• expired

Ambi's Indian Restaurant at 138 Pendle Hill [Sydney] - $10 Buffet [now gone up to $12]

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daily [mon-fri] lunchtime $10 buffet has excellent rice, nan breads, 2 non-vegetarian dishes, 2 vegetarian dishes, 1 sweet dessert, 1 sublime raita, and water all free and unlimited with other usual items at cost from a la carte [extensive] menu.

I travel from Bankstown daily as I cannot find restaurant-quality Indian food cheaper. A bit limited for vegetarians as I cannot enjoy the 2 non-vegetarian dishes but still good fare and excellent value on a pension - skip breakfast and dinner -just tank up on the buffet! from the city use the cumerbland highway exit on M4.

stopped going there after joining oz bargain.

Related Stores

ambis.com.au
ambis.com.au

closed Comments

  • I travel from Bankstown daily

    To work?

    • no silly! I drive to eat there!! as I know it may not last.

    • +3

      Wow. Some people are so ungrateful on this website. A Bargain by definition is: "a thing bought or offered for sale for a low price". If you were to compare this to other Indian restaurants it would be a bargain in my opinion.

      If you don't like the bargain, don't read/take it up… its a pretty simple concept.

      If I lived near by this I'd be checking it out.

      • -1

        Agreed

      • -1

        I don't really agree with your definition of a bargain but this buffet is one.

  • +3

    the restaurant has not been open for years!
    a bargain until it is stopped.
    the owner is only doing this while business picks up and no one can offer such prices indefinitely.
    maybe portnoy has a complaint with people and life in general?
    probably a misanthrope.
    just find another bargain and I will be happy to try it out.
    grateful for life's little pleasures.

    • -2

      the owner is only doing this while business picks up and no one can offer such prices indefinitely.

      Of course they can, and they do!

      Most places offer Lunch under-$10 specials!

      Hot Wok in Randwick offers $7.50 Lunch specials and has for at least 2 years.

    • +1

      BTW, do you work for the company. You haven't voted/posted/commented on any other deal.

      • no. I am someone who sees such people as performing a social service and publicise their work and encourage them so that they stay in busness and keep our economy going.
        just trying to do my bit for a place which should have a gong.

        • +1

          And good on you too Peccadilloes

    • I do apologise for my strong words portnoy.
      we suffer when we view the world in a bad light.
      just don't sweat the small stuff.
      be well and happy and free from suffering always.

  • +1

    Nice deal. If only it wasnt so far away..

    P.s. I think there should be some kind of "ignore" function implemented where we can ignore trollers of our choice..

      • -1

        not having had the benefit of your education in 15th century middle english I thank you for adding to my vocabulary of trivia.
        is this the word you intended, O malovelent one?

        may be you should rename yourself the grand ayatollah after that man in iran who is stamping out anything which stands in his path.


        trollers
        One entry found.

        Main Entry:
        Function: verb
        Etymology: Middle English, probably from Anglo-French *troiller, *troller; akin to Anglo-French troil, trolle winch
        Date: 15th century

        transitive verb1: to cause to move round and round : roll
        2 a: to sing the parts of (as a round or catch) in succession
        b: to sing loudly
        c: to celebrate in song
        3 a: to fish for by trolling
        b: to fish by trolling in <troll lakes>
        c: to pull through the water in trolling <troll a lure>
        d: to search in or at <trolls flea markets for bargains> ; also : prowl <troll nightclubs>

        intransitive verb1: to move around : ramble
        2 a: to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat b: search, look <trolling for sponsors> ; also : prowl
        3: to sing or play in a jovial manner
        4: to speak rapidly

        — troll·er noun
        Learn more about "troll" and related topics at Britannica.com
        See a map of "troll" in the Visual Thesaurus
        Scriptwriting, fiction and poetry — Study online at National University
        Retrieved June 22, 2009, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/troll

        or did you mean something else altogether?
        I await your pronouncements with bated breath!
        have mercy O terrible one with Portnoy's complaint.
        a small dick as I remember.
        title of a book from the 70s in case you have not read it.

        • I wasn't referring to you, i was referring to alexportnoy.

