Karma Kafe: Home of Hoboken's Indian Lunch Buffet

Karma Kafe is a charming and colorful Indian food restaurant located smack dab in middle of Washington Street.  I have walked by it on many an afternoon, noticing a  packed floor filled with patrons standing around a buffet table situated smartly by the front windows of the restaurant. 

Karma Kafe is best known for its daily lunch buffet.

I breezed in on a Wednesday afternoon, and decided this was the day to see what all the fuss was about.

When I approached the buffet table I was excited to see some of my favorite Indian food offerings as well as some items I wasn't as familiar with.

I started with some salad and the Aloo Chole, which appeared to be a variation of a dish I enjoy that's focus is the chick pea.  The Aloo Chole consists of chick peas and potatoes in a spicy, tangy curry with just a hint of ginger.  The flavor was divine and I sopped up the remaining sauce with an equally delicious piece of naan bread.

Next up, I tried the ever popular dish, Chicken Tikka Misala.  The sauce on this dish was decidedly creamier than that of the Aloo Chole (which was okay) and punctuated with whole roasted garlic cloves (which was excellent)  The chicken was a tad dry but overall I enjoyed this dish.

I also sampled some Dal with basmati rice on the side.  This is a simple dish made of lentils but that is not to say that I wasn't overwhelmed by its hearty yet delicate flavor. 

By this point in my meal, I was substantially full and was unable to try the remaining dishes on display at the buffet table: Rajma Masala, Vegetable Korma, Indian Style Chicken Croquettes and Tandoori Chicken. 

But considering this is a daily lunch buffet and the cost is only $9.95, there seems to be no rush.  I wholly recommend repeated visits.

Karma Kafe is open daily for lunch and dinner and free delivery is also available.