Students at Seton Hall have access to a variety of different restaurants in the South Orange Village, including BayLeaf Redefined Indian Cuisine, which offers buffet-style lunch hours and sit-down dinners.
Austin Williams, the store manager, explained how BayLeaf got its start.
“There was an Indian restaurant that occupied this space before us, and when they closed down, we took the opportunity to take this space and open up our own restaurant,” Williams said. “That was about five years ago, and we have been running a successful restaurant ever since.”
Williams also spoke about what goes into creating a menu and what the restaurant’s menu has to offer.
“We are Indian, so we understand the culture and what Indian food is supposed to be like,” Williams said. “One of the big things we take into account is the locality of the restaurant. Whether we are in a city or near a college or university plays a big role in what we decide to put on the menu and what our pricing is going to look like.”
Some students at Seton Hall said they eat at BayLeaf often. Emma Sheeler, a sophomore nursing major, said she had a good first impression of the restaurant.
“My first impression of BayLeaf was that it is a very clean, nicely put together restaurant,” Sheeler said. “I was also impressed by the atmosphere. I was expecting something a bit more casual, and it had a nice formal feel. BayLeaf felt very authentic as soon as you walked in, and the scent of food cooking was amazing.”
Sheeler said she has been to BayLeaf many times, and after eating there once, it quickly became her favorite restaurant in South Orange.
“Every time I go, I order chicken tikka masala with a side of garlic naan—it’s my absolute favorite thing on the menu,” she said. “I also recommend ordering mango lassi, sort of like a mango smoothie, with your meal. Personally, I hope to try a lot more on the menu because I’ve never had a bad experience thus far.”
Some students noted that BayLeaf’s buffet-style lunches set it apart from other restaurants in South Orange Village.
“I’ve only gone to BayLeaf for dinners, but I have heard good things about the buffet-style from friends,” Sheeler said. “It seems like they have a lot of variety, and all of the food tasted great.”
Chris Mancinelli, a senior finance major, said he has not been to BayLeaf yet but is not opposed to going in the future.
“It’s definitely something I’d be willing to try,” Manicinelli said. “I consider myself a big beef guy, so that’s what kept me away so far. But I’ve only heard good things about that place, so it could be a viable option in the future.”
Alexander Krukar can be reached at alexander.krukar@student.shu.edu.
