Skip to main contentLunch 11:30 am-2 pm, dinner 5:30-9:30 pm Tuesday-Sunday. $$ Moderate.
[INDIAN] This South Indian treasure is a master of optical illusions. It's exiled to a bland space in a crap Hilldboro strip mall across from Streets of Tanasbourne, but serves food fit for a bejeweled raja. The pleasant staff presents you with an array of copper bowls of rainbow-colored curries that each look too tiny to sate a toddler but can stretch to feed a family of four for three days. What looks to be floppy oversized pancakes plopped on an aluminum cafeteria tray turn out to be feather-light Indian dosa stuffed with everything from eggs and cheese to cumin-spiced onions and chickpeas and served with a trio of lentil soup, puckery yogurt and peppery tomato sauce. See? Magic. A single mouthful of Chennai's smoky Chettinad shrimp, silky chicken masala or savory malai kofta (soft veggie dumplings simmered in creamy garam masala-perfumed sauce) should be enough to convince any rational being that suburban gridlock should never stand in the way of truly soulful cooking. KELLY CLARKE.
Ideal meal: Samosa turnovers stuffed with smashed spuds and peas, crunchy chapatti bread and garlic naan, lamb vindaloo and a cool mango lassi for dessert.
Best deal: The lunchtime buffet ($9.95) is an embarrassment of spicy, creamy riches, cool salads and funky Indian breads.
WWeek 2015