By Candy Sagon
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, July 13, 2008

** (out of four)
Sound Check: 68 decibels (Conversation is easy)

A slick little eatery in the heart of Vienna, Aditi Bistro is trying to hit all the fast-casual bases. There's a counter for ordering wraps, made as you watch, a la Chipotle. And there's a menu of curries and grilled items, cooked in a spacious kitchen and brought to your table by friendly employees, similar to places like Noodles and Company. Vegetarian, healthy and spicy dishes are clearly marked on the menu; so are those that contain nuts, for customers with allergies.

The slate floor, black granite tables and floor-to-ceiling marbleized accent wall panels give the place a hip feel. Owner Suku Nair opened the restaurant about two months ago in the former location of Aarathi Indian Cuisine (which he had also owned). There are a few details he needs to work out -- a more visible sign out front, a few more employees, perhaps a switch from black Styrofoam plates and plastic utensils to china and stainless steel -- but these are minor issues. Even eaten on Styrofoam, the food is great.

For those in a rush, the masala wraps are basically fat, Indian burritos with rice, lime juice, lettuce, onions, green peppers and spices. Vegetarians can add spiced potatoes or paneer jalfrezi (cheese and sauteed veggies), while meat-eaters can choose tender marinated chicken or lamb. For $6, this is one delicious deal. For the slimmer, snack-size version, order a kati roll, which has the same fillings, minus the rice. We liked the chicken ones so much that we shared one as an appetizer each time we went.

Nair, who's from Kerala, on the tropical southwestern coast of India, has added some regional favorites to the grill menu. Patrani salmon comes on a bed of garlicky zucchini slices, topped with asparagus, and wrapped and baked in a banana leaf. The salmon comes out moist, tender and infused with the flavors of the vegetables and seasonings, although much less spicy than the way it's traditionally prepared in India.

Nair also uses less yogurt and thicker spice pastes as marinades for chicken and lamb, which transforms chicken tandoori into a lighter -- and not so day-glo red -- version of this classic. It's the same for the tender Nilgiri lamb chops, which were so irresistible that we sucked every last little spicy scrap from the bones.

The menu offers six kinds of curries, each served with saffron rice. The mild, creamy korma, thickened with a paste of almonds and cashews, is sweeter than Masala Wok's version. The tomatoey vindaloo is marked on the menu as spicy. No kidding. Fortunately, the heat doesn't obscure the complex flavors in this thick stew, which comes full of potato chunks and your choice of chicken, lamb or shrimp.

There are two cool, creamy desserts -- fresh, mild cheese patties in sweetened cream and dusted with pistachios, and rice pudding with almonds and raisins. One is apparently more popular than the other. Each time I went, the rice pudding was sold out.