THE MEAL
Buffet: Saag Paneer, Murgh Makhani, Yellow Daal, Raita, Naan, Halwa
THOUGHTS
I fancy myself somewhat of a connoisseur of Indian buffets (at least in the greater Northern Virginia area). Located in the Toilet Bowl Building, Diya is the newest contribution to the Indian buffet discussion. And, other than Saravana Palace, I'm not sure I've seen as diversified a buffet spread.
The Saag Paneer was an eye-opener for me. The Saag Paneer had such great depth of flavor, with subtle hints of heat, that I now have a new standard against which future Saag Paneer will be judged.
For as special as the Saag Paneer was, the Murgh Makhani (aka Butter Chicken) was nothing more than average (which is perfectly reasonable, as average Butter Chicken is still really good). While the sauce had nice flavor and consistency, the chicken itself was a little on the dry side. Of course, this didn't stop me from getting a second serving of Butter Chicken.
Like the Murgh Makhani, the yellow daal was fine...but nothing special. The raita, much like the Saag Paneer, was outstanding. The presence of finely diced vegetables married to the sourness of the yogurt was outstanding, adding a freshness to the raita that I have not encountered elsewhere. As a fan of sauces, the exquisite raita was one of the reasons I needed to get a second serving of Butter Chicken.
At the conclusion of the meal, I experienced Halwa for the first time. A corn-meal textured sweet with almond slivers, the Halwa was sweetened with what I believe was rose water (a classic Indian sweetener). Slightly warm, I could have easily eaten four or five servings of the dessert. While I do not know how Diya's Halwa compares to other versions of the dish, I am determined to try more Halwa in future trips to Indian restaurants.
I have two general critiques of Diya. First, at $15 for the lunch buffet, Diya charges more than its competitors. While the wide range of dishes is certainly appealing, Diya's price point is approximately 50% more than the standard prices in the Northern Virginia area for Indian buffets. Second, the decor is slightly sterile, and certainly less than the inviting warmth I usually associate with Indian restaurants. Notwithstanding the price and the decor, I imagine I will return and will load-up on a few of the special dishes I sampled on my first trip to Diya.
CONCLUSIONS
Food 7.5/10
Service 2.5/5
Errata 1/5
Total 11/20
$$
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Ray's Hell Burger (Arlington, VA)
THE MEAL
Entree: Au Poive Burger with Vermont White Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, and Pickles
THOUGHTS
We've been going to Ray's Hell Burger since before it moved into the old Ray's the Steaks location (when it was located where Ray's Hell Burger Too is now located). For the first year or two, I was wildly underwhelmed by Ray's Hell Burger, though I have since learned that this was due to its reputation over-promising and under-delivering.
I mean, when you walk into a burger joint and you see Cognac and Sherry Sauteed Mushrooms and Roasted Garlic, who wouldn't immediately gravitate towards such luxurious toppings (not to mention a wide array of cheeses one rarely finds at a burger joint). Each trip to Ray's Hell Burger, I couldn't resist overloading my burger with the delightful assortments of toppings and specialty cheeses. This was a mistake.
The complementary toppings offered by Ray's Hell Burger, while independently delicious, bring additional liquid to the burger. And additional liquid is something the bun employed by Ray's Hell Burger cannot withstand.
You see, the beef is top notch and flavorful -- but it's also juicy as hell (pun intended). Rather than a bun prepared to stand up to the juices of the burger, Ray's Hell Burger uses a dry bun (as compared to a moist bun, like a potato bread bun) which acts as a sponge for the juices coming from the burger and toppings. While this means you aren't missing out on the meaty flavor, the bun tends to fall apart when the burger is overloaded.
With past experiences in mind, I ordered a relatively simple burger this trip. Having gone this route on my previous trip to Ray's Hell Burger and discovered the merits of a simple burger (i.e., a burger sans soggy bun), I elected to continue to play it safe on this trip.
The au poive burger itself was delicious, cooked as ordered, and full of flavor. The Vermont White Cheddar smothers and envelops the burger. And while I likes me some cheddar, the quantity of cheese atop a Ray's Hell Burger burger toes the line of overdoing it.
