I'm just going to start off by saying that the Taj Mahal is the best Indian food I've ever had. Ever. It's located in Pittsburgh, so maybe that has something to do with the quality. But if you're ever in that area, this is a must-dine. When you come back to, say Morgantown, it's like a whole different world. Not that I don't enjoy the Indian cuisine in town, but this is just on a different level. In a good way. They claim their spices and fruit have something to do with it.


A few friends and I wanted to get some Indian food after Holi Hai, a fun Indian festival. The Taj Mahal was the only logical answer. This place has a huge, huge menu that you can order from. But we always get their buffet because it's amazing. Monday through Friday lunch buffet is only $9, and Saturday/Sunday is  $10. Dinner buffet is from 11-3, and it's only $12 on Monday and Thursday.


We seated ourselves at a table, and the waiter brought us over waters, then we were on our way! This place has it all: Chicken Tandoori, pakoras, samosas, naan, curry, tikka masala, korma, gulab jamun, etc. Usually when I go to Indian buffets, I try a little of everything that I think I'll like and narrow it down from here. Everything I tried here was AMAZING. I have been here one other time, and it was delicious, but I have tried so many other Indian places that simply haven't lived up to Taj Mahal yet.

The food is always cooked perfectly, tender, moist - no over-spiced, dry food here. It's all perfect. The tikka masala was creamy, the kheer was sweet and delicious, and the samosas were lightly crispy on the outside and tasty.

When I went to pay, I saw they have numerous awards hanging up on the wall, which only drives my point home that they're the best in the area. They even have a special dessert case that you can have wrapped up to go.

Grade: A

Sometimes I just get a craving that I cannot shake. This happened to be the case recently with Indian food. My usual go-to is Mother India, but it was a Monday, so it was closed. But then I remembered there is another Indian restaurant, tucked away on the Mileground: Saffron.

So a friend and I ventured to the Mileground to quench this craving. Saffron is, luckily, open on Monday. The restaurant is quite small, with a handful of booths and tables. To my dismay, the buffet was not available. We arrived at around 8 p.m., and they are open until 10 p.m., but I suppose we were too late. That's okay - I know my favorite dishes anyway.

Our waiter brought us waters and menus. It was honestly quite different ordering off a menu in an Indian restaurant - I've really only tackled the buffet. But they had appetizers, vegetarian dishes, chicken dishes, seafood dishes and others. I scanned the menu until I found "chicken tikka masala," one of my favorite all-time dishes. This dish is boneless chicken, simmered in onions, bell peppers and tomatoes, all in a creamy sauce. At Saffron, you get to choose how spicy you want your dish on a scale of 0 to 10. I opted for a 2. I know, I know, not crazy adventurous. But, hey, I don't like super spicy things, and I want to really enjoy my meal.

I unfolded the fancy napkin and waited. The dining area has some interesting decorations, like a sculpted elephant head on the wall and some art made out of fabrics. A curtain hid the entryway to the restrooms. It wasn't indulgent and decadent with golds and reds, but it was simple, with a few luxurious touches.

My food arrived in two small dishes - one with the basmati rice and the other full of chicken tikka masala. I scooped some of each onto my plate - the delicious, mouth-watering smell alone was enough to give this dish an A. The dish has a very creamy, curry-based sauce. Big chunks of tender roasted chicken soak up the goodness. It had an amazing blend of spices and flavors - cumin, paprika, lemon, cilantro - just fantastic.


I also ordered the kheer for dessert, which is basically a rice pudding. It, too, was creamy in a sweet, light way. The food was delicious. It was a bit pricey - $20 for a main dish and a small dessert - but it really was delicious. I'll need to double-check their buffet times, though, as that may be the more cost-efficient way to go.

Grade: A