Karma Indian Cuisine
Cuisine: Northern Punjab-style Indian cooking; tandoori meats, seafood, large selection of naan, over 20 vegetarian dishes. Full menu served until 2 a.m. nightly.
Scene: Casual dining and swanky "Bollywood" martini bar and lounge

Strip malls can be hiding places for dining gems. Sumay Indian Cuisine underwent a name change and expansion last year. Now known as Karma Indian Cuisine, the South Hill restaurant still offers Northern Punjab-style Indian food. Expanding into the adjacent space, the previously small restaurant more than doubled in size by adding an opulent lounge and martini bar. A wall of mirrors reflects amber lighting, candle flames and the jewel tones of pillowed booths and padded bench seating. Since Bombay Bistro in Tacoma is now a 7-Eleven, the boys are on the hunt to satisfy their Northern Indian-food craving.

we were pleased to see more than 20 meat-free dishes on the menu at Karma. During three separate visits we tried a fat handful of them. First up, samosas. Shaped like large, irregular Hersey‘s Kisses, the savory pastries come two to an order and are stuffed with a seasoned potato and green pea mixture. We slathered on mint and cilantro chutney.

Paneer cheese and vegetables mashed into four plum-size balls sat in orange-red sauce, a dish called malai kofta. Its color derived from fresh tomato and cream, the sauce's sweetness was increased by raisins and fenugreek. The savory side was represented well by garlic and onion. What looked to be cashews provided a nice crunch here and there.

Tandoori chicken morsels in the makhani were delicious. It came off like a rich soup with subtle curry flavor. Dishes are served family-style at Karma, meaning in big bowls, with basmati rice on the side. The rice gave us an excuse to eat all the creamy butter sauce. Nimbu paani, a gingery lemonade-like drink, helped cut the heavy richness.

On our last visit we had galub jamun - fried milk balls (think dumpling) in thin sweet syrup. They were way better than back in 2009 when the restaurant was known as Sumay, but I still don't get the "rose flavored syrup" part. It seemed more citrus or ginger flavored.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9  p.m. Monday through Friday, 12 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday