There are five India House restaurants in the greater Chicago area. I opted to visit the Buffalo Grove location. I have eaten in three out of the five locations in the Chicago area, and I am not one to quickly say about these restaurants that "you've been to one, you've been to them all."
After one lunch buffet and one dinner, I would say (though all have good food) that the India House in Buffalo Grove has an edge over the other two locations I have tried (though I must say it's been a while since I stopped in at the Schaumburg or downtown locations) when it comes to pleasing atmosphere, overall hospitality and quality of the food.
You can count on an expansive menu of Indian food, no matter which India House restaurant you end up in. In Buffalo Grove, for example, if you get no further into the menu than the "Breads of India Sampler" (three different Indian breads) and the "Taste of India Appetizer Platter," which features several different appetizers --samosa, potato patties, spring rolls, chickpea fritters -- you are off to a good start, especially if there are four or more in your party.
I get emails asking about vegetarian restaurants that offer interesting variety. My stock answer is "just about any Indian restaurant." India House makes generous use of a huge number of vegetables -- from a medley of sauteed mustard leaves and spinach to okra and potatoes in curry sauce. My favorite here is the green peas and potatoes bhaji, which is nothing more than chunks of potatoes and peas nestled in a curry sauce. The spicy curry sauce adds a tasty knockout punch.
India House is like manna from heaven for lovers of Indian breads, including me. Tandoori bread choices number no fewer than fourteen. And what better way to put Indian bread into play than using it to sop up the sauce that goes with the lamb boti kabab, a delicious and vibrant dish that paired chunks of yogurt-marinated lamb that was braised and swaddled in a tasty "gravy" redolent with a range of Indian spices, with ginger being the most authoritative.
Similarly, chicken biryani got the full herb treatment. Tender chunks of chicken were simmered with a range of vegetables including onions, potatoes and tomatoes. Garlic and ginger were quite prevalent, but the subtlety of fresh mint rounded it all out. All of this got ladled over basmati rice.
Moving swiftly into the lunch buffet where twelve gleaming chafing dishes were set up in a wide horseshoe-shaped arrangement that allowed for easy navigation. Everything looked freshly made. I made a beeline for the tandoori chicken. The chicken, mostly meaty legs, sporting the tandoor-cooked red hue, was piled atop slivers of fresh onion. To the chicken on the plate I added some peas and mushrooms, and basmati rice with saffron and a vegetable pakora. When I got back to my table, a basket of warm and puffy naan was waiting for me. The chicken was mildly spicy, the pakora was plump and tasty, and the rice was oh so nice. I made another trip to the buffet to sample the chicken curry (spiced to a higher level than the tandoori chicken) and another helping of rice. And after all that, all I could handle was a small sampling of kheer, an Indian rice pudding that got jazzed up with raisins and almonds and a hint of cardamom.
