- Jackson Diner brings the flavors and spices of India to the west. Located at 37-47 74th Street in the heart of Jackson Heights, the palatable menu offers classic North Indian appetizers and entrees with south Indian delicacies for a remarkably low price.
Jackson Diner: Open from 11:30 AM through 10:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 AM through 11:00 PM Friday and Saturday
A food platter at Jackson.
The east and west are truly intertwined within this store as traditional Indian food meets the American staple of the buffet and even an open bar. At a price ranging just below ten dollars, the daily lunch buffet offers both non-vegetarian and vegetarian items catering to all needs. Newly added menu items like such as crab samosas, baby lamb chops, and achari mushrooms bring vibrancy to the already stylized menu. The open bar is open to customer favorites, like the famous non-alcoholic fruity mango lassi or chocolate margaritas.
Once located a block away from its current location, the restaurant now offers a spacious arena to enjoy the buffet and sit down and have a meal. With the featured buffet, and large open space, crowds are easily controlled and never reach a point of excess congestion. The warm air only adds to the quality of the restuarant as a thick aroma of flavors flows through and through. Jackson Diner serves curry and even employs the use of a tandoori. Tandoori is a variation on the traditional clay oven, primarily found in central and south Asia. Jackson Diner has become a New York institution over the past ten years.
The vibrant shades and scents of the food offered breathe life into the store. Our own experiences had us sampling the samosa and various spices. A first for many of us, the samosa is stuffed shell of Maida flour prominent throughout India and Pakistan with very different styles. The hard external shell provided a crunch as the potato, peas, and spices within provided a savory chew.
We also sampled the varying degree of spiciness that the store had to offer, starting at mild and reaching up to the spiciest pepper the store had available. Our experience gave us a new perspective on what spicy truly is. The trip there was long, but the tastes with truly worth the effort.
Jackson Diner rests comfortably in Little India, as a beacon for not only a fair price, but also a great meal.
