Bengal Masala Cafe is one of a number of Bangladeshi/Indian eateries along Hamtramck's stretch of Conant. Hamtramck, a city of languages and immigrants, has a large Bengali community, and most of it is centered around Conant. In fact, Conant has the honorary title of Bangladesh Avenue.

Bengal Masala isn't much different than Indian cuisine to the regular population. There are a lot of curry flavored pastes with chucks of chicken or various vegetables in them, all pulled together with either rice or naan bread.

The prices are some of the best in town. They beat out Gandhi, an Indian restaurant down the street, and are comparable to Aladdin's (another place just down the street). Bengal Masala also offers a lunch buffet that, although doesn't have a large selection of dishes, are quite good. A samosa (fried pastry stuff with meat or vegetables) is only a buck-fifty and the Mutor Poneer (Spinach and house-made cheese) is one of their best dishes.

However, the best thing about Bengal Masala, besides the cheap, tasty food, is their coupon. Every week in the Metro Times Bengal Masala has a buy one entree, get the other free coupon. That, my friends, is truly unbeatable ... even if the food bad, which it isn't.