Food

Aarathi

The biryanis and tandoori meats at this Indian kitchen are a bargain.

At this attractive and very good Indian restaurant, prices are low: Nothing is above $12, and most dishes are under $10; vegetarian curries are about $7.

Good appetizers include chicken chat, a blend of chicken strips and vegetables, served cold; tandoori chicken wings; and bhajia, crushed vegetables dipped in a flour batter and deep-fried. A quartet of appetizers can be sampled for $4.99.

The tandoori main courses–chicken, lamb, and shrimp–are very good, as are the biryanis of lamb, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables in saffron basmati rice with plenty of cooked onions. There are curries of chicken, lamb, and vegetables, plus beef, which is not always available.

A special treat is the Prawns Bhuna, large shrimp sautéed in butter with herbs, green peppers, onions, and tomato. Want a bargain for dessert? Try the Indian rice pudding garnished with nuts or the deep-fried dry-milk balls soaked in honey syrup and served warm. The price? Just 99 cents.