The very first place I visited in Chico was Priya’s. Feeling homesick, I sought out South Indian food, as it always feels comforting when I’m not well. From Tuesday to Sunday, they offer a buffet option from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. While I haven’t tried the buffet myself, as I usually visit Priya’s with a specific dish in mind, I have brought friends here so they could explore multiple dishes at once.
Priya’s appears to be a family-owned business, and everyone is super nice and accommodating. My favorite part of the experience is their “thali” offering. A “thali” is a round platter traditionally used to serve food in South Asia, with small bowls arranged on it. It comes with one main entree curry, a lentil curry, a lentil soup, a vegetable curry, raita (homemade yogurt with cucumber and onions), plain basmati rice, one naan, and a choice of dessert. Although I had often seen thalis on TV, my first time eating from one was at Priya’s!
Depending on what you order, they also bring out an assortment of chutneys, typically featuring a green chutney, an orange chutney, and a white chutney. My go-to order at Priya’s is “Masala Dosa,” a South Indian classic. Growing up, the only time my family went out for Indian food was to eat dosa in Artesia, also known as Little India, so this dish always reminds me of my family. It’s a crepe-like outer layer made of fermented rice and lentil batter, stuffed with a flavorful potato filling.“Masala” refers to the spices, but if you don’t want anything spicy, you can request it to be adjusted to your taste. It comes with “sambar,” a light lentil and vegetable soup (the description doesn’t do it justice!), and two chutneys.
If you’re ever in Chico and craving some comforting South Indian food, I highly recommend checking out Priya’s. Whether you go for the buffet or order a specific dish, you’re sure to have a delightful experience. Let’s support this wonderful family-owned restaurant and enjoy the rich flavors of South Indian cuisine together! If these reviews inspire you to try a new restaurant or dish, tag @theroadrunnernewspaper on Instagram and share your experience.
Shout out your favorite restaurant in the comments and let us know your recommendations. We would love to feature them in our next article!
