Himani Indian Restaurant just opened up on Marine Drive between 10th & 11th. Perhaps you’ve seen their Grand Opening Banner waving in the breeze.

If you’ve not ventured in, don’t wait a minute longer. This is dining at its best. The food is amazing. You don’t have to worry about your food being too spicy. Indian food can be hot, but at Himani you can specify how spicy you want it.

The chef has a wonderful hand with the spices used in Indian cuisine, and the complex flavors develop with each bite.

A good way to get acquainted with the flavors of Indian cuisine is to try their wonderful appetizers. Personal favorites are the pappadom, a lentil flour based, paper-thin cracker fried and served with two dipping sauces. Also the chicken pakora and vegetable pakora are delicious. And you must try their garlic naan and paleek paneer. The naan is a tender flat bread that is baked stuck to the side of a tandoor, a high heat clay oven. The paleek paneer is a creamed spinach with cubes of delicate paneer – a homemade fresh cheese that is grilled and then included in the spinach. Dipping the naan into the paleek paneer is heavenly.

Samosas are a potato and pea pastry deep fried inside a flaky crust. Himani’s are one of the best I’ve ever tried. Tender and steamy and redolent of cumin and coriander with a hint of garlic, Himani’s samosas are fabulous. They serve them with a mint chutney and a tamarind chutney. The mint is not so minty as it is warm and flavorful with ginger and garlic. The tamarind sauce is sweet and slightly sour and delightful.

And these are just appetizers! The tandoor roasted meats are wonderful. I haven’t tried their curries yet, but that’s at the top of my list for my next meal there.

One thing I will always have at the end of my meal at Himani is their Mango Ice Cream. You haven’t had ice cream until you’ve tasted this. It is so rich and creamy and fruity it defies description. You simply have to taste it for yourself.