Globe Indian Cuisine Restaurant — Restaurant in Topeka

It's been a couple of years since I last tried the lunch buffet at Globe, and to be honest, I hadn't been back because of how disappointed I was the first time. However, it's one of only a few Indian restaurants in Topeka, and is the only one with a buffet. Having seen some strong reviews, I decided to give them another chance. The hours posted for the buffet are Monday-Friday, 11:00-2:30, and I arrived right at 1:00, so I should have had plenty of time.

Regarding the interior, I think it's decent. The tables and seating are a bit bland, but at least nothing felt cramped or cluttered. With large windows around one half of the building, it lets in plenty of natural light, and I didn't hate the large mirror on the opposite wall. The light fixtures are also quite artistic. Unfortunately, those are the highlights. The drink dispenser was empty for two beverages, and one item has the wrong label. After ordering the buffet, I was given a Styrofoam cup, plastic ware, and a firmer version of a paper plate. This is their dine-in fare. It comes across as very unprofessional, as you should have actual dishes and silverware. You're an established restaurant, not a food truck.

People have mentioned this is a small buffet, but didn't signify strongly enough how limited their selection is. They only serve ten items, two of which are Indian food essentials; naan bread and rice. Those are also cheap stomach fillers. Of the remaining items, four have meat in them. Although they serve beef, lamb, and seafood dishes, the only meat served is chicken. Even cheap buffets tend to have more variety than that. They're not really showcasing a wide range of their best fare.

There were three items that were nearly empty when I got there, and after I got my first plate of food, two of them were entirely empty. They ran completely out of sesame bonda and tandoori chicken, while the nearly empty dish was lemon pepper chicken. The last had so few pieces remaining, any other buffet would have restocked it. Throughout my lunch break, they never made more of any of these dishes, although I had more than an hour left to eat at the buffet. It's cute how people claimed they made extra for them, but maybe they felt like working that day. They neither cooked nor cleaned while I was present, so maybe I came in during an extended, two hour break. I honestly feel like this should have warranted an offer for a refund, because that's not how an all you can eat experience is supposed to work.

In conclusion, this is a buffet experience that would have disappointed me at $10. Considering it cost me $15, you can imagine how dismally I view this restaurant. When they have a scant amount of items, none of which is worthy of the price tag, and the employees neither clean off empty, dirty tables, nor prepare more food for the buffet when something runs completely out, and you have one of the worst buffets in Topeka. It's no wonder they were empty when I arrived, and barely had another customer before I left. They don't deserve to have any customers if they're going to dawdle around, shirking off, during what should be a busy time for...

My wife and I decided to give this place a try after a long hiatus, in the hopes of an improvement on the fairly mediocre fare from our previous visit. In retrospect, this was uncommonly generous and optimistic of us.

We walked into a very empty restaurant on a Friday evening - which, in and of itself, doesn't bode well for any establishment in the food-service business, but our uncommon generosity and optimism got the better of us.

Greeted by a seemingly cheerful and attentive hostess, we were allowed seating of our choice, and a menu that listed Chhole Bhature (Puffy fried bread with a Chickpea Curry) in the South Indian section, which I know to be untrue since the said dish is as North Indian as Apple Pie is American.

Clearly the owners couldn't be trusted with North Indian cuisine, prompting my wife and I to opt for the solidly South Indian fare of medium-spice Andhra Curry and full-spice Vindaloo, with Garlic Naan and Onion Kulcha, and the pan-Indian appetizer of Samosa, with more regional variations than one can count.

The Samosa was quite good, with the right seasonings in the right amount, along with the delightful chutneys that added to the contrasting flavors.

The Naan and the Kulcha, though good value for money, were brought to us five to ten minutes after the rest of our entrees, which is not unlike ordering spaghetti and meatballs, and having your sauce and meatballs brought in AFTER the noodles themselves. Our uncommon generosity and optimism were brought down a peg or two.

The Andhra Curry was not bad with the right spice-level and the sauce bearing the right hue.

The Vindaloo, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired, and I do mean A LOT. The unusually-red sauce was overpoweringly tangy, with the little it had by way of flavor being nothing more than an aftertaste, and an afterthought. It actually reminded me of thinned-out canned tomato paste tempered with no-to-so-potent red chili powder. Our uncommon generosity and optimism had suffered a serious body-blow.

In closing, do yourself a favor and opt for other Indian restaurants in town, that serve far more authentic and convincing Indian food. With the Globe Indian restaurant in Topeka, one would be scraping the very bottom of the barrel, which is rather disappointing, considering how good my first meal there was a...

When I lived in Topeka several years ago, The Globe was my favorite restaurant. Amazing food, pleasant atmosphere, welcoming and attentive staff. The lunch buffet was offered Monday through Saturday and had a wide selection of dishes, including all the "extras"--raita, chutney, even mango ice cream. Fast forward to today...I've been here twice since the restaurant has changed hands, and it just does not live up to its former glory. The food is still excellent--I have no complaints there. But the buffet is extremely scaled back. There are fewer main dishes and virtually none of the "extras"--just some (very large) chunks of iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes with bottled American salad dressings. And donut balls. Also, the plates and silverware on the buffet were all disposable, which I found very disappointing. (They did use real plates and silverware the time I ordered off the menu.) The buffet is not offered on Saturdays, which was another disappointment. And the atmosphere and service are simply not as nice as they were in the past. The server took awhile to take our order, despite the fact that the place was not busy at all, and he had what felt like an overly casual/uninterested tone. And the background music was kind of distractingly "elevatory." Not a huge issue, but the place used to feel much more welcoming.

As noted, the food is still excellent--great job there! But I probably won't be back. A good lunch buffet is essential for a good Indian restaurant, and I'm sorry to say that the Globe's just...