SPICE IS NICE First with Nawab and now with Rajput, Chhabra’s authentic Indian fare is a staple in the Seven Cities.

There’s something so sensual about Indian cuisine…the golden colors of curry on succulent lamb, a creamy salted mango lassi to quench the heat, and the soft light of a blue-jeweled brass lamp. It’s hard not to feel warm and fulfilled at a great Indian place.

Nevertheless, exotic food will always tend to scare off many a weary diner. But for some, the more difficult a dish is to pronounce, the more alluring it is. I’m of the latter category. There are few places in this area that are successful in transporting its guests to faraway lands and new horizons of cuisine. Rajput is one of those few.

Sitting amongst portraits and paintings of Rajas and Maharajas, guests at Rajput are served heaping platters of food fit for kings. The attentive service continues that feeling, although a few of the servers speak very broken English. (In my opinion, though, this only adds to the sense of authenticity and world travel.)

The ambience, with its glowing low light, makes for a great date. But the inviting openness of the dining room and frequent buffets might be perfect for a big family meal. Once a month Rajput prepares a massive vegetarian buffet that would appease any type of eater. And in fact, the Vegetable Korma is perhaps the best thing on the menu.

When last I visited, all three in my dinner party ordered the Rajput special, a sampler for $16.95. The meal begins with a choice of soup. We each chose differently and found that the best is the Sambar; “a spicy vegetable and lentil soup,” which is actually not very spicy and has a semi-sweet balance. For my sampler I chose Tandoori Chicken and Lamb Curry, both solid dishes. The savory deliciousness of the Vegetable Korma isn’t at first apparent, but the heavenly aromatic creamy sauce is simply to die for. The Seekh Kebab and Basmati Rice are almost an unnecessary extravagance. But the Naan Bread (which is perfect to stuff with the Korma) is alone worth a trip.

For Indian dining—one of my favorite nights out, and which I have tasted quite a lot of—I’d rate this food as “very good.” However with its lack of competitors, Rajput is a delicious staple in this area’s restaurant cuisine scene. The experience is made even more accessible with cooking classes, a website to neatly illustrate the 300+ item menu and allow customers to place takeout orders directly, and the hospitality of owner Paul Chhabra, who will likely greet your table with a smile and bid you good night as you leave.