"While they offer a la carte for dinner, their AYCE lunch experience has our hearts—and our budget's approval. At $14 per person, Madras Mantra’s entirely vegetarian Indian buffet is like a playground for non-meat eaters who want to fill up on more flavorful things than just a boring salad bar. Here, you'll be joined by Decatur’s lunch break buddies, neighborhood regulars, and seniors having meet-ups over crunchy mushroom manchurian. The restaurant is roomy. And the buffet, which does South Indian food very well (the savory beet poriyal and thick eggplant potato curry in particular), moves quickly. So this place works for on-the-clock lunches just as well as it does for days when you want to tuck yourself in a corner with a bowl of hearty tadka dal and tune out the world. Food Rundown Mushroom Manchurian This is maybe the best thing at the buffet. Crispy batter-fried mushrooms are tossed in a thick, tangy, and spicy glazewhile the mushrooms stay perfectly crunchy. Beet Poriyal This dish is delicious, and balances earthy-sweet cubed beets with a mild kick from the spices. Eggplant Potato Curry Thick and hearty, this is a great dish for when Atlanta weather turns rainy and gloomy. The potatoes act as a natural thickening agent, making this spicy dish more velvety. Tadka Dal Tender lentils swim in a flavorful, soup-like broth infused with spices (we’re guessing some heavy cumin), and chilies add a nice layer of heat. Medhu Vadai The crispy, golden lentil fritters are soft inside, nicely spiced with hints of cumin. They’re the ideal dunking companion for tangy chutney or hearty sambar." - Jacinta Howard
