Some possible starters are paneer shaslik or the homemade cheese, grilled with vegetables; vegetable samosa; and kalmi kabab, which is chicken wings grilled tandoori style.

At breakfast I strolled over to Lock Road for fresh strong coffee at the First Cup Cafe ($1.15), and had one of the most delectable Indian dishes I've ever tasted at Koh-i-Noor on Mody Road - three huge prawns barbecued tandoori style ($15.50).

Except for a couple of undistinguished shredded crab dishes, the category called Jewels of the Sea meant shrimp,; they were slightly overcooked tandoori style, but otherwise arrived juicy, big and crisp.

Stuffed trout and marinated lamb chops cooked tandoori style are two entree specialties.

Perhaps a goose prepared tandoori style, since yogurt and garam masala are frequent ingredients in Ms. Lakshmi's cookbook, "Easy Exotic: A Model's Low-Fat Recipes From Around the World."

Hake is marinated tandoori style; monkfish is roasted like a leg of lamb with lots of garlic and fennel; fillets of grilled shark, steamed John Dory and baked sea bass are served all on the same plate, each with its own complementary sauce.

People who live near the main rivers also eat fish for lunch, which is sometimes cooked in the tandoori style.

The tandoori style of cooking is common throughout rural and urban Pakistan and has strong roots in neighboring Iran and Afghanistan as well.

Come hungry and start with the kebab sampler (mutton, chicken, fish) then move on to mint-marinated fish cooked tandoori style, or a cardamom-rich saag gosht (lamb and spinach).