NO LONGER AYCE - Ambiance of India

Update: 2021-Aug-20 - There is no more buffet/AYCE at this location post-lockdown, and it is unknown if and when it will ever return. I am therefore removing it from the active list, and will follow up periodically and restore it should it return to AYCE status.

Ambiance of India is located at 2157 Royal Windsor Drive in Mississauga. Ambiance has a gorgeous interior with much dark wood and an enclosed bar area; unfortunately there were only a couple of other diners for the lunch buffet although a few more arrived while I was there. Pop is $2.99 but not ACYD.

Mini samosas are a novel idea, but unfortunately, as would be expected being smaller, are a little dry although flavorful. Pakora were smoother than usual and halved, but were quite delicious and fresh, not dried. Butter chicken was excellent and fresh in a very good sauce. Chicken tandoori was very fresh and moist (and there was a whole tray of it too) and was rather hot and spicy so beware, but it was delicious. Chili Chicken was also quite hot and spicy as would be expected, but was very good and this is a Hakka dish I wish so many other places served.

Tomato coriander shorba soup had a delicious honey-like flavor, and the seasoning all worked well together; it was already a hot summer day but the soup made it seem even hotter, even with the air conditioning. Apparently, this is a winter soup in India. Aloo gobi's spicing was a little softer then usual but it was still quite tasty and enjoyable. Chana masala was delicious and very well seasoned with an emphasis on coriander. Naan bread was fresh, chewy and fragrant with much flavor. "Mushroom peas corn" was similar to matar paneer with corn substituting for the paneer, and was good. Sag paneer spicing could have been a little more expressive but it was good nonetheless. Dal was excellent and full of peppery, spicy flavour.

From the cold side, mushroom salad was nicely spicy and tasty, but quite mild and the mushrooms were clearly canned but I didn't mind. Bean salad was good and flavorful. Cucumber salad was chopped fine and quite good, as was creamy coleslaw, and regular coleslaw which was made irregular with much black pepper but it worked nonetheless.

For dessert, rice pudding was delicious and creamy. Gulub jamon honey balls were quite hot (beware) but very good and fresh. Suji halva semolina pudding was quite good. There was also a tapioca pudding which had the colour of mango but not really the flavor, however it was good as tapioca. Weekday lunch is $15.99 and it was quite a good lunch, with nothing I did not enjoy.

Rating: 7.5-8/10