A peek behind the curtain.
I ate this comforting meal at one of America's countless Indian and Pakistani buffets,* scattered throughout booming cities and backwater towns. As I polished off my final bite of rice pudding—I never skip dessert—I couldn't help but think that Indian buffets are too good to be true.
After thumbing through a mess of online reviews and recommendations, I reached out to the owners of an Indian buffet close to my house in Oakland, California. They agreed to let me spend a day at the restaurant, with full access to the operation's inner workings.
To Bibi's delight, Azhar Meood walks in as Haroon forks the last bit of curry on his plate."My son, my lovely son," she announces to the room. Azhar, in his mid-20s, is beaming as he greets his mother and father. He gets a kiss on the head and sits down to chat with Haroon until a to-go order comes in.Raja and Azhar handle all the deliveries, and when they are out, Bibi takes care of the restaurant on her own.
Cheapness isn't just a selling point to Raja; it's a foundational belief."I know it's not enough for that much food. Even if you go to Subway, McDonald's, you only get served six inches of sandwich. Take the soda, and it costs you $11 or $12. You can't even be full. Still hungry. I have," he stops to think for a minute,"40 items,[Arabic for god willed it], all you can eat. Everybody can afford. Here, some people make a lot of money. Some people less money.
The first dinner guest of the night fills up a plastic to-go carton from the buffet before explaining he doesn't have enough money to pay. Raja lets him leave with as much food as he wants. He says it's good for bringing in new business, but I notice Raja gives as much food to his returning customers as he does to people eating at Marhaba for the first time. During the month of Ramadan, Raja says he makes sure everyone breaking the fast at the restaurant eats for free.
As the last few diners trickle out, Raja doesn't let a single one leave without a plastic carton of biryani—he doesn't like reheating anything he can make fresh, so tomorrow he'll make a new batch regardless. Azhar lowers the restaurant's metal shutter halfway, and Yehia hoses off the kitchen floor. Raja shakes my hand and hugs me twice; Bibi asks if I'm coming back tomorrow. The LED"Open" sign in the window flickers off, and Raja brings in the sandwich board.
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