SHANGHAI has about 10 Indian restaurants, but only two of them have really become the talk of the town: the Tandoor and the India Kitchen.

The former is known for its elaborate design, exotic atmosphere, dance performances and expensive food, while the latter won its fame for its variety of delicacies belonging to different Indian culinary styles.

Restaurateurs are probably right in thinking Shanghainese do not like intensely flavoured food. Most Indian restaurants in town provide food from the northern parts of the country, characterized by a lighter taste and consisting mainly of bread and curry. People in the south of India like spicy fried food and often eat rice and curry. The Indian Kitchen offers all those different flavours.

Two new outlets of the Indian Kitchen have now been opened, following the popularity of the first, located on Yongjia Lu. I did not expect the one on Minsheng Lu in Pudong to be as crowded as I found it on the day I went, because of its relatively disadvantaged location.

Part of the kitchen is glass-walled, so passers-by can watch the food-preparation inside. Chefs make Roti and Nan (Indian breads) inside, swinging the dough above their heads and from one hand to the other.

Sharmila Siva, operation manager of the restaurant, said this kitchen has become a free commercial attracting many diners. The eatery was wholly occupied on the weekend night we visited.

Since breads play a major role in Indian cuisine, the restaurant imported mud from specific regions of India to make the tandoor (oven), influencing the taste to some extent.

The Spring Onion Parota (pancake), with creamy and slightly spicy Mushroom Brinjal Masala (eggplant and mushroom in red curry), or Potato Masala Dosa (a thin pancake made of rice flour and potato) that is bland and sweet, are good choices and recommended by Siva.

More than 40 kinds of curries come in 12 different colours, most of which are offered in the Indian Kitchen. The restaurant has started to sell spices on the third floor and the locals and Indian people living in the city who like home-made curry dishes can cook curries at home following their own recipes.

This was the first time I had tried Indian desserts. Among the fruit punches, falooda stands out with its appealing colours and ingredients of fruit, jelly and ice-cream.

Indian Kitchen

480 Minsheng Lu (by Pudong Avenue)

Tel: 5821-9875

80 yuan (US$9.60) per person