Buffet at Rasoi IV Indian Cuisine serves up international flair in Chesapeake

When I first moved to the area more than three decades ago, the variety of international cuisine was largely limited to Chinese and Mexican. There were a few exceptions here and there, including Nawab, an Indian restaurant near the now-closed Military Circle mall in Norfolk.

Over time, we’ve had those international offerings expand, including the number of Indian restaurants. In Chesapeake, I recently enjoyed Rasoi IV Authentic Indian Cuisine, located in Walmart Way Crossing shopping center.

The restaurant was clean and bright, with dark turquoise walls and gold accents providing a pleasant place to eat.

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The Eat: Lunch buffet, $21.27

Qualities of buffets can vary greatly, and, like many folks, I’ve been to some where the food is not always kept at the proper temperature, where chafing dishes sit empty far too long, or the caliber of the dishes miss the mark.

But finding a buffet at a good restaurant that presents their dishes there in the same thoughtful manner they do from the a la carte menu can provide a good chance to try a myriad of dishes for one prix fixe price.

In Chesapeake, I recently enjoyed Rasoi IV Authentic Indian Cuisine, located in the Walmart Way Crossing shopping center. In addition to an a la carte menu, there is a lunch buffet on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The restaurant is clean and bright, with dark turquoise walls and gold accents providing a pleasant place to eat. (Patrick Evans-Hylton/Freelance)

That’s the case at Rasoi IV Authentic Indian Cuisine, which offers a lunch buffet on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. During that time, the regular menu is also available.

When I walked in, I made a pass by the buffet to get an idea of what dishes were available. I also looked at the cleanliness of the buffet, including the serving pieces. I noticed heating elements working, and the salad, condiments, and dessert on ice.

During the meal, I also noticed the buffet being replenished as needed. In fact, at one time when the naan bread was out, the server brought a basket over rather than relying on me to head back to the line.

The day I visited, there were a dozen items on the buffet, starting with a green salad, largely of carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes. It was light and refreshing, and a nice foil to some of the entrees that had heat to them.

Near the salad there was a sweet tamarind chutney and a spicy cilantro-chili-mint chutney for adding as a sauce to dishes. There was also raita, a cooling condiment of cucumber, yogurt and spices.

On the buffet at Rasoi IV Authentic Indian Cuisine was mango fruit custard, a decadent, velvety smooth pudding with bits of mango. The offering was creamy and rich, with an ethereal taste and texture. (Patrick Evans-Hylton/Freelance)

There were some offerings that were familiar, like the fragrant basmati rice, complex chicken curry, and the flavorful chicken tikka masala. Each reminded me of similar dishes I’ve enjoyed over the years, and these were enjoyed too.

There were three standouts on the buffet, the first being onion pakora, a vegan dish. These were crispy little fritters made from sliced onion. Although there was a mild onion flavor, it wasn’t overpowering at all. The simple seasonings and light frying made it a real delight. It was something I went back to the line for a second taste, and was enhanced with a drizzle of the tamarind chutney.

Another was the vegetable biryani, a highly spiced rice-based dish often made with some sort of meat, but in this case, an assortment of vegetables. A lovely cinnamon color, there was lots of flavor here, with warm baking spices prevalent.

The third standout was corn saag, a gorgeous creamy, rich green dish with spinach as a base, and studded with corn. Although it was seasoned very well, there was a lovely mildness about it, and I enjoyed scooping it up with the addictive naan.

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Dessert was mango fruit custard, which was a decadent, velvety smooth pudding with bits of mango.

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The Drink: Taj Mahal lager

There are many cuisines across the world, usually those that have a little heat and spice to them, where beer is just a natural choice to enjoy with the meal. Usually these beers are crisp, and lighter, and a wonderful offset the fiery food.

On the menu at Rasoi IV Authentic Indian Cuisine, there were almost a half-dozen Indian beer imports including Taj Mahal, a favorite of mine. This lager style beer is refreshing, with a pleasant bitterness. It was perfect with my meal. (Patrick Evans-Hylton/Freelance)

You’ll find this with Mexican food, Sichuan cooking, and dishes from Thailand, among others, indulging India.

On the menu, there were almost a half-dozen Indian beer imports: 1947 Lager, Flying Horse, Hunter, and Kingfisher, a favorite. Also on the bill of fare was Taj Mahal, another favorite of mine. This lager style beer is refreshing, with a pleasant bitterness. It was perfect with my meal.

Rasoi IV Authentic Indian Cuisine is at 1437 Sams Drive, Chesapeake. Call 757-410-1183 or visit www.RasoiVirginia.com.

Patrick Evans-Hylton, PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com