BANJARA

1017 South Charles Street
Federal Hill
Phone: 410-752-1895

Lunch Buffet: (Mon.-Fri..) 11:30am-2:30pm; (Sat.-Sun.) 12:00-3:00 =>$7.95
Dinner: Opens at 5pm (weekdays); 4pm (weekends)

Personal Review :
Over the years, people at STScI have mentioned Banjara claiming it is a very good Indian restuarant, perhaps one of the best in town. Sunday evening we finally stopped by for dinner, just after opening at 5pm. We ordered the Tandoori Grand Platter [a comination of "sheesh kebab, boti kebab, jurgh tikka, murgh tandoori and jingha kebab"] and the Special Banjara Dinner [samosa, rogan josh (lamb stew), vegetable jalfrezi, raita, rice, tandoori murgh (tandoori chicken), and a large order of Nan. For drinks we had the Mango Lassi and Darjeling hot tea spiced up with cardamom and cinnamon. Everything was absolutely great. Even the dishes of sauces/chutney's provided with the crisp bread for an appetizer after sitting down at our table were very tasty and spicy. Definitely one of the best Indian dinning experiences we've had in Baltimore.

Although the service was a bit slow for the entrees, the wait wasn't overly long. The establishment is small with only about 10-12 tables served by one waitress and the maitre d'. Lighting is low, but the maitre d' will light a candle on your table when you sit down, a nice touch of atmosphere. Business began to really pick up once the end-of-game crowd began arriving around 6pm. If you get there early (near opening time) be prepared to spend around 1-1/2 hours at Banjara; with a crowd, it could be a bit longer. Prices are very reasonable, especially for the quantity of food you get. Entrees range from about $9 - $18. Our total bill came to about $37 and we had no room left for dessert. Enjoy, you won't be disappointed.

07-December-2001:
We liked Banjara so much, we returned for more last night. Great service, especially since the Maitre d' recognized us (and we tipped well). On this visit we had shared two different entrees, the Murgh Tandoori (sizzling half chicken with vegetables and rice) and the Lalai Kofta (vegetable corquettes in a spiced cream sauce). Along with these, we tried the alu chaat appetizer. This is described as a "refreshing potato snack flavored with black salt, roasted cumin and asafetida." We saved room for dessert which included the Kheer (Indian rice pudding) and Kulfi (ice cream with pistachios, almonds, cashews and rose water). Once again, the meal was excellent. Just can't go wrong here. And don't forget the weekend buffet. The specialties of the house are lamb and fish for the buffet, along with the many wonderful standards.

19-June-2002:
Great as usual. We drove from PA on Father's Day (Sunday) because Banjara is always so good. Today we arrived for the lunch buffett. We were not disappointed. Great food at the incredibly low price of $7.95. Great service too since, amazingly, there was nobody else in the restuarant (between 2-3pm). We struck up a conversation with the waiter/owner? George [we're getting to be regulars]. As usual, we ate too much at the buffet, but it's so hard to resist when the food is this good.

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Baltimore Magazine, February 2001 -- "Our Seventy Favorite Restaurants", edited by Cynthia Glover; written by Dave Butcher, Linda DeLibero, and Cynthia Glover
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}

This intimate little Federal Hill Indian is the perfect place for first dates and casual gatherings with friends. An accomodating hostess and gracious servers create a relaxed atmosphere, and the food is both mild enough for beginners and nuanced enough for old hands. Pressed-tin trimmings, saffron-yellow walls, and soft candlelight will put you in the mood for a creamy lamb korma hinting sweet notes of cinnamon and cardamom, or a tandoori combo of smoky chicken, lamb, and shrimp. And don't forget dessert. The gulab jamun is a soothing end to a meal of Indian comfort food. [Moderate]