Chef Rathod explains that the aroma of basmati rice is all-natural, and it is a specialty of India, grown in the foothills of the Himalayas. In India, it is often eaten on its own so its fragrance can be fully appreciated.

I found the texture of the rice a little harder than I am used to, but eaten with the butter chicken, it was a pleasing combination. Actually, I find the greatest joy of eating Indian is having the curry sauce at hand to go with the fried and roasted dishes.

Other attractions on the buffet include typical Indian delicacies such as the roasted papadum crackers, butter naan, lamb tikka, fish tikka and vegetable tandoori, which all goes very well with my "dip it in the curry" approach.

There are also meticulously made side dishes, such as mango pickles, mint chutney, tamarind chutney and cucumber raita, with beautiful colors that light up the table.

At Cafe Cha, all the ingredients - spices, vegetables and meat alike - were imported from India. Except for the fish.

In India, the chef says, fish tikka usually uses the large kingfish. But here, he used salmon, which is delicious but delicate and adds to the difficulty of getting it perfect.

On the same buffet are Cafe Cha's famous Boston lobsters. Many diners go straight for the seafood before tackling the curries because the spiciness of the sauces may distract the taste buds. There is always an art to what to eat first at a buffet.

Don't forget to leave room for the Boston lobsters. Photo by Han Bingbin / China Daily