Jackson Diner

I had heard a lot about the Jackson Diner over the years including recommendations from Indians as the place to go for authentic Indian food. Living in Manhattan, however, we have available two major Indian restaurant districts - the row on East 6th Street and the area on Lexington Avenue in the 20s, so there was little incentive to travel to Queens. I recently made the pilgrimage to Jackson Heights and have done three posts on the neighborhood - Jackson Heights, Indian Gold and the Patel Brothers. Along with the Jackson Diner, they are all located on the same block (74th Street), the primary shopping area in Jackson Heights. The diner, with its primarily North Indian cuisine, was opened in 1983 by owner/chefs Bobby Chhikara and Gian Saini. A few years ago, it moved to its current location into a much larger space with a modern decor - the space is quite roomy with high ceilings. It now has much more the feel of a cafeteria than of a diner. There is a $9.95 lunch buffet, which is what I had on my visit there. I particularly liked the fresh made dosas (upper right photo) which are included. Most reviews are very good, however there are the naysayers who say it is not like the original. But that's what they always say ...