Karahi

508 Broome Street between West Broadway and Thompson
212/965-1515
about $25 for two for lunch, with two drinks, without tip

I always come to Karahi when I’m in the mood for more than one helping of chana saag (creamed spinach with chick peas) and tandori chicken and lamb vindaloo and aloo gobhi (cauliflower and potatoes). Not to mention kheer, their rice pudding flavored with fragrant cardamom and pistachios.

Karahi’s buffet costs about $8.95 a person which is pretty standard for SoHo lunches but if you can eat like me, it’s a steal. The restaurant caters to the neighborhood during the day and their dishes are consistently delicious. They know not to make them spicy without sacrificing the most important Indian flavors so that we can all go back to our offices and work for five more hours. There are work days that call for a long, heavy, Indian buffet-style lunch and then there are days that call for a lazy afternoon with a full stomach.

Update, August 2006:
Karahi has moved to 118 Christopher Street but still has the same phone number.