Shangri-La Bethesda Review


Address
Shangri-La
7345A Wisconsin Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814

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Shangri La indian restaurant

Shangri-La Bethesda Review: Awful Indian Food


In recent months, I cannot think of any Indian restaurant that has distressed me as much as Shangri-La in Bethesda.

How this unworthy Indian restaurant continues to exist is a mystery known but to God!

Shangri La Bethesda Buffet Counter © MDIndia.us
Buffet Counter

Like most Bethesda Indian restaurants, Shangri-La offers an all-you-can-eat buffet for $9.99 during lunch.

I find it impossible to resist an Indian buffet and before you can say "Bethesda" I found myself inside the restaurant.

During my visit, the restaurant had about 8-10 people.

Appetizers

It's hard to find an Indian buffet in the U.S. without Tandoori Chicken.

Ditto with Shangri-La too.

Tandoori Chicken had a smoky flavor, I will grant you that.

But it had none of the appeal, either in looks or taste of the Tandoori Chicken from the nearby Tandoori Nights.

Shangri la Bethesda Appetizers © MDIndia.us
Pakora (top) Tandoori Chicken (bottom)

Pakoras at most Indian restaurants are an utter waste of time.

Tasteless monstrosities that serve no purpose!

And it was the same at Shangri-La.

If I had my way, I'd ban pakoras of the menus of all Indian restaurants.

Entrees

Chicken Curry was so bland that I wondered what sin I had committed to taste such horrid stuff.

A good Chicken Curry is a spicy delight.

Must be my bad Karma, I consoled myself.

Shangri la Bethesda Chicken Curry © MDIndia.us
Alu Green Beans (top) Chicken Curry (right) Dal (bottom)

Alu Green Beans included finely cooked Potato and French Beans.

That's all I can say in its favor.

Nothing distinguishing about it.

Shangri la Bethesda Tofu, Saag Channa © MDIndia.us
Tofu Green Peas (bottom), Saag Channa (top)

Green Peas in Tofu Green Peas were so raw making me wonder whether it was cooked at all.

Channa Saag was a watery flavorless green color mess.

Dal was nothing but finely boiled yellow lentils sans any seasoning or flavor.

An Indian restaurant that can't get the commonplace Dal right is a disgrace and has no reason to exist.

Naan Bread and Rice

Naan bread was served piping hot at the table and was not bad.

Shangri la Bethesda Naan © MDIndia.us
Naan Bread

Basmati rice with jeera seasoning was alright.

But it'd take a mighty special effort to screw up White Rice, right?

Desserts

Rice Kheer was the sole dessert and it was lousy.

Shangri La Bethesda Rice Kheer © MDIndia.us
Rice Kheer
It was so low on sweetness that I wondered whether there was shortage of sugar at Shangri La.

Shangri-La Bethesda Rating

There were no spoons/forks on my table and I had to grab them from an adjacent table. If you have a passionate love affair with Indian food like me, I recommend you run from Shangri La.

May the Lord strike me down if I visit Shangri-La any time soon.

Life is too short to be wasted on crappy Indian food! - © MDIndia.us

Other Maryland Indian Restaurants

Akbar
Basmati Annapolis
Bethesda Curry Kitchen
Flavors of India
Ghar-E-Kabab
House of India
India's
India Rasoi
Kadhai
Madras Palace
Mango Grove
Minerva
Nando's Peri Peri
Paradise Indian Cuisine
Shangri-La
Royal Taj
Spice Xing
SSV Temple Canteen
Tandoori Nights
Tiffin/Udupi
Trader Joe's Annapolis
Woodlands