Misal Of India Bistro

My husband and I had the Sunday lunch buffet. We have lived in Norman for years and thought we would finally try this place. The hostess explained each of the approx eight items on the buffet which included two types of rice and a very long black hair (yuck!). I have never eaten Indian food before and it wasn’t what I expected. It had no taste. We tried a little of everything… the rice was hard and the one «spicy» chicken dish just tasted like chicken with a bland curry and sour cream sauce. It took a while to get our check even though we were only one of three occupied tables. I believe the servers were expecting us to go back for more, but we had tried it and didn’t find anything worth another trip. Our check for two lunch buffets with an iced tea and Dr Pepper came to more than $ 40…ouch! The service was okay, but neither of us cared for the food… or the black hair.

It was cold and rainy the afternoon I went in and I was looking for something hot, delicious and good for me. The owner greeted me as it was still early for dinner, and I asked his recommendation between a couple of choices on the menu. He steered me to the perfect meal. I topped it off with a hot cup of chai tea. I can’t wait to eat there again.

Since we’re in the middle of winter, I thought it would be fun to spice things up with my review of one of Norman’s great Indian restaurants, Misal Indian Bistro (580 Ed Noble Pkwy, Norman). I’m a fan of their lunch buffet, which, while not huge, is a great way to sample a few «fan favorites» from their menu. If you want a greater variety, you can also order off of the menu at any time.
Not only is Misal’s food delicious, it’s good for you as well! They use lean meats and skin-​free chicken in their dishes, and there are plenty of vegetarian options as well. The yogurt in the dressings and marinades is made fresh at the restaurant, and most of the menu is heart healthy. You don’t have to take my word for it; Misal’s has been voted best healthy and vegetarian restaurant by Norman Transcript Readers!
Adding to Misal’s authenticity is their use of the Tandoor oven, an urn shaped clay oven imported from India. The hot charcoals in the pit of these hot fired clay ovens provided an evenly distributed heat of high intensity which gives tandoori food its distinctive smoky flavor. Take a peek at the kitchen through the large glass window behind the buffet to see it in action!
So if you’re trying to find someplace for lunch or dinner that will warm you up on a chilly day without ruining your New Year’s resolutions, head to Misal Indian Bistro. You will probably find me there as well.

We walked in and no one greeted us so I thought maybe we should seat yourself, then a young waiter asked if we wanted a booth or a table, we said table and then he pointed across the room and said you can sit there. It took forever for us to get our drinks then finally a young girl came up and got our order and she was pleasant but then she went home before we even got our meal and the young man took over. He was rude, he acted like it was time for them to get off and we may be came in too late so we were ruining his early out. We order dessert at the end of the meal which was horrible and we took one bite and then we told them that we didn’t like it and he still charged us for it. The meal itself was fine and the ambiance was good, it was really just the young man’s horrible attitude that made me never want to go back there again.

They sure get your expectations up with that fancy, ornate door. And yet I advise you to skip this place.
Many Indian favorites are NOT on the menu, and the menu is crowded with out of place oddities such as hummus. For instance craving saag paneer? Nope. You can get a *spinach dish*, but I hope you brought your own paneer cheese cuz they ain’t serving it.
I recently had a pick up order which they totally screwed up on, and then when I called back to tell them, their response was really disappointing, lukewarm at best.
Ugh. I will never go back.

I’ve been coming to Misal’s for years. I come here now when I’m in town (about 3 times a year). There are only a couple of other restaurants on my list of favorites in Norman but this tops the list. We usually come for the lunch buffet and feel like we get a great variety of delicious choices for the price. The chicken is always nicely and lightly charred. The naan is so good you could make a meal of it alone. Everyone in my family has a favorite item on the buffet. If you’re going for the first time, try a little bit of everything!

The wait staff is friendly and the food is delicious. I’d eat here again if I have the chance.

I miss this restaurant soooo much now that we live near Seattle. Every time we’re back in Oklahoma we eat it. We haven’t found anything like it anywhere else. Typically when I’ve been to any other Indian buffet I am immediately reminded of Vegas vacation where they are at the buffet with different colored slop in large buffet pans and cousin Eddie says «I’ll take some of the yellow and don’t get cheap on me». Not at the misal bistro. As soon as you open the large ornate door you can smell the difference – it’s the aroma of slow cooked, mouth-​watering, meticulously spiced Indian deliciousness. My favorite craveable items from this heavenly eatery include the beef keema (aloo matar), the tabouli salad, the mango pudding, and the naan (with beef keema and the yogurt sauce or jalapeño chutney). Also the owner, Nasser, was very nice every time we came in. Go on a buffet day to truly enjoy a good sampling of it all. We always went on buffet days.

I’ve only eaten there once a Saturday buffet lunch, it was fresh and delicious and the Lebanese ice tea was amazing. I have been dying to go back.

Tried Misal for the first time today at lunch. The restaurant was clean, uncluttered and had a nice décor. It also wasn’t crowded, which was nice because it was Sunday after-​church lunchtime in Oklahoma — which usually equals chaos. The staff was exceptionally friendly, and promptly brought anything we needed without our having to ask.
The only reason that I gave it three stars as opposed to four is because they had neither samosas nor chicken tikka masala on the buffet — which are two of my favorites. Plus, we were there because of a long-​standing and persistent pregnancy craving, and samosas played a large part in that craving.
Despite my disappointment in the buffet selection, the food that they did have was delicious. My Husband dislikes buffets as a rule, and he hasn’t had Indian food much in the past, so he was skeptical, but he loved it! In fact, he’s reading over my shoulder and is irritated that I gave them three stars instead of four.
Although I was a little bummed about the buffet choices, I did find plenty on there that I did want to eat, and we will most certainly be back, if not on pregnancy cravings then because my Husband is now a fan. Really, a great little spot.