I must say, however, that my efforts to avoid a soggy bun failed, if only because the burger itself overwhelmed the bottom half of the bun. The top half (sprinkled with sesame and poppy seeds) maintained the structural integrity I require of my burger buns, but the dampness of the bottom half of the bun disappointed.
Given the ample size of the burger at Ray's Hell Burger, I tend to avoid ordering any sides. This tradition continued on my most recent trip, as I have never been impressed with the fries or sweet potato fries offered as accompaniments. A side dish was not missed, though, as the burger certainly did not leave me hungry.
After this trip, I find myself further conflicted on Ray's Hell Burger. While the burger itself is of a high quality and generous portion, when asked by others about Ray's Hell Burger, I find myself pontificating on the disappointment of the bun. Having previously thought that I had solved the mystery of the Ray's Hell Burger bun by foregoing the unique topping options, I find myself conflicted as to whether I will ever be able to solve this conundrum definitively. Nonetheless, I'm sure that I will return and try to solve this mystery.
CONCLUSIONS
Food 7/10
Service N/A
Errata 2/5
Total 9/15
$
Entree: Au Poive Burger with Vermont White Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, and Pickles
THOUGHTS
We've been going to Ray's Hell Burger since before it moved into the old Ray's the Steaks location (when it was located where Ray's Hell Burger Too is now located). For the first year or two, I was wildly underwhelmed by Ray's Hell Burger, though I have since learned that this was due to its reputation over-promising and under-delivering.
I mean, when you walk into a burger joint and you see Cognac and Sherry Sauteed Mushrooms and Roasted Garlic, who wouldn't immediately gravitate towards such luxurious toppings (not to mention a wide array of cheeses one rarely finds at a burger joint). Each trip to Ray's Hell Burger, I couldn't resist overloading my burger with the delightful assortments of toppings and specialty cheeses. This was a mistake.
The complementary toppings offered by Ray's Hell Burger, while independently delicious, bring additional liquid to the burger. And additional liquid is something the bun employed by Ray's Hell Burger cannot withstand.
You see, the beef is top notch and flavorful -- but it's also juicy as hell (pun intended). Rather than a bun prepared to stand up to the juices of the burger, Ray's Hell Burger uses a dry bun (as compared to a moist bun, like a potato bread bun) which acts as a sponge for the juices coming from the burger and toppings. While this means you aren't missing out on the meaty flavor, the bun tends to fall apart when the burger is overloaded.
With past experiences in mind, I ordered a relatively simple burger this trip. Having gone this route on my previous trip to Ray's Hell Burger and discovered the merits of a simple burger (i.e., a burger sans soggy bun), I elected to continue to play it safe on this trip.
The au poive burger itself was delicious, cooked as ordered, and full of flavor. The Vermont White Cheddar smothers and envelops the burger. And while I likes me some cheddar, the quantity of cheese atop a Ray's Hell Burger burger toes the line of overdoing it.
I must say, however, that my efforts to avoid a soggy bun failed, if only because the burger itself overwhelmed the bottom half of the bun. The top half (sprinkled with sesame and poppy seeds) maintained the structural integrity I require of my burger buns, but the dampness of the bottom half of the bun disappointed.
Given the ample size of the burger at Ray's Hell Burger, I tend to avoid ordering any sides. This tradition continued on my most recent trip, as I have never been impressed with the fries or sweet potato fries offered as accompaniments. A side dish was not missed, though, as the burger certainly did not leave me hungry.
After this trip, I find myself further conflicted on Ray's Hell Burger. While the burger itself is of a high quality and generous portion, when asked by others about Ray's Hell Burger, I find myself pontificating on the disappointment of the bun. Having previously thought that I had solved the mystery of the Ray's Hell Burger bun by foregoing the unique topping options, I find myself conflicted as to whether I will ever be able to solve this conundrum definitively. Nonetheless, I'm sure that I will return and try to solve this mystery.
CONCLUSIONS
Food 7/10
Service N/A
Errata 2/5
Total 9/15
$
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