There are only two Indian restaurants in Portland that I would call "handsome." One is the venerable
Plainfield's, and the other is East India Co. Grill & Bar. A hideaway across the street from Portland’s
Central Library, East India Co. fools you. At the entrance all you see is a long, narrow bar, but it opens onto a softly lit dining room. Plush curtained booths line one wall, and a mandala-like skylight casts a rosy glow over the dining tables. Sometimes a lovely room camouflages a mediocre menu. Not here. From the pakora to the kebabs to the vindaloo, dinner fare is executed with high-quality ingredients and balanced, intricate seasonings. Lunch offers three prix fixe options. The mid-sized Viceroy's Lunch ($12.95) features potato samosas with tamarind chutney; a choice of chicken, lamb, or paneer kebabs; and curry with basmati rice. Naan bread is included (of course!), as is dessert. My sweet tooth favors the classic gulab jamun, a doughnut drizzled in a cardamom/rosewater/saffron syrup. As for cocktails, they also trend towards the sweet. The best antidote to the spiciest dishes? The Sharaabi Lassi, made with Sub Rosa Saffron Vodka (from an Oregon distiller) and mango lassi.