Just do it #14: 12 restaurants in 12 months

I'm back with restaurant #2 in our 12 restaurants in 12 months challenge.

Last month: Latin- Carribean fusion

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This month: Indian

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With my tutoring money burning a hole in my pocket, Dan and I decided to try a trendy place. We finally settled on Lehja, the brand-spanking new Indian restaurant that opened a few months ago.

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Dan and I both love Indian food ever since we tried it for the first time in a cozy curry house on Brick Lane during our trip to London. It was the last night of our trip, and we decided to be adventurous by trying a new type of food. Mr. Picky, who usually sticks to hot dogs and maceroni and cheese, fancied himself Anthony Bourdain for the night. We ducked into the tiny three table-top place in the middle of a rainstorm and swooned over all the spicy sauces and the mango relish and the garlic naan. So you can imagine that we were psyched to try this new Indian place so close to home.

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We did have one reservation when we first read the review for Lehja though: It's located near the mall. Would it be trying too hard? Would it be cheesy? Would I run into a million of my students who swarm the nearby Claire's Boutique?

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Turns out, we judged too quickly.

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Without further ado, I give you...

Restaurant 2: Lehja

First, the atmosphere:

Once we entered, I started taking mental notes on the Domino-esque interior, full of chic and creative touches.

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There was a bead curtains that somehow worked as a subtle, shimmering divider. And I originally thought bead curtains were something you'd only find in an aging hippy's rec room...

There was also a painted zebra rug, colorful pendants that highlighted graphic architecture on the ceilings,

and a modern bar:

The food:

I ordered a shrimp in a sweet jaggery-tamarind sauce (there. are. no. words.) and Dan had lamb so tender he could cut it with his fork. And we polished off two baskets of garlic naan and some Indian beers and rice. Carb heaven.

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Side note: I don't have any pictures of the food because the flash on my camera inevitably makes the food look like a blob of something completely revolting and because I try not to tick off the other customers trying to enjoy their meal without a flash in their face.

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In short, Lehja was modern, just as delicious as our meal in London, and fun... and didn't even have a hint of "I'm around the corner from a food court." Score!