          A modern internet-age definition of a troll goes along the lines of this:

          One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument

          • @quackster: i knew the word troll
            an offensive connotation
            by using such words we inflame our negative tendencies.
            I am glad you were not referring to me.
            the RPG subculture casually uses words
            which affect our thoughts
            which affect our world view.
            and we wonder why the world is a negative place.
            games are seductive.
            but subtly subvert our good intentions and then we lose our innocence, and think everyone as bad as ourselves, because we have been corrupted subconsciously without our knowing.
            the same with cults, dogmas, ideologies, religions, institutions, societies, states…
            the matrix is real…

          • @quackster: don't worry
            I replied to Portnoy

        • again my apologies for overreacting negatively to your point of view.
          criticism is good if there is something wrong with a message which harms others.
          however it should be tempered always with kindness, tolerance so that the truth does not harm others or encourage negative reactions.
          given time, I calm down.
          and try to rectify any faults I perceive in my writing/acts/thoughts.

    • -2

      this may be my last post given the kind of idle chatter which passes for responsible criticism.
      you need a restaurant just downstairs from your bedroom window.
      which delivers.

  • -4

    Not as good as the "Lentil As Anything" Indian Restaurant in Melbourne:

    http://www.lentilasanything.com/philoshophy.htm

    It can be totally FREE, if you don't want to pay.

    They rely on an honesty box. Most people aren't assholes, and pay $10. But some people are assholes, and don't pay anything.

    I always pay $10, whenever I eat there which is rare, since they are 100% vegetarian.

    • +2

      So ultimately I suppose you'd be better off going to this place then, since it has non-vegetarian options and costs the same as what you paid.

      • +2

        No he would not.
        he would have nothing to complain about then.

    • +7

      yeah, Alex is right, people in Sydney should drive to Melbourne for their lunch. And just because there is a cheaper deal (completely different food I might ad) doesn't mean its a better bargain..

      Or do you shop at GO-LO for everything because clothes are clothes etc?

    • people are not assholes.
      I am glad you are honest.
      of course other chic restaurants may charge $30 without batting an eyelid.
      just in case it drops into the soup.
      I wish I could try lentils as I am veg too!
      apparently a cow releases 300 tonnes of greenhouse gases whereas the two of us release 1.5 tonnes only for a household!
      food for thought, especially as the logical solution would be to eat less cows, breed less cows, kill less cows…
      but the political solution is to recognise the special needs we have for dead animals in our diet and compensate the industry for their disadvantage because their products emit enormous greenhouse gases.
      go figure!

  • Haha love the trollers. Even if he is a rep its still a pretty good deal (the value of this offer increases exponentially for every extra kilo that you weigh).

    • this word again.
      is it the right word?
      or do you mean trawlers?
      I only posted this as a public service because I admired the things oz bargain was trying to do as I had been forced to eke out bargains all my life here.
      not sure about the reference to weight.
      How so Homer?

      • +1

        They are not referring to you Peccadilloes, take it easy! Everyone but alexportnoy is on your side defending you.

        • +1

          Actually I dont get why people think that everyone who joins and posts immediately are always spammers.

          According to the site theres 79 members logged on plus 622 guests. Every now and then a guest will become a member to post a deal. You can't post a deal unless you're a member, and just because they're posting a deal doesnt have to mean they've made comments.

          • @quackster: Ah! ray of intelligence at last!!
            morituri te salutant!!
            [you who are about to die, we salute you!]
            ceasar's words to the gladiators.

            quite rightly!
            donovan song -I forget the rest…

            • @Candour: they call me mellow yellow
              quite rightly…
              donovan was the british equivalent folk hero
              what's his name again?
              O the years play havoc with my memory of things important

              How many roads must a man walk down
              Before they call him a man…

              Bob Dylan!!!

  • may be my last post.
    must be easier to knock than to build.
    why so much repressed anger?

    • +4

      Don't worry about alexportnoy. Nobody takes him seriously anyway, he just has a grudge against anything Indian being the racist he is.

      • I can't help but agree judging from his post history. Add on to this the fact he seems fairly negative to a large amount of deals. We have to judge the deal on it's merits and it seems pretty good value for money, though I've not tried the good so they could be using poor ingredients. Cheap though and you can't debate that fact.

        • +1

          I am Indian.
          my lady friend is australian and fussy.
          they use fresh food and ingredients otherwise she would not come with me.
          anyway see for yourself instead of wasting web space arguing about the taste of honey by licking at the outside of the glass jar!

