Akbar Palace: A trip to India in Randallstown
The Akbar Palace is one of my favorite restaurants, as I especially enjoy ordering the tandoori chicken, which I order more than I should.
I also enjoy talking to the owner, CK., who enjoys talking with his customers, as he makes a point to visit all the tables and chat with the diners.
This is not obtrusive – people seem to enjoy talking with him. I know I do.
He runs the restaurant along with his wife Kalpana. You’ll recognize her right away: She’s the one with the beautiful native Indian outfit.
Akbar Palace, which is at 3541 Brenbrook Drive in Randallstown, is open six days (closed Monday) for lunch and dinner.
Lunchtime is especially busy because of the all you can eat buffet containing many items. And it’s only $10 during the week and $12 on weekends.
The menu offers poultry, seafood, veggies, lamb and vegan. There is no beef or pork, but the restaurant has a full bar, plenty of street parking, delivery within eight miles and catering both on and off premise.
CK and Kalpana Nigam have had the restaurant for 20 years. They work very hard in making the business a success and in offering good food at reasonable prices, which is why both spend so many hours there.
This is certainly a casual place to dine, it is definitely kids friendly and reservations are recommended for large groups.
You don’t need to know a thing about Indian food to eat here.
This is where CK comes in so handy. Just give him a look, he’ll come over and answer any question you may have – like he did for me when I first started eating at Akbar Palace.
He has explained to me many menu items over the years and despite all this good information,
I still order the tandoori chicken.
In my opinion the best time to catch CK is when he has just returned from India.
He will share many of his experiences about the trip to his homeland. Over the years, I have learned a lot about the country.
In short, I am comfortable here, the servers know me and I can usually get my favorite table.
Maybe one day I’ll order something different.
Akbar Palace can be reached at 410-655-1600 or by going to akbarpalace.com.
Eddie Applefeld is a Baltimore native and a graduate of Towson University. He has been in the broadcasting profession for over 30 years. Currently he is the Promotions Director of WCBM radio. Before that, he was part of the Rouse & Company show on WQSR, host of a cable TV show called Dining Out and adjunct instructor at Towson.
His past accomplishments include being named a finalist in Baltimore Tourism’s Employee of the Year Program and winner of Toastmaster’s Speaker of the Year contest. He was also twice a heartthrob for the American Heart Association’s gala fund raiser.