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I took my two adult daughters and 11-month old granson to this restaurant on a cold March Sunday when the wait at our usual veggie Indian buffet was too long for us. We are SO GLAD we drove a few blocks south to The Vegetarian. I'd driven by before, and thought the name was ordinary - but the food is not! \r
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The buffet at 11:30 Sunday morning was fresh, clean, and varied. Plenty of choices, and the seasonings were deeply spiced but not ""just"" hot, complex and fragrant and varied -- not just the same old curries. In fact, these seasonings were special, specific to this chef and this dining room, not just generic midwesternized curry. \r
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We were greeted warmly, and seated in a comfy draft-free place with the baby (who ATE and enjoyed the entire experience), received a warm basket of the best, fluffiest and crispiest and tenderest tandoori naan bread in town within minutes of grabbing our first platefuls of fabulous saag, curry, dal... and the biggest and tastiest crispy masala dosa in town arrived a few minutes later. \r
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The service was friendly without being intrusive, the fresh clean dining room mirrored and filled with gold and red hangings that warmed up the cold morning -- and the golbi, halwa and pretzelshaped jalebi for dessert were rich and sweet -- far superior to the usual mushy tasteless sweeties that are standard restaurant fare.\r
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The prices were indecent: we spent less than $40 for three adults and a hungry toddler. We will be back!
Pros: Food, value, service, parking - date night or family night
Cons: None - except that it's Minneapolis, and we'd been too dumb to drive nine blocks til now
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