          • @Candour: I might just do that but on it's merits I believe it's a bargain so don't attack me :P

      • +1

        I hope this is not the case. Too many wogs have got beaten up by cowardly racists who ply their trade by night. Indians are a soft target. they have some significant in values which leads them unfortunately to assume that everyone around is good.
        they get exploited easily by racists who pretend to be smiling sharks only so long as they can get their money.
        if we could all think before we react to triggers and act with kindness, truth and tolerance after thinking whether we hurt others or not the world would be a better place and we too in the process.

      • Xie Xie chr bei

  • +6

    You joined solely to post this advertisement and from your postings here it is obvious to see you have an agenda and probably are the owner or a close friend/family of the owner. Why else would you get so offended if people don't agree it is a "bargain" And that's fine there is no rule against self promotion but please spare us the BS and pretension. In the interest of full disclosure just state that you are the owner and all is sweet.

    And 2 meat dishes for $10 is nothing special. The indian takeaway joints (which serve great food by the way) in shopping centre food courts serve as much as I can eat and for less than $10 up to 3 choices of meat curry and rice with a fresh hot garlic naan bread.

    • +2

      I'd be pretty offended too if I was called a rep for a store and I wasn't. But you are right, there are other stores with similar deals, though I still think this is a bargain (sometimes hard to find which stores have these deals). I wonder if this is all you can eat buffet or just single plate buffet.

      • +1

        all you can eat.
        i had a longer post which waxed eloquent but pruned it to 4 sentences carefully crafted.
        side effect - definitely putting on weight around my tummy
        and I have been living off the food my friend cooks for me.

        must go on diet.
        must not go daily.
        exterminate! exterminate!!!

        if you see me with my scarf and beret, rakish sideburns, salt and pepper, say hello.
        call me the doctor.

    • go placidly amid the noise and haste
      at the show trials we have had over the years…
      Jesus, witches, and the inquisitions, and the various grand poo bahs who have their own agendas whatever the truth may be, the Kempetai, gestapo…
      have a long ignominous heritage.

      along the way you have lost sight of the main point: a great deal
      and are shooting the messenger.

      ouch!!
      the uneducated masses are not taught how to think by our education system which gives out papers for unwilling attendance at school for 12 years…
      the wizard of oz had the same idea
      he could not give intelligence
      so he gave the scarecrow something better:
      a DIPLOMA!!

      but rise above such levels and let your heart free!

      AGAIN IT IS NOT JUST 2 MEAT.
      it is much more.

      this is not a takeaway joint.
      I am glad the food in the areas you eat is great by your standards.
      just be adventurous enough so you may elevate them.

      this is unlimited gourmet gastronomy
      if you pick the pearls I throw…

  • Heh, I agree with cyssero. So is this all you can eat or single-plate? If it's true all-you-can-eat, it's a pretty good deal. Even though I'm not sure I'd be able to get there…

    @Peccadilloes: It's just people being suspicious. Relax. =)

    • -1

      you sit down
      in fine ambiance
      even my australian lady friend approves.

      you head to the baine maries
      eat soft fluffy rice
      take nans yourself
      with fine cutlery

      [saw 2 arabs come on by
      used their hands on NANs - O fie!]
      this is not a Lebo joint
      where hands are welcome
      but what's the point?]

      i emphasised the 2 meats because I am veg.
      there are 2 veg dishes as well as pickle
      well chosen for the season and I daresay,
      with ayurvedic overtones -
      part of the culture you see.

      get there before grim economics causes them to close their doors from lack of a fickle public.

      I know another excellent restaurant
      which had to fold years ago.
      when you are far from home it is heart-warming
      to see someone strive for excellence.

      I encouraged the owner who was amazed at my respect
      for a mission he did not realise
      he was performing:
      to elevate the cultural consciousness
      of all who came
      to fine cuisine, promoting tolerance by the way,
      employing those in need of his support.

      this can only be a good thing:

      too many mock
      too few praise
      our society rots
      and we decay.

      there is an etquitte for suspicion
      watch those with better breeding or training
      mock them as politically correct
      but etiquette is one of the bulwarks of Dao.

      you silly cows,
      waiting for the slaughter you yourself create
      live up to the noblility, mate
      and drop this silly hate
      masquerading as self righteous twaddle.

