En route from Samosa Express, we made our way to Zanzibar restaurant, located 2 doors down from the Clay Oven.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t open for another two hours. This left us scrambling for a plan as we sat in the parking lot of the bizarre ethnic mall that is the InterPacific Plaza. We almost certainly looked like pathetic losers.  We’ll have to take some solace in the fact we were displaying more dignity than the two white trash hoochies seen window shopping at nearby “BRIDE WORLD”. We quickly remembered a listing for Mughal’s Restaurant located just a short jaunt away and sped off, leaving the ladies to their fantasies. (matt)

Good thing we were driving before rush hour.  Gotta love back-up plans.  We've still got a pretty long list of places to visit, but I think we're pretty much done with the A-listers.  This has left us with a whole collection of places that are either hard to find, or have weird hours and has made it necessary for us to leave the house with no less than 3 possibilities to try out. (ren)

Sometime later, we arrived to find Mughal's amid an industrial park targeted towards autobody repair. We are starting to see a pattern. My theory used to be that if you wanted to find curry, you’d have to head anywhere named ‘ridge (ie. Falconridge, Castleridge, Saddleridge). I’m modifying the theory to include large unsavory areas focused on automobile repair. Mughal’s appears to have taken this premise to heart as the first thing you smell upon entering the restaurant, is the distinct smell of isocyanate laced autobody paint. This was not a good sign. After all, the largest and most tragic mass isocyanate related poisoning occurred in Bhopal, India in 1984. As we sat down, I planned on ordering the “Dow-Chemicals Masala” and prayed that the resultant effects would not render me sterile. (matt)

There are often really good and cheap places to eat in these shady industrial parks.  The people who work there have to eat (if they don't bring a bag lunch or a tiffin....) and they want something fast, tasty, filling, and affordable.  So despite the aroma that reminded me more of my highschool industrial arts classes (welding, autobody, auto-mechanics, woodworking) than of any other curry place, I had high hopes.  (ren)

We decided on Ren’s favorite activity: Buffet. I think Ren once tried to convince me that standing in line at a buffet was a healthy alternative to sitting and waiting for one’s food. I, on the other hand, would argue on the grounds of safety, citing the possibility of a hideously disfiguring accident that could occur from handling your own oversized serving utensils. Nonetheless, I will concede that Mughal’s buffet has a decent selection including goat curry, chili beef, chickpea and regular dhal, lamb korma and butter chicken. They also serve veggie kebabs and a couple of mixed vegetable and rice dishes. Various salad-like accoutrements are available, if you’re into that kind of thing. If you are, we won’t prejudge you. (matt)

I too was impressed with the selection of dishes.  I wasn't so impressed that all the buffet tubs still had their lids on and there was no where to place the lid or your plate while serving.  This resulted in some pretty scary balancing while we dished up.  There were some tense moments after I tried to steer the goat curry onto my plate but instead poured my ladle-ful of goat into matty's coat pocket.  (ren)

As far as the quality of the dishes, that probably leaves something to be desired. Nothing really stood out as being really poor, but it was also far from delicious. The beef was a little stringy and most of the flavor on my plate came from the chili seeds from the chili beef, which left my nose running. The kebabs were very flakey. The naan was comparable to spending a night with George Burns – stale, white and with far too much rigor mortis. The lassi on the other hand, was fantastic. (matt)

The kebabs were dry.  They were almost powdery when you sliced into the patties.  The butter chicken was unremarkable.  The lamb tasted like lamb, but not a whole lot like curry.  The chili beef was the high point for me.  Pretty spicy and fairly tasty, but still....just not really all that great.  I couldn't even eat the naan and for some reason I didn't order a lassi.  (ren)

As we finished up, a South Asian man at an adjacent table who seemed confused by our fascination with curry, asked us how long we’ve been eating “hot and spicy food”. We had clearly messed with his mind. We gave him a business card and wished him well.  (matt)

We debated the score through the meal.  We didn't hate it.  We've just had so much better.  Looking at the menu afterwards I regretted our choice to go with the buffet and wish i'd picked something off the kids menu.  Cheese pizza, kraft dinner, fish and chips......now that's good eatin'.  We decided that our score would be determined by the price.  For a place to get by in a location like this it needs to fulfill the requirements i'd listed above.  Since it was buffet it scores high on quick and filling.....but not so strong on tasty..... as for the price.... (ren)

We found our $38 bill a little stiff for buffet. As we left, we wondered how long Mughal’s would be around as it isn’t the easiest place to stumble upon for foot traffic. Maybe they plan on milking autobody enthusiasts for all they have. If so, good luck trading that rebuilt roadster for a lifetime supply of korma.  I think they will likely rely on selling their morning breakfast specials of bacon ‘n eggs to the neighbouring tenants within the industrial park. In which case, I would debate the value of doing curry at all. Why not just go with the soup and sandwich theme? I guess that’s not really my call.    (matt)

We give Mughal’s a solid 6.

Not at the Restaurant:

1. Warren Anderson (Former CEO of Union Carbide)
2. Sunil Sood (Mayor of Bhopal)
3. Jim Abramson (Member of Brooklyn based Indie band, “Autobody”)

Rating: