Shamiana: Exotic, Diverse Mixture Of Asian Cuisine

Restaurant review

Shamiana, 10724 N.E. 68th St., Kirkland. 827-4902. No smoking. American Express, Visa, MasterCard accepted. Personal checks OK. Lunch hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Dinner hours are 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Take-out is available. -------------------------------------------------------------------

If you're in search of great atmosphere, excellent food and something different, don't pass up a visit to Shamiana, an Indian/Asian restaurant in Kirkland.

Shamiana, named after a colorful Pakistani tent-like tarp put up to celebrate weddings or other special occasions, is the creation of Eric Larson and Tracy DeDaan, a brother-sister team who spent their childhood in different parts of Asia and East Africa and wanted to share the ethnic cuisine they'd come to love.

It was Larson, a chef trained in classical European cuisine, who came up with the idea. He was working in restaurants around town preparing the dishes in which he had been schooled. But at home, his love for Asian food came through.

"I found myself at home cooking Asian food for myself and others. Then I thought, `This town needs something like this,' " he said.

After convincing DeDaan, who holds a master's degree in business, that it was a good idea to open a restaurant together, the two headed back to India and Pakistan, where Larson volunteered his time in numerous "hole-in-the-wall" restaurants throughout the region to learn the secrets behind great traditional Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

Though Indian cuisine is the main focus at Shamiana, the restaurant's decor takes on a more Pakistani/Bangladeshi flavor, relying on brightly colored Pakistani banners, carved masks and intricately embroidered artwork instead of the heavy India look. A dozen or so pairs of shoes found in a Pakistani shop also hang on the walls.

The black tables and chairs are nicely contrasted with the bright red napkins that complement the red ceiling and studio lighting. Nancy Larson, who shares managerial duties with her daughter Tracy, says many of the decorations are items the family has collected abroad.

Shamiana's dinner menu offers a diverse mix of ethnic cuisine from India and other parts of Asia. Entrees range from a broad selection of chicken and beef curries to a variety of vegetarian specialties, including Aloo Dwa Kashmiri (potatoes simmered in a spicy yoghurt, onion and tomato sauce, $7.25), Eggplant Bartha (spiced eggplant roasted over an open flame, combined with tomatoes and peas and topped with pistachios, $7.50), and Butter Masala Paneer (cubes of mild homemade Indian cheese served in a rich masala cream sauce, $7.25).

Main courses also include a couple of seafood plates and the Pakistani Barbecue dishes, which includes Coriander Ginger Chicken and Tikka - a type of Pakistani barbecuing in which meat selections (Shamiana offers choice of lamb, chicken or prawns) are marinated in yoghurt, garlic, cumin and chili and then seared over an open flame.

The Pakistani Barbecue selections are all served with pulao - basmati rice seasoned with turmeric, cinnamon and cumin. Other than that, the dishes are served a la carte, with choice of pulao, plain rice or dal (lightly seasoned lentil puree) for $1.25 to $2.50 more. Soups, salads and breads are also sold separately.

The Vegetable Samosa ($4.95) makes for a great starter. The appetizer consists of four healthy-sized lightly fried pastries filled with a spicy potato and pea filling, served with chutney. Meat-lovers may opt for the Meat Samosa ($4.95) or the Spicy Masala Chicken Wings ($5.25).

The Keema Kabob, listed under the Pakistani Barbecue, is an excellent choice for a main course. The dish, which goes for $7.95, consists of five sausage-size, frame-broiled beef kabobs, minced and seasoned with onions and chilies and accompanied by an incredible yoghurt-cucumber sauce. Included in the deal is a heaping portion of pulao.

Another good choice is the Kabuli Chicken Curry - generous slices of chicken breast served in a thick sauce made from various spices, cream, ground almonds, coriander and cracked black pepper ($7.95).

Whatever you do, don't skip over a serving of the Naan, a homemade Indian bread cooked traditional Indian-style in a searing hot tandor oven, which resembles a huge kettle that heats up to 900 degrees. The lightly leavened bread is pressed against the side of the oven and cooks almost instantly.

The Naan, a long flat bread that cannot begin to be contained on a single dinner plate, is served brushed with clarified butter and sprinkled with nigella seeds or with a touch of garlic. It costs $2 and is easily big enough to feed two or three people.

The dinner prices at Shamiana are very reasonable. But if you're on an especially tight budget or are in the mood for a broad sampling of dishes, stop by the restaurant during lunchtime, when the all-you-can-eat buffet is under way. The buffet, offered weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., costs only $6.95 and always includes two vegetable curries, two meat curries, dal, pulao, naan and salad. This is Larson's time to experiment, and regulars know they are always in for something different and unique.

"We rarely feature any of the menu items on the buffet," said Larson. "Having a buffet lets me do basically anything I want, and it gives customers a chance to come in and try something different." Restaurant reviews are a regular Thursday feature of The Seattle Times Eastside Life section. Reviewers visit restaurants unannounced and pay in full for all their meals. When they interview members of the restaurant management and staff, they do so only after the meals and services have been appraised.