      • Uh, I was trying to be nice, but okay…

      • again I apologise
        you are not cows
        nor are you silly.
        you are human beings with feelings
        just like the cows we lead to slaughter.

        by taking such poisoned food we poison our mind and finer feelings with the emotions of animals in pain
        they suffer like we do
        they have emotions
        they love their children

  • +3

    Hmm, on paper $10pp for an Indian buffet seems like great value, but I'm not a fan of this 'deal'

    Like Harthagan said, other Indian takeaway joints serve up full meals for ~$10 and not many people would say they are still hungry afterwards. And being a relatively new restaurant, there haven't been any other reviews on it's food (only one review on Eatability). If the food doesn't stand out in some way then there's no additional value in this offer.

    My personal favourite for Indian food is a place called Janani in Homebush. They specialise in Dosa, but their Butter Chicken is by far the best I've had in Sydney (that's vs. the supposed greats like Aki's and Zaaffran). My bro reckons Tandoori Palace in Darlinghurst beats it, just. Value wise, my wife and I can eat til we're stuffed for less than $20 all up at dinner time. Service is a little sketchy at times though…

    According to Google maps, the quickest route from Bankstown to Pendle Hill is ~34 minutes plus a toll and 23km each way would cost you ~$5-$6 in petrol. Call me cynical, but it does seems hard to believe that someone would make this trip daily for lunch.

    • takeaways do not serve full meals
      not for red blooded indians anyway.
      i remember my youth in a pleasanter land
      where big strapping men dug roads the hard way
      with a mandore leading the chant
      to get them working together in that way.

      they came to eat their fill by day
      rice and vegies came their way
      never stinting the restaurant gave
      and these men lived another day.

      When you experience Indian climes
      you will find such food divine
      they always wondered why I ate
      so little when they put more on my plate.

      I told them that in Oz you see
      we worked so little sedentary
      and weight it piled up as we ate
      unhealthy food, a sorry state.

      ambi's is mainly at dee why
      the owner tells me he has been in business for many years there
      no special offers I am sure
      just a la carte for food so dear.

      like Barrabbas and his wily friends
      whose shouting drowned out Jesus' end,
      the Buddha said there was a man
      who shot by arrow took a stand
      to keep it in till he was sure
      of history, owner, texture, weight
      when all was said and all was done
      the suspicious man was undone!

      I have eaten at Janani.
      nothing further need be said.
      I am glad you think they're best
      I will depart to my own rest.

      if you need avoid the toll
      detour at silverwater, roll.
      come back at granville James ruse in,
      avoid the toll and come on in.

      I have largesse from Bobby Carr
      who promised once and gave us cards
      for free toll passage through the wars
      and I use that with a care.

      I am retired , my desires few
      just some quality food and stew
      but now I must reduce my trips
      my tummy it grows faster bits.

  • +4

    Wow, this just took a turn for the crazy…

    Is this Ozbargain or Peccadilloes' personal blog?

  • +2

    lol Peccadilloes I think we get the idea now, thank you for your poetry.

  • Is butter chicken part of the buffer?

  • I should hope not!

    but friends, you really need to pull your fingers out
    and ring them for this information
    or do you want it all on a plate
    for your easy degustation?

    And now I must be on my way
    Riding my burro into the fray
    as for Don Quixote, as they say,
    he is going back to La Muncher…

    this divertimente is closed.
    before the web master awakes
    to find his worthy site in danger
    of being swallowed by this stranger.

    they serve fine pickle as well
    without the fires of this hell
    and it could do you not much harm
    to take the train for its own charm
    to Pendle Hill a gentle run of the mill
    small town place between
    Sydney and Parramatta, just a dream…

    • No offence but Peccadilloes I wouldn't waste my time with 300 word poetry answers - most people will read the first line or paragraph and then not bother with the rest…

      • It's true. I read the first line, got bored and moved on!

      • thank you for the reality check!!!

  • -1

    Ha ha ha hahahahaha

    This is the funniest thread I have read, and I'm glad I contributed

    • Iam glad you are glad Alex
      I have edited out as much of the negatives as I could
      as you are a child of the universe…

      • -1

        No, you haven't.

        No-one can edit my posts unless it's me or the Administrator(s).

        You don't know what you are on about.

        • not your posts alex but mine.

          • -1

            @Candour: Apologies. I didn't understand what you meant originally.

  • +5

    Its a food joint - everyone eat up and then have a great big nap.

