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Subcontinental Cuisine

Photo by Christopher Gardner

Taster's Choice: Shilpa's all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet offers a variety of south and north Indian cuisine for tasty sampling.

Shilpa's temperate use of spices spares mild palates without sacrificing traditional Indian flavors

By Judi Blackwell

Variety may be the spice of life, but it's a variety of spices that brings life to Shilpa. Located on El Camino Real at the corner of Lawrence Expressway, this lunchtime hot spot offers a slew of south and north Indian cuisine, from mattar paneer and aluvada to samosas and pakoras--all best sampled at the $6.95 all-you-can eat buffet.

Without sacrificing traditional Indian flavors, the kitchen's temperate use of spices--curry, asafetida, cumin, turmeric--allows diners with mild palates to be a little more adventurous. This is most apparent in the curries, which are thinner and less pungent than Thai curries, although it's still wise to have a large glass of water nearby.

For those who have no knowledge of Indian cuisine, the buffet bar also offers instruction on which sauces (coconut, tomato, sweet-and-sour and mint) complement which foods, along with detailed descriptions of what exactly it is you're eating.

Although not the most appetizing-looking option, the palak paneer--a creamy concoction of spinach curry, onions, tomatoes, cream and cottage cheese--is by far the most flavorful specialty at the bar. Mixed with vegetable biryani and rolled up in nan bread, palak paneer is an example of Indian soul food at its best. Also worth mention is the aluvada, potato masala made of chickpea dumpling, curried potatoes and, of course, the famed nan bread.

Shilpa is located at 3530 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, 408/243-6737. Open daily, 10am-10pm.

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