My sister and her four children visited last week. I have lots of stories about all of our comings and goings around Fort Collins. With three adults and six children, lots can happen that causes one to write (or purge in some cases).

After a cool-off at the Oak Street Fountains (mentioned in a previous blog), we dried down the kids and pondered lunch. Chicken nuggets and pizza had been exhausted, and who were we kidding, eating out doesn’t always have to be about the kids. My sister and I see each other infrequently and always love to indulge in Indian food and we happened to be right near one of the two Indian restaurants in Fort Collins: Taj Mahal. I knew their lunch buffet could satisfy everyone—at least to some degree.

When you enter the restaurant, an elegant, quiet feel immediately wraps you. This is even true for a three year old bundled in a towel. The children settled down at once and sat nicely at the long table, studying the interesting art and drinking ice water out of real glasses. My sister, my husband and I nervously glanced at one another waiting for one of our small charmers to fly out of a chair and swing from the nearest elephant trunk.

A variety of dishes, rice, salad items and desserts flowed from the buffet line to our table. Fresh naan sat softly in the sweet hands of well-behaved children. Our children…behaving like miniature soldiers at a beautiful restaurant…could it be?

It was. And it lasted. Sometimes all kids need is a solemn, gentle atmosphere, filled with savory, filled-with-love food to settle them down. No hamster tunnels to climb through or tv’s blasting the Olympics. Just the expectation that we are here to eat and enjoy each other’s company.

Taj Mahal
[where: 148 W Oak St., Fort Collins, CO]
970 493 1105