Published: January 30, 2006 11:21 am            

Shalimar Indian Restaurant

Heating up Kokomo with class

I'm willing to wager that Miss Manners, the etiquette guru who told you not to sop up your gravy with bread, never tried Indian food.

If she had tried the food at Kokomo's new Indian restaurant, Shalimar, her rules would have flown out the window as she pushed people away and dove for another piece of Indian bread called naan.

The restaurant at 3320 S. LaFountain St. (MAP) is on the former site of Tandoor, another Indian establishment.

Co-owner Sukhdev "Dave" Samra has already launched a series of successful restaurants in Indiana, including two in Indianapolis. The Shalimar in Broad Ripple has been named by Nuvo magazine as having the city's best Indian food.

On a recent Tuesday the new restaurant bustled with people, most piling their plates high at the lunch buffet, grabbing a taste of each dish. Soft bhangra Indian music played in the background.

Samra said it's a common misconception that all Indian food is mind-alteringly spicy.

"Everybody thinks this is spicy food, but it's not," he said, motioning to the stacked buffet behind him.

The food simply contains a lot of potent and flavorful spices. From cumin to coriander, Shalimar's food is bursting with flavor.

The buffet Shalimar offers Monday through Saturday is loaded with choices to please even the most fickle palette. (The area's vegetarians will be thrilled at the selection of meatless entrees.)

For first-time Indian food tasters, make sure you start out with the samosas, triangular-shaped flaky pastries filled with potatoes, peas and spices, or the pakora, fried vegetable fritters. They're served with three chutneys -- a fancy word for sauces -- perfect for dipping.

From there, you've got a seemingly endless variety of choices. Maybe you'd like the chicken tikka masala, tender chunks of boneless chicken served in a creamy tomato butter sauce. Or you could go for the saag paneer, homemade pieces of cheese served in spinach.

Stop in for dinner and order from Shalimar's full menu, which features specialty entrees prepared with seafood, vegetables, meats and cheeses.

My personal favorite, which was not featured on the buffet on the day I visited, though it is on the menu for individual orders,is the lamb vindaloo. Savory chunks of lamb are served in a fiery tomato-based red sauce.

Most entrees are served with basmati rice and naan, Indian bread baked in its clay oven called a tandoor. Have a taste of all of Shalimar's specialty breads, many of which are stuffed with a delicate mix of vegetables and spices.

The best part about Shalimar is that you can order all the food to taste, so if you like your food mild, go for it. If you're like me and don't want to feel your lips when you're finished, you can have it that way, too.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.