The Seattle Grateful Fed kicked off their inaugural season by visiting Bothell’s Tandoori Fire restaurant, located in the former Skillet’s (and other restaurants over the years) location at the Bothell Landing Shopping Center

As is our practice, each of the nine diners ordered something different, to give us as broad a selection of dishes as possible. A summary of our samplings:

Appetizers All of us marveled over the paneer pakoras, a fritter-like item filled with paneer, a soft Indian cheese. Although the texture of the cheese had mixed reviews, all agreed that they were delicious. We were equally enthusiastic about the samosas, deep fried pastry pockets filled with onion, potatoes and peas. Both appetizers were accompanied by a trio of chutneys for dipping

Entrées The cashew lamb got a solid thumbs-up. Tender, subtly spiced lamb cooked with cashews and a hint of curry, it provides a very buttery “mouth feel.” Even if you aren’t a big fan of lamb, the meat is so mild and free of “lambiness” you would think you were eating a choice cut of beef. This is a dish for anyone who doesn’t like overwhelming flavors.

The chicken tikka was a bit dry, but overall quite delightful. Served sizzling and sprinkled with lemon juice, it was excellent, but not what the diner expected. Perhaps more to her expectation would have been the chicken tikka masala, which is the aforementioned chicken tikka cooked in a masala gravy. The diner who ordered that reported it to be quite flavorful, with an abundance of mint and some unidentified spice, possibly cardamom. On the negative side, the texture was a bit coarse, and could perhaps do with a bit more blending.

The lamb kebob is another lamb dish that you wouldn’t know was lamb, it was so mild. The Fed who tried it reported it to be very flavorful nonetheless, and an enjoyable entrée, and a good compliment to the rice and various flavored nanns.

Raves were given for the Chicken khabuli. Boneless chicken pieces cooked to perfection in a balance of spices made for a wonderful compliment to the rice and naan, with a surprise cherry garnish.

A somewhat unusual dish, the pomegranate chicken was notable for a pleasant fruity aftertaste, and subtle spicing. Like other dishes (most notably the chicken tikka masala, the sauce made an excellent dip for the naan.

Another entree sizzled with lemon juice, the tandoori prawns were cooked perfectly, not too spicy, but with enough kick to make you notice. A substantial, hearty dish. This diner also ordered a green salad with a mango vinaigrette dressing that was refreshing but not overwhelming.

The classic Indian tandoori chicken was reported to be very tender (literally falling off the bone) although like the chicken tikka, somewhat on the dry side.

One of the entrees was something of a miss. The Tandoori Fire Pasta, an Indian-spiced alfredo, was wan with little flavor, even though ordered at two stars. This is unfortunate, since this is one of the restaurant’s specialties.

Accompaniments The basmati rice made the perfect compliment to all the dishes. Perhaps the hit of the evening were the flavored naans, including garlic and paneer-filled varieties. It’s impossible to stop eating the stuff, especially when dipping it into the various sauces from the entrees. You will come back just for the naan. The papadaam think crackers make for a nice palate cleanser between courses, are great for dipping.

Libations, Atmosphere and Service The restaurant is subtly lit, casual and comfortable. No overpowering music means you can hear your dinner companions without straining. It was noted that the crowd included a number of families with children; it was nice to see kids (well-behaved ones at that) sampling such exotic cuisine enthusiastically.

Tandoori Fire features a full bar. The quality of the drinks was adequate, although one diner’s martini on the rocks came without. Service was friendly if a bit slow, though to be fair, it was a Saturday night, we were a big group, not all of whom were familiar with Indian cuisine. (One diner suggested that the wait staff should consider providing a little guidance and advice to the neophyte.) Our server graciously agreed to do separate checks (almost unheard of for large groups) and the homemade ice cream (mango, coconut and rose) provided at the end of the meal was a classy touch.

Would The Fed return to Tandoori Fire? Everyone gave a solid “forks up” to that question, especially for the prospect of trying other dishes on their extensive menu.

Overall Rating: Three Forks.

The Grateful Fed is a group of amateur restaurant reviewers. Each month we pick a different area eatery to sample. Information on the group can be found at www.gratefulfed.com.