Ashoka Indian Restuarant

     This past weekend I met up with some friends for an early lunch at Ashoka Indian Restaurant. We stumbled upon buffet time to an empty and sweet smelling place overlooking the main street of Itaewon. The space was really open and allowed the soft sunlight to blanket all of the artwork and plants decorating the room.

the buffet lounge (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     When explaining my dietary "limitation" (cough) the staff was super kind and walked me through the buffet line telling me all of the ingredients in every single vegetarian option. They were very patient too, when I double-checked on ghee issues. Everyone else I was wish is omnivorous, so there wasn't much of an issue for them.
     We were all served water and breads, naan is never vegan but I got some roti to share with the crew. It was flat...really flat. I feel like it may have been frozen and reheated.

roti! (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     My appetite wasn't raging (홍대 막걸리) but I wanted variety..a filled plate none the less. I got iceberg (I don't care nutritionally naked it is, I LOVE it), some chickpea salad, diced cucumber onion and tomato salad, carrot and eggplant curry (sorry I didn't write down the names), a small dosa, and some spinach curry. The chickpea salad was delicious, fresh, flavorful, and healthy. The cucumber deal was refreshing as well...the curries weren't spectacular. But that's expected with any buffet...

plate (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Maybe this makes me a snob, but Indian food is best when made to order. Freshness is key, freshness offers pure honest flavor. I love Indian cuisine, but often it feels too heavy. I feel like if I ever went to India~ I'd be the gas queen. (sorri kids, but let's accept beany truths)
     The bill came out pretty pricey, and considering I dropped 20,000W for the plate...I guess I should have gotten more. But I wasn't super hungry... I'll come back, but next time, I'll make some space in this tummy of mine, and probably opt out on buffet and order something fresh.

pretty tables (photo taken by VeganBeats)

Directions:
Itaewon station (line 6) go out exit 1. It it on the 3rd floor of the Hamilton Hotel.
Hours: 11am-11pm, Buffet is Friday-Sunday. (lunch buffet(23,000W): 12-3pm and dinner buffet (29,000W): 6-10:30pm)
Phone #: 02-792-0117
Website