The South Loop is seriously low on Naan—so India Grill is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Serving a variety of regional dishes, India Grill hopes its hearty, homestyle cooking will be known as "spiceful, rather than spicy."

The restaurant's owners don't serve beef for religious reasons, but there's protein aplenty in its Tandoori Chicken, chicken curry and lamb dishes. Non meat-eaters will also find plenty to eat, thanks to dishes like Indian Grill’s roasted veggies, flavored with spices and cooked in a wok.

The restaurant also serves a $11.99 lunch buffet, featuring a wide array of gastronomic goodies including vegetable pakoras. The buffet also sports a small salad bar with sweet and sour tamarind and hot, spicy mint dressings and a sizeable dessert station, where diners can dig into rice pudding with golden raisins and toasted almonds, sweet cottage cheese balls in a sweet syrup or a variety of fresh fruit, cut and served daily.

The eatery seats 20 to 100, so a reservation probably isn't needed. But if you're hoping to pair a stiff drink with your dinner, you'd better plan ahead: Although India Grill may someday break out a wine list, for now, it's BYOB.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Erin Brereton