By Steve Larosa

 A fresh, flavorful buffet awaits fans of Indian food.

The loose translation of Sher-E-Punjab is “Lion of Punjab.” Ironically, this restaurant opened last September on the site of what was formerly a Lyon’s restaurant. Really. I’m not lyin’.

At the moment, this is my favorite Indian restaurant. What I love about the cuisine is the seemingly endless amount of flavors, spices and combinations thereof, and one glance at the menu demonstrates that Sher-E-Punjab is dedicated to having you try as many as possible. It really is more than that, though. The number of choices at a typical Indian dinner buffet usually runs around eight or 10. At Sher-E-Punjab, plan on around 20, each one just as delightful as the next. I’m not a fan of buffets, but the folks at Sher-E-Punjab pay close attention to keeping things fresh. One can regard this buffet as a sampler and, once acquainted with favorites, order off the menu, but it’s my opinion that there will be little, if any, disappointment with this buffet.

Regional Punjabi cooking leans to the vegetarian, with an emphasis on the flavors of turmeric, curry, garlic, ginger, cardamom and cloves. A typical dinner buffet at Sher-E-Punjab will include one fish, two lamb and four chicken dishes. The selections rotate in and out from day to day, borrowing from the extensive menu. They also offer great biriyani (savory fried rice cooked with meat).

The menu offers 15 types of bread, including the house specialty, Sher-E-Punjab naan, a flatbread stuffed with chicken, lamb, potato, onion, garlic and almonds. And the tandoori mixed grill includes chicken, lamb, shrimp, fish, cheese and sausage.

Here’s another pleasant surprise. I’ve never been a fan of Indian desserts. I tried two winners at Sher-E-Punjab. The kheer is a surprisingly refreshing cardamom-flavored rice pudding, and the gulab jamun (fried milk balls) are fresh and deep-fried to perfection in a subtle yet flavorful rose-flavored syrup.

By the way, the lunch buffet is available daily and costs $7.99, while the dinner buffet, offered Sunday through Tuesday, is $11.99. For the varied, delicious and, I might add, healthful choices, it’s a bargain.
6400 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 971-0115; open daily for lunch 11:30 a.m.–
3 p.m., dinner 5–10 p.m.