The Clay Pit

If people tell me that they have never had Indian Food, I start them off at The Clay Pit. I don't do the lunch buffet, I take people for dinner and order a la carte.

http://www.claypit.com/ On the southside of Beltline between east of Midway. The restaurant looks as if it were built to be a Blackeyed Pea.

Try the stuffed Naan. Naan is a flat bread, sort of like a pita but larger. I like the naan stuffed with onions. I also like the naan with spinach and paneer (a soft, fresh cheese sort of like ricotta). You can order an assortment of three types but don't order it unless you are there with more than two or three people (unless you want to carry it home).

Korma is a cream sauce made from almonds and cashews. Anything "korma" is wonderful.

Order a curry. Many people think that "curry" can only taste like the curry powder sold at the grocery story. Like chili powder mixes , curry is a spice blend that can be very different based on the region it comes from. Think of the difference between a Ft Worth Chili Powder and a New Mexico Chili Powder. Curry is like that too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curry_powder

Order something with paneer in it. They do a spinach and paneer entree that is very good. Korma with paneer is pretty good, too.

Periodically the Clay Pit will do a weekend special menu that is buffet based. They always offer something a little different than they do from the menu.