I’m not super knowledgeable about Indian food and I don’t pretend to be. That being said, I really enjoyed the lunch buffet at Misal. I thought it was slightly overpriced at $ 11.95, but the quality of the food was excellent and I liked the variety. I tried almost everything and was surprised by how much I liked it all. Granted, I’m not a picky eater whatsoever and am open to new types of cuisine. The vegetarian dishes and chicken korma were my favorite. I think anyone who likes Indian food would be satisfied here and I will definitely be back in the future!

Perhaps it was an off night when I was here, but my meal was not good. The naan seemed to be reheated flat bread. The chicken korma was terrible. Instead of being a rich, creamy, spicy sauce it looked and tasted like sour cream had been mixed with a curry sauce. Service was attentive.

Best Indian food in the OKC area. Take advantage of the buffet if you can. I’m usually not a fan of buffets, but this place really is an exception when it comes to Indian food. Their tropical ice tea/​Lebanese ice tea is highly addictive. I usually savor every drop of like a gallon of that stuff each time I go there. Excellent service, too.

I’ve eaten there a few times, and it was average. The food smells much better than it tastes. It was EXTREMELY bland for Indian food. The portions are a good size, but very overpriced. If you go, try the strawberry shortcake dessert.
The décor is beautiful and the matching music is lovely too.
The owner is very nice, but the servers are cold and not welcoming at all. (They get minimum wage and the owner keeps all their tips.)
Overall, I would not go back.

Stopped in for lunch and had several items from the buffet. Everything’s fresh and made right here. The spices are perfectly flavoring the meats, vegetables, and lentils.
The owner, Neelam, is about a nice a guy as you’ll find. He is obviously sincere about his business and takes pride in his food.
Too bad I live 200 miles away!

Misal’s is a hidden gem and the owners are so friendly. The vegetarian platter is very good. The hummus and pita are great. Other people in my group like the Mediterranean Plate, chicken and/​or lamb vindaloo. The tabouli is great!!! Try it and have an open mind. It’s healthy and you feel good afterwards.

Five stars because it’s the best Indian food in Oklahoma… trust me I have tried the others. The owner was so accommodating we went in with six kids under the age of 3. They were very tentative to our needs. We went on a Friday and enjoyed the buffet. .A very large selection and fresh! The goat and chicken were amazing. The rice was so good and the Indian chia tea is like I have never had before! They really hit the nail on the head. and reading other reviews, I don’t know why so many are disappointed? It’s the only Indian food restaurant in Norman and prices are great. What else could you want?

I left this place painfully disappointed. I was recommended this restaurant by a friend who seemed to be somewhat of an Indian food connoisseur, so I put my trust in her and gave it a shot. I should’ve trusted Unilocal instead.
My first clue to turn around was when I saw that the restaurant was dead at prime time on a Saturday night. And I had worried about needing to make reservations? So we get seated and the waiter kid takes our order. He looks like he’s having the most miserable time of his life. He doesn’t know anything about the menu, has a completely flat affect, and frankly couldn’t care less. At this point I’m just hoping the food will be so good that it will mask the service.
We ordered the naan and vegetable samosas to start with. The naan was like plain flat pita bread, nothing special. The vegetable samosas however were quite tasty. Best thing we ate all night. Onto the main entrée– chicken tikka masala with rice. Not hot, but bland, and more bland. Half way through the meal it was already cold.
I had taken my sister there to introduce her to Indian food for the first time, and I left embarrassed. I told her not to judge it off this one experience because I really didn’t know what the heck that was. With the atrocious service on top of that, all I have to say is we will NOT be back. Now I’ll have to take her somewhere else to redeem myself and Indian cuisine. I don’t even know how this place stays in business.

Delicious Indian food.
–The chutneys (sauces) that come with the samosas and snack food taste so fresh.
–The owner is amazing and so are the waiters.
–The décor is gorgeous. Checkout the murals that are painted on the walls and in the bathroom. Using the restroom has never been such a pleasure hehe.
–The lamb biryani is not your traditional biryani, but it is such a flavorful and vivid dish.

Here’s a run down of the local Indian restaurants…
Taste of India: ⁴⁄₅ stars
Authentic food with good quality ingredients. Haven’t tried the lunch buffet yet, but individual dinner items are delicious. Nice owner who throws in free dessert sometimes, but so-​so décor and service. My top choice because they win hands down when it comes to taste.
Misal: ³⁄₅ stars
Americanized food, but still pretty good quality. Upscale décor with a nice bar area. Good choice for taking someone out for work or as a date or to introduce a newbie to Indian food.
Spice and Rice: ³⁄₅ stars
The first time I ate here, I got the veggie platter and was not impressed with the mixed vegetables or the lentils. The second time, I had the paneer tikka masala which was very good although the rice that came with it was a little dry. They do make a fantastic cup of authentic Indian chai however! For the price, the food isn’t bad, but it drives me nuts that everything comes in disposable cups and plates even if you order to eat there. The «store» portion sells various dried lentils, spices, flour, and other cooking ingredients. Nothing fancy, but good for picking up some staples.
The parking lot is only open to the public after 5pm.
Himalayas: ²⁄₅ stars
Low quality food, in my opinion. Mostly used frozen vegetables so things have a mushy quality. Tandoori chicken was mostly bone and little meat. Weird thing was that even though there were flyers up for the Hindu temple, there was beef being served on the buffet. Definitely the most bang for your buck as things go though since there’s a buffet for dinner also.