There must be something about strip malls and good little places to eat. Perhaps it's the surprise that an unassuming veneer can house an eating delight that warrants visit after visit. In Kauai and Maui, much of the fine dining could be found in a strip mall (Roy's and A Pacific Cafe). In Sunnyvale, I often go to a scruffy little pitstop mall on Lawrence Expressway for some excellent pizza at Giovanni's (see my Sunnyvale Travel review for details!).

So there's little mystery in discovering a true gem of an Indian restaurant in a modest strip along El Camino in Mountain View--Amber India.

Things to Know
• It gets quite busy, even on a Monday night so call ahead.
• Though it's a lovely restaurant, dress is casual.
• Cuisine is suitable for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
• For a preview of the great cuisine, check out www.amber-india.com

Atmosphere
The restaurant has a rather crowded entrance, but transitions into a quiet and intimately sectioned restaurant. The china is impressive, with rims of delicate golds and blues.

Menu
We ordered the Assorted Tandoori appetizer, which contained a well seasoned chicken tikka and lamb bits which I tried to avoid (not a lamb fan). As this dish disappeared rapidly amongst the five of us, I would say it went over well.

We then progressed into the meal with my favorite, Chana Masala. This is the dish that I have to order at every Indian restaurant I visit. Amber-India served it up spicy and tangy, just the way I like it. The texture of the garbonzo beans was perfectly cooked, not overly mushy.

A basketful of nan arrived, some plain and others spiced, with bits of what appeared to be green onion. Also found in the basket were sheets of crisp, spicy papadum.

The Palak Paneer was a satifying dish of spinach and cheese, going well with the fragrant rice. I practice lamb abstinence, but the rest of the dining party partook eagerly of the Shahi Gosht, a tender lamb stewed in nuts and spices.

My favorite dish though, had to be the Butter Chicken. The sauce really had a lovely flavor. It was a tangy, orange colored sauce, which was more reminiscent of tomatoes than butter. Of course, I have no idea what goes into the making of this signature sauce so I simply eat it and enjoy!

For drinks, I had the tasty mango lassi (spelling?) - a mango puree blended with yogurt.

Service
Was good, with frequent plate changes. It would have been nice though if they would have left the water pitcher on the table, since we couldn't always catch the waiter's eye for a refill.

Dessert?
Chai lattes (frothy and well spiced with nutmeg) went well with the pistachio ice cream.

Bottom Line
Wonderful Indian cuisine, decent service and reasonable prices ($8.95 to $25.95 for the pricier seafood plates). I will definitely be back.

Recommended: Yes