The Mint Room — Restaurant in Ellicott City

Delicious lunch buffet! Terrific staff! We wanted to celebrate our anniversary and several family members recommended The Mint Room Indian restaurant. They have a lunch buffet, around 11:30-3, around $20 plus beverages. We loved it! You’ll find this location in a small strip mall near a donut shop. The moment you enter, your world is transformed. The decor is lovely and relaxing, with tables for small or large parties. They use frosted window decorations that add elegance, and that made us forget the hectic world we had just come from. Every single staff member we met was welcoming and attentive. The buffet had salad, dessert, and a whole array of hot foods including well-made classics such as tandoori chicken, tender butter chicken, vegetable samosas, matter paneer spinach with cheese, and poori-like bread and naan bread. There was a tender juicy chicken curry, chole bhature spiced chickpeas, a spicy fried fish, a tender mild goat and rice curry, and several chutneys and sauces. We had a spiced lemonade and a salted lassi from their many choices. None of the buffet offerings were overly spicy, so we used the sauces to hit the level we like. There was fresh salad, light cookies in yogurt, a carrot cake dessert, and cherry kulfi, like an un-whipped ice cream with whole cherries. We had a spiced lemonade and a salted lassi from their many choices. I feel like we sampled around a third of their extensive menu, and we loved every dish! We were greeted immediately, and seated where we preferred immediately. Several staff attended to us and checked how we were doing, and this is for buffet customers. And our waiter heard us say it was our anniversary: They surprised us with a decorated dessert! We felt so welcome and appreciated. We were comfortable dressing semi-casually, and would have felt fine with nicer attire, too. In the next room, there was a large group at a table with a view of the cricket match on the large-screen tv over the nice-looking well-stocked bar, and we enjoyed our conversation without being distracted by their enjoyment of the match. We had a wonderful experience...

A Culinary Journey Through India: The Mint Room The Mint Room's lunch buffet was an absolute delight! It's a fantastic option for anyone seeking a flavorful and diverse exploration of Indian cuisine. Here's a breakdown of what made my experience so enjoyable:

A Feast for the Senses:

The buffet offered a wide variety of dishes, ensuring there was something to tantalize every taste bud. From creamy curries bursting with vibrant spices to aromatic tandoori selections and refreshing chutneys, each bite was a journey through the rich tapestry of Indian flavors. The visual presentation was equally impressive, with colorful vegetables, glistening sauces, and fluffy basmati rice arranged enticingly. A Celebration of Freshness:

The quality of the ingredients truly shined through. The vegetables retained their crispness, the meats were perfectly cooked, and the sauces boasted a depth of flavor that spoke of fresh, high-quality ingredients. This commitment to freshness made every dish feel light and satisfying, a welcome departure from the sometimes heavy stereotypes associated with Indian buffets.

A Welcoming Atmosphere:

The restaurant itself exuded a warm and inviting ambiance. The tasteful decor, with its modern touches complementing traditional Indian elements, created a comfortable space to relax and savor the food. The staff was attentive and friendly, offering explanations of the various dishes and catering to any dietary restrictions.

Exceptional Value:

The buffet offered exceptional value for money. The wide variety of dishes ensured a satisfying and delicious meal, without breaking the bank. It's a perfect option for those on a budget or those who simply want to try a little bit of everything.

A Must-Try for Indian Food Enthusiasts:

The Mint Room's lunch buffet is a must-try for anyone seeking a delicious and authentic Indian dining experience. Whether you're a seasoned foodie or a curious beginner, the wide variety of dishes, the quality of ingredients, and the welcoming atmosphere will leave you wanting to come...

A very over rated buffet restaurant in the city for various reasons and the main reason being the food taste/ variety for the price. The buffet is very much like any other buffet that serves Indian food except that this is not as healthy or clean as it is supposed to be.

FOOD: Very limited food options be it Veg or Non Veg. There isn’t anything that stands out from other restaurants and have a very very usual menu. For vegetarian, it was the standard menu. A salad, Vegetable biryani, Kadai Paneer, Gobi starter, Palak item (corn), Dal makani, Kheer, Vada. Most of them tasted very normal and there weren’t as such any flavor or something nice that we would want to try again. They had on request tea it seems which I wasn’t aware of until we paid.

AMBIENCE & SERVICE: The ambience was too good. No complaints at all there. The lighting was perfect, the smell and the arrangements were good; it was quiet as well for a Friday lunch hour. The service was good but the most bothering thing was the waiters were standing very close to our tables and looking at us most of the time. It was kind of awkward. Not just one but there were 2-3 starring at us at any given time. They have the TV mounted on the wall and they stand there only to obstruct the view. I hope they give us some privacy while eating. The 2nd most bothering thing was everyone eats with their hand and they just take items like Poori, Naan with their bare hands and none of the staffs who are seriously looking into our tables bothered to ask them to use the tongs. Very uncomfortable to see this.

BOTTOMLINE: A very average buffet restaurant that excels in looks but lacks a lot in the menu varieties to cleanliness to staff duties. I would probably skip this place going forward. Needs a lot of improvement in certain major aspects of running a restaurant.

MY PICKS FOR YOU: Kadai Paneer, Kheer, Gobi...