At Bombay Bistro & Grill, 120 E. Beaver Ave., the lunch buffet is the sure shot.

As a student, the dream of a $5 lunch is forever out of reach, as if just around the next corner or over another culinary craggy crest. With more than a half-dozen options, tucked neatly below the $6 mark ($5.95), the aforementioned smorgasbord flirts with fulfillment, both monetary and gastronomic.

Outside, a yawning green awning overshadows a green proverbial welcome mat on the sidewalk. Upon entering the square restaurant, the spartan surroundings meet with the strums of far away sitar strings. Yet, the advent of Nepalese art (currently lost in the limbo of shipping from afar) will hopefully give the sparse décor a needed sprucing up.

Atop a table lining the back wall of the rectangular room, several catering-style bowls await with the varied options of the day. The staple of this selection is a standard chicken tandoori. These near-fluorescent cleaved wedges of poultry sizzle when joining the lunch lineup. Ever present are the triangulated slices of naan, a necessity of any Indian restaurant -- just as bread is vital to civilization. Although some of it wasn't as soft and fluffy as intended, that's the sacrifice you make at the buffet.

One of the winners of the day is chicken biryani, a dish with yellow saffron-infused rice, boneless chicken and nuts. The chicken jal farezi spices things up with its sauce, including green peppers, onions, tomatoes and some homegrown herbs.

Once you've been sufficiently lambasted with bird (enough chicken!), there's multiple meat-free options. The vegetable mix pakora comprises round-ish falafel-like balls. Dal makhani is composed of black lentils with tomatoes, garlic, ginger and the universal ingredient "spicy." A change of pace is provided by the gajjar ka halwa, a cornucopia of carrot, grated, and greeted with milk and cashews.

The meal progresses at your own pace, matching the informal setting and cordial service. The off-white walls are only interrupted by the intermittent random artistic endeavor, but hopefully the conversation you are having can carry you through your courses. Additionally, if you are looking for some more texture to your meal, there are several offerings in separate bowls that, together, create a salad.

Finally, as a capper -- or starter -- to the meal, there are several beverage options, including various lassis (mango, sweet and the like for $2.25 to $2.95) as well as a smooth, yet milky, Indian masala tea ($1.50).

The daily buffet runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and dinner is from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Main courses range from $8.95 to $15.95.

After four months of business, Bombay still serves its diverse foods, fusing friendly with filling. It's quiet enough to enjoy your meal, the company you keep, and central enough to keep your day flowing.