Already popular with the liuxuesheng crowd in Wudaokou, the owners have made a wise decision opening their second venture in the heart of the CBD. Although located in the basement of a shopping mall, the restaurant does fairly well to displace itself from its sterile setting. The over-stuffed furniture, garish Bollywood paraphernalia and music videos do much to endow the place with a sense of both ridiculousness and homeliness. The menu is chock-a-block with all the Indian standards one would expect and require. The vegetable samosa (¥23) is crisp with just the right amount of kick. The palak paneer (¥44), as the menu rightly points out, is an “all time favorite” and it does not disappoint. The lamb shahi korma (¥48) was tender but only mildly spicy to our chagrin. The dum aloo kashmiri (¥44), or potato stuffed with minced vegetable cooked in a sweet curry, was a fine end as it did not skimp on the spice. All was complemented perfectly by plump butter naan (¥12) and Kingfisher beer (¥22) that extinguished the fires nicely. It may be in a mall, but this restaurant is in a league of its own. -CR