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A.J.'NIYOTA (LEFT) AND THE OWNER WITHSUNEET VERMA (BElOWI

atta from Delhi, spices fromAmritsar, although they are allavailable in New York. "I evenget small amounts of "dahi,every week, from home " andthe 'authentic' flavour shows inhis Chicken Malai Kababs,which he serves, sizzling, on askewer, in a day-oven. His suc-culent Lamb Chops are verypopular, as also his Goanseafood appetisers (Crab andMussels Masala, Fish PariPerri).

"vVe cut the meats ourselves,we make hnruii not sauces -everything'S authrcntic," statesA.J. proudly. The lOO-seaterrestaurant is on two levels, andon the ground floor is the well-stocked bar, which gets moreand more crowded, as the nightlengthens and the lights dim. "Ihave a lovely girl from Kerala,who manages the bar, and she isnow got a break on TV," beamsA.J. He serves kababs straightfrom the tawa; at the bar, andamong a choice ofliqours, serveIndian wines like Anarkali andCbabri which he raves over. Heo H'c rs us his special cocktail,made of rum,

mnt in pattas to cocktails in khullars, A.J.'s Niyota is a whole new Indianexperience

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Stone, has a quick bite, andleaves. We're not in a hurry toleave, as we tuck into an array ofpotent curries, in a range oftempting colour - Kadai GreenChicken (marinated mostly ingreen pepper), creamy MalaiChicken, red 'Balti Gosht'. Theflavou rs, taste and texture areimpeccable.

I'm curious to know who hischef is, and A,J's delighted totalk of Mo yid Ali, whom he 'kid-napped' from Bombay Club (thefamed Indian restaurant inWashington, where Clintonoften dines). "Our breads arethe best in town," declares A. J.,as we find it difficult to choosebetween the onion kulchas,lachha parathas and keemanaans. The aroma of dum kibilyani wafts across, and one bitereveals that it's first-class. What'sinteresting is that A.J. has a bigvcgetau,,n menu, and I mustadmit I never knew that vegetar-ian kabas could melt in one'smouth so!

There are dais, paneers, han-dis and bhartas. Right from themango lassi served in a khullal',to tile crisp pappads and mintchutney, the chaat u: apattaandthe kulfi served in an orange, it isan Indian experience all the way.I'm glad for discovering A.J. 'sNiota and would recommend itto all Indians, longing for atouch of gourmet-food, abroad.Rai is thrilled that his clientele,which originally consisted ofonly Americans, now is a bigdraw with local and visitingIndians. "My neighbours corn-plain that I've run them out ofhll~il1l'~s." 1:\IIp;hsrhc rcsmurnn