Summer is here in full force and our senses yearn for things out of the ordinary: Cool breezes on an ocean beach; sweet fragrances in the warm evening air; and sharp spices to stir languid appetites. Away with the salt and savor of ham and eggs, the fluff and flap of pancakes and crepes. Bring on the fire and tang of Kabob and Curry's weekend brunches -- vegan on Saturdays, omnivore on Sundays!

Though the Sunday buffet may vary from week to week, it usually includes a chicken dish, a meat curry, a vegetable curry, a bean sauce, another vegetable dish, basmati rice, three chutneys, a yogurt raita, two salads, warm nan bread, and a rice pudding for dessert. The great thing about such an array is that you're bound to encounter something new, or, at the very least, a previously experienced dish with a different blend of spices at Kabob and Curry.

Such was our experience last weekend. For a mere $7.99, I filled my plate twice before spooning into the delicious badami kheer, a milky rice pudding studded with almond slivers and redolent with crushed cardamom seeds. This creamy delight is among four Indian desserts, plus ice cream variations, on the restaurant's regular menu.

But I jump ahead. The two salads on the brunch table highlighted Romaine leaves tossed with a slightly sweet tamarind relish and "kachumbar salad," which was a refreshing blend of peeled, diced cucumber with chickpeas and sliced grape tomatoes. The latter salad was sparked by a dressing of thinned chutney. The chutneys themselves were the biting chopped onion, the piquant tamarind, and the soothing mint. Scarlet, sienna, and bright green, these three would add extra zing to any dish, though the offerings at Kabob and Curry were so flavorful, they scarcely needed any such boost.

Although Bill and I have had mango-based curries before, this vegetable mango curry had us sighing with satisfaction. Such modest vegetables as carrots, peas, mushrooms, green beans, and cauliflower -- my favorite -- gained a sweet underpinning from just the right combination of coconut milk and mango. Cauliflower is Bill's least favorite, but he downed those florets with nary a one forked over to my plate.

The lamb curry, which offered small chunks simmered with onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes, also intrigued him. And we both loved the tender and moist grilled chicken kabob, large pieces of breast meat, served with grilled vegetables -- onions, green peppers and carrots, along with fresh lemon quarters. This kabob item is not on the regular menu, though dishes from the tandoor (a clay oven with a charcoal fire) are very popular at K&C, from lamb and shrimp to pollock and portobellos.

The latter mushrooms provide one of the jokes on Kabob and Curry's menu. Indian panir dishes incorporate those small squares of homemade cottage cheese (panir or paneer) with peas (matar), potatoes (alu), spinach (saag) or tomatoes (shahi). But with portobellos, they become Gucci panir.

Another frequent flyer at local Indian restaurants is baingan bharta or roasted eggplant with onions and tomatoes. The tasty buffet variation here was alu baingan, with potatoes, and it was the hottest spiced item on my plate. Relief for my palate came with the raita, which contained something I've never before encountered: tiny, pea-sized lentil "fritters," which added texture to the smooth yogurt base.

Another discovery, a delicious kidney bean sauce, called rajma (for the bean), was the best. The dominant lentil and chickpea dishes (dal and chana, respectively) on Indian menus hadn't prepared me for the heartiness of long-simmered kidneys, with onions, tomatoes, cardamom, and cilantro. This and the mango curry were the repeat items on my second plate from the buffet.

The pleasant, unassuming decor of Kabob and Curry doesn't distract from the vibrant variety of its food. The walls are creamy yellow, the sliding panel on the atrium porch a pale pink. The brass globes on the overhead lights are punched out with small stars. For more visual stimulation, there's always the people parade on Thayer Street. Or, for less of a fishbowl, try the intimate upstairs dining space.

Though many of the dishes at Kabob and Curry lean toward the cuisine of North India, particularly the biryanis, the tandoori, and the kabobs, the coconut curries sing of the South, and the endless spicing variations hint at the poly-cultural mix of India's people. If only that peaceful coexistence of ingredients and recipes could be a template for that country's regional relations. For now, in this Rhode Island summer, let Kabob and Curry be an exciting brunch destination, a true vacation spot for our appetites.

Issue Date: July 12 - 18, 2002