Why go: For northern-Indian curries and stews perfumed with fenugreek, ginger, and cardamom served family style in a modest space with an electric-red paint job straight out of Bollywood.

What to get: Naan filled with savory house-made cottage cheese; the house pakora—crisp spinach-potato-and-onion fritters; bhuna bhartha, a smoky eggplant-and-onion stew; Bengali curry with tilapia or shrimp, scented with cumin, fennel, and nigella, also known as black caraway; pista korma with chicken, mainly for its dreamy pistachio-and-coconut-curry sauce.

Best for: Indian-food fanciers who like it hot—most plates are fiery.

Insider tip: With the $8.95 weekend lunch buffet, you get either a lassi or mineral water for half price. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so plan to arrive before 7:30 on weekend nights.

Open daily for lunch and dinner.

See all 2008 Cheap Eats restaurants