that it had changed
hands only a few days before, but that Bismillah has a sister
restaurant in Orange County. Unfortunately the restaurant looks a
little seedy, with peeling wallpaper and almost no atmosphere. I would
have hoped that a new restaurant would renovate the premises more
before opening for business.

It's unusual for an Indian restaurant to not push Indian beer, so it's
possible that Bismillah no longer has a beer/wine license, or perhaps
they choose not to serve alcohol, or maybe I wasn't paying close
attention.

So the food is pretty good, and you will have a chance to try some
dishes that may be new to you. I don't recall the price, but I think
the buffet was about $9. I think it's worth visiting -- after all, we
came back a second time.

DKM

To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)
DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example ***@EarthLink.net.]

[e]

"Bismillah" means "in the name of Allah" - perhaps a pointer to the
reason there's no beer on the menu. Probably hard to get decent pork
chops there, too.

It's only a grenade's throw from the mosque across the street...

e

Post by Doug McClure
I've recently had the chance to try the buffet at the Bismillah
Restaurant. This is a new Pakistani/Indian restaurant that has
replaced Indian Taj Restaurant on Clairemont Mesa Blvd, just west of
I-805. I am not aware of any other Pakistani restaurants in San Diego,
though I assume there must be some in Los Angeles.
There are a few dishes that I've not heard of before: for example,
Bismillah Special Chicken (chicken with garbanzo beans) which I tasted
the first time I ate at this restaurant. Also, from the menu I also
see Haleem, beef cooked with wheat and lentils, which I didn't have
the opportunity to taste. There are some others that I didn't
recognize.
I think most buffets have a few more dishes than Bismillah serves, but
I think the food is above average. I do think the tandoori chicken is
the best I've eaten in San Diego -- the taste is about the same as
everyone else's, but it is far juicier than anywhere else. I think
they bring out just a little bit of chicken at a time and therefore it
doesn't get a chance to dry out in the heated serving dishes.
The first time I ate at the restaurant I learned that it had changed
hands only a few days before, but that Bismillah has a sister
restaurant in Orange County. Unfortunately the restaurant looks a
little seedy, with peeling wallpaper and almost no atmosphere. I would
have hoped that a new restaurant would renovate the premises more
before opening for business.
It's unusual for an Indian restaurant to not push Indian beer, so it's
possible that Bismillah no longer has a beer/wine license, or perhaps
they choose not to serve alcohol, or maybe I wasn't paying close
attention.
So the food is pretty good, and you will have a chance to try some
dishes that may be new to you. I don't recall the price, but I think
the buffet was about $9. I think it's worth visiting -- after all, we
came back a second time.
DKM
To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)

[Lenny Bruce]

Post by e
It's only a grenade's throw from the mosque across the street...
e

Not politically correct but, ROFLMAO