John B.
Yelp
Compared to the best-known Indian restaurant in Asheville (Chai Pani), this one is more traditional and more upscale. It's also less crowded, though in my experience there were still people waiting for the weekend lunch buffet here on a nice day. Service was a bit chaotic, and I was escorted to a table, checked on once briefly, and then had to rope in someone to pay my check.
The buffet selection was interesting. It was good from a vegetarian perspective, though a vegan would have been disappointed I think (and realistically, the vegan population in Asheville is bigger than in most places). The only lentils were dal makhani, which was a tasty classic. Poori bhaji, a steaming hot serving of spiced potatoes to be dipped in fried bread, is in no way healthy but was as delicious as one might hope. Other options ranged from cabbage pakoras, saag paneer, salad, bread, and desserts. A juice station was available, but there was no tea, and while some people ordered what looked like lassis, no one ever presented the option to me (not that I needed one). Overall, the quality of food was excellent, and the setting beautiful. They could have done a bit better on service and selection, but I would definitely like to come for dinner and order off the menu.