For years Highwood has served the North Shore as a culinary microcosm of Chicago.. .except it lacked an Indian restaurant. Fortunately that void has been filled by an excellent addition: the Curry Hut (410 Sheridan Rd., Highwood, 847-432-2889). Its exceptionally talented chefs serve up a lot more than curry, and the earth-toned, skillfully lit 125- capacity dining room in no way resembles a hut. Manager Bala Ghimire is one of the most courteous, professional and competent restaurant managers I've ever met. His twenty years of experience in the restaurant business is reflected in his extremely thorough and exacting standards for the Curry Hut. His friendly personality and gracious demeanor make diners feel welcome and comfortable.

The 3 chefs take great pride in their excellent menu, written by Executive ChefTek Chand, who specializes in Nepali cuisine and has studied culinary arts in Nepal. Babu Krishna, K.C. specializes in Indian cuisine, and Mohan K.C. serves as the Tandoori Chef.

We arrived late on a rainy Friday night, after the dinner rush, and were greeted warmly by Bala and the host. The simple, attractive decor includes earth-toned walls, white tablecloths and soft lighting. Our group of 5 included one connoisseur of Indian cuisine, and one young woman who had never tasted Indian food and was a bit apprehensive. Bala explained that his chefs can prepare menu items at any level ofspiciness on a scale of 1 to 100. There's truly something for everyone, and all of us were delighted with our experience.

Upon being seated, our server brought a large basket ofPapadams with assorted dipping sauces. Papadam is a crispy and extremely thin stone ground cracker made of lentil and cumin seed. The exotic and wonderfully savory flavors are a great way to start the meal. We began with a round of Mango Lassi, a fantastic combination of yogurt and fruit, an alternative to the extensive list of choices from the wine or beer menu. After that, we sampled 2 Indian beers: the Taj Mahal, a light and flavor fill choice, and the Flying Horse Royal Lager, another light and somewhat more exotic-tasting beer.

From the appetizer list we sampled the Chef's Special Assorted Appetizers, an assortment of vegetable fritters; and three Tandoori preparations: Chicken Tikka, white meat with yogurt and spices, roasted in a tandoori oven; Booti Kabab, offender marinated lamb; and SeekKabab, of minced lamb in a secret house marinade. We also enjoyed Vegetable Samosas, deep fried cone pastry stuffed with green peas, potatoes and fresh coriander leaves. Finally, we tasted a very special appetizer from the Nepali menu called the Momo, a steamed wheat dumpling filled with minced chicken and Nepali spices, served with a truly great Nepali mustard-like sauce called Achaar. This should quickly become a signature appetizer of this restaurant. The Momo is exotic enough to please the thrill-seeking ethnic diner, yet mild and universally tasty enough to delight the first-time Indian diner as well. All of these delectable appetizers are plentiful, and substantial enough as a meal in themselves. Appetizers range from $3.95 to $7.95.

From the main entrees we tasted a variety of vegetable and meat preparations. Every one was delicious. In order of my preference: Lamb Curry, delicious and surprisingly mild succulent pieces of lamb cooked in onions and tomatoes with a cardamom flavored sauce; Jhane Ko Dal, yellow lentil cooked to perfection in a traditional Nepalese Wok with Himalayan Herbs and spices; Chicken Tikka Masala, chunks of chicken (white meat) roasted in a clay oven and folded into a cream sauce; and Tandoori Chicken, whole chicken marinated in a yogurt blend of colorful Indian herbs and spices and roasted in a Tandoori oven. As a vegetable special we enjoyed the Indian staple PanakPaneer, fresh spinach cooked with delicately spiced cheese cubes. This spinach is chopped fine and almost reaches the consistency of a thick and creamy sauce. (Prices: $8.95- $14.95... $21.95 for lobster!) The entrees were accompanied by a lovely assortment ofNaan, delicious Indian flatbread in three flavors: plain, onion and garlic.

The desserts are small and sweet, and presented very tastefully. We had Kheer, a fragrant rice pudding with finely chopped raisins and almonds served cold. Memorable and delicious. We also tried an Indian favorite, Gulab Jamun, golden fried dumplings of milk pastry soaked in sweet saffron syrup and served hot. These were perfectly prepared and absolutely delightful. Finally we enjoyed Kulfi, a homemade ice cream that comes in pistachio, mango and orange - nobody should dine at the Curry Hut without enjoying this delicate and universally appealing dessert. All desserts are $3.95. Our magnificent dining experience concluded with a cup of Masala, an Indian aromatic tea made of the highest grade of choice tea leaves, boiled with milk and selected spices. After the meal, Bala invited us into the spotless kitchen to see the amazing tandoori ovens. The large clay cookers bum wood coals and food is roasted at 800 degrees. We watched the Naan bake in the oven, which took a total of 2 minutes. It was fascinating to watch the dough bubble on the inside of the oven walls and transform into the delicious bread we'd just enjoyed.

Anyone who has enjoyed Indian cuisine will agree the experience is to the taste buds as a symphony is to the ears. The chefs at the Curry Hut have directed all their great talents and efforts at providing an ideal Indian dining experience to its North Shore clientele. I believe we're lucky to have this fine jewel among our North Shore restaurants. I want to emphasize that the Curry Hut is an excellent choice for first-time diners of Indian food, because the highly skilled chefs will make sure you are not overwhelmed. Enjoy!!

I welcome your comments on the restaurants showcased and your suggestions on restaurants to visit. Please contact me at mimika8@aol.com. Thank you.