    1. Its a deal, that if people like they can vote on. Not every deal is a bargain to everyone. Hence the voting.
    2. New people can post - but as spammers just like to take rather than really contribute they are most likely to be new people. As mods we will delete obvious spam.
    3. Its starting to smell like spam as Peccadilloes spends so much time on the thread. Post a bargain, leave it be. Watching a post so much starts to look like you have vested interest in the post. Saying too much gives it away - a pensioner traveling each day to eat a sit down meal vs a takeaway closer to home - just doesn't seem kosher. That said we will give benefit of doubt.
    4. Longer term visitors who become members will see that posts appeal sometimes and other times they don't. This versus spammers who just come here to quickly gain free promotion.
    5. There are trolls here - those who love Indian food, but at the same time make derogatory comments about Indians at 711 stores. These same trolls can't even have a true email address. Ignore them and they will go away. The fish that bites is the one that gets caught.
    • thank you Oz Pete!
      I got carried away from my first post!!
      hopefully not my last!!!
      I love to write.
      and I love your site.

      sorry to take over
      the correct function of this palaver
      for my own selfish pleasure.

      I do not eat just everywhere
      I prefer to sit and stare…

      your last comment is apt and I have left the building
      no more posts to tempt me to respond!
      I love our language of word and song.

  • lol this is a quality read

  • Most interesting thread I have come across. Bravo, Peccadilloes.

  • +1

    Peccadilloes wrote:
    "…
    this is unlimited gourmet gastronomy
    if you pick the pearls I throw…"

    So depends if the pearl he is referring to is his writing of the food place OR if he means the FOOD HE SELLS, maybe he is the owner or a worker there, depends on how you interpret things.

    • I give up.

      • Some people certaintly enjoyed what you wrote (well at least cyssero did).
        You went well, 541 clicks, 21 positive votes and no negative votes, so even if you were the owner (or know them) (which I have no idea if you are or not) you should be happy with a positive outcome.
        Never know you maybe even got some new customers for the place :)

  • +2

    Going to go to Ambi's tomorrow for lunch as I am in the region.

    Will let you know how good it is. xD

    • +1

      How did it go Cho?

      • +2

        Went there on the 23/6/2009.

        It was quite mediocre. Food was moderately fresh, with their veg dishes quite nice. Complaints are that the rice was quite hard and the nan breads weren't especially soft.

        Service wasn't as good as I expected, but the desserts were quite nice.

        For $10, it is a decent, cheap feed IF you are in the area. However, there are some other MUCH better indian restaurants in Sydney.

        • +1

          Great feedback, I'd definitely drop by if they are still around and I'm in the area.

  • I think the place is also on the back of shopper dockets, though I don't have it with me right now.

  • +1

    No Peccadilloes, 1 more poem to finish up on lol

  • -1

    Sorry to be harsh, but its more accurate to call it doggerel than poetry…

    Oh well, I guess one of the bonuses of being old is being crazy and noone minds!

  • so much for random acts of kindness
    you are what makes our country great
    and will be our downfall
    I will withdraw from the land of the flies
    presided by Rove the shallow
    Chasers after some new mockery for their self-aggrandisement
    while I prattle like Cassandra
    and you look a gift horse in the mouth.

  • "so much for random acts of kindness", If your a customer of the food place then it maybe that, BUT if your the owner its not "so much for random acts of kindness" nor is it "you look a gift horse in the mouth", it was a way for you to get custom.

    "I will withdraw from the land of the flies" so your leaving Australia? OK bye, I guess you never liked it here and (again if your the owner) I guess your business never succeeded.
    Let me know when you actually LEAVE Australia unless what you just wrote is utter prattle.

    • I wish you would read the posts from the beginning before rehashing shallow suspicions already put to rest.
      you must be the lord of the flies.
      your suspicion stands you in good stead to destroy any positive acts which others do at no cost to you.
      knocking is a good old habit
      you bring back fond memories of the bad old days.
      still alive and well whatever the spin we put on it.
      I really have nothing to gain with you.
      If you can say something constructive good.
      if destructive, keep it to yourself.

      • My last post has "disappered" or never made it. I might retype it later.

  • Bargain hunting sites attract the most interesting characters…

  • The price is now $12 mondays to fridays.
    the place does a la carte as ewll which is considerably more expensive.
    I have not been there since the barrage of interest before.
    I go to newer closer venues in Liverpool and Parramatta now.
    again the trick is to find these places which have special deals outside their a la cartes.
    May post again about them if sufficient positive interest.
    otherwise they will be my secret!

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