India rates high for its cosmopolitan cuisine. Thanks to interaction over the centuries with Turks, Afghans, Persians and Mongols and, more recently, French, Chinese and Tibetans, the flavors of its food are truly international.

To experience this gastronomical diversity firsthand, diners need travel no further than 8 W. Burlington Ave. for a visit to Kama Indian Bistro.

Operators of the year-old restaurant, husband-and-wife team Vikram and Agnes Singh, take pride in a wide-ranging menu with its authentic fare that attracts locals and diners from outlying communities such as Oak Brook and as far away as Chicago.

"It's exactly the kind of food served in India," said Delhi-born chef-owner Vikram, adding that a  majority of the restaurant's recipes came from his father, Manmohan Singh, himself a veteran chef who now teaches the culinary arts in India.

Agnes Singh, who handles front-of-the-house duties, observed, "Our customers generally fall into one of two categories: those who absolutely love Indian food and those who have never tried it before. By making available a variety of meat, seafood and vegetarian offerings, we can offer something for everyone."

Popular "safe" dishes include Chicken Tikka, boneless chicken breast marinated for a full day and baked in a charcoal-fired clay oven, and Lamb Roganjosh, a classic dish from Kashmir, cooked in a mild onion-yogurt-cashew sauce.

More adventuresome appetites might be inclined to try the Black Pepper Masala or Lamb Bhindi (okra) curries. Another dish that's not for the faint of heart is Kama-Kaze Vindaloo, a spicy curry dish prepared bhut jolokia, or ghost peppers, recognized as the world's hottest chilies. These heat-seeking missiles will definitely wake up one's palate. "We add the essence of the pepper to the sauce by the drop," said Agnes Singh, adding that some competitive diners have gone as high as 18 drops.

However, it only takes a single whiff of the exotic scents perfuming the air at Kama Indian Bistro to confirm that good things come from its kitchen.

While perusing the menu, diners are served a complimentary basket of papadums, a traditional flatbread—crunchy and delectable—made of chickpea flour and accompanied by two dipping sauces, a spicy mint and a sweet tamarind. Use that time to page through the drinks list, where you'll run into some intriguing wines and beers plus specialty martinis mixed with homemade purees, syrups and infusions.

The Shrimp Sunnaina appetizer I tried turned out to be a refined, French-inspired dish that elevated the crustaceans to new flavor heights all with the help of a garlic-flavored tomato concasse sauce with a hint of white wine.

Among other starters were samosas, crispy patties filled with either mildly spiced potatoes and peas or minced lamb and peas; seasoned fritters known as pakoras made with mushrooms or vegetables; and chicken chili, which featured chicken cooked in a ginger, garlic, onion and green pepper sauce.

Our main-course selection, Lamb Vindaloo, originated in Goa in southwest India. The dish, served with basmati rice, starred tender chunks of lamb slow-cooked in a complex coconut milk-enriched curry flavored with red chilies, onions and fresh roma tomatoes. The ingredients worked harmoniously, creating a rich, balanced flavor, and the medium spice level generated just the right amount of palate-pleasing heat. 

Good bread is often used as a measure to judge a restaurant's competence. On this score, the warm garlic-flavored naan, a traditional leavened, oven-baked flatbread served at Kama passes with flying colors.

But the restaurant missed a beat with my table mate's Chicken Tikka. When the dish finally arrived, the chicken had gone from warm to tepid—a problem that can occur during peak hours when servers are harried and orders get backed up.

Keeping in mind those who like to end dinner on a sweet note, Kama offers four made-in-house desserts. It may be a no-brainer, but I tend to gravitate toward a bowl of kheer, an addictive cardamom-flavored chilled rice pudding infused with almonds and raisins. Also hard to resist are  gulab jamun, balls of deep-fried dough dipped in a flavored sweet syrup.

The dining area at Kama Indian Bistro is long and narrow and seats about 65 at tables and banquettes. It's simply decorated with walls a soothing eggplant color, fixtures that provide attractive lighting and the tables topped with butcher paper over white-linen tablecloths. A fresh rose and tea candle at each table add to the ambience.

A person can expect to pay about $30-$35 for a full dinner (appetizer, entree, bread and dessert), excluding tax, tip and beverage. At lunch the menu is scaled back and the tab is considerably less.

Looking ahead as the restaurant enters its second year, Vikram Singh said he expects to continue tweaking the menu, adding or eliminating items as necessary. "We also plan to add weekend specials and to sharpen our focus in attracting new customers," he said.

What won't change, he insisted, is Kama's emphasis on quality and the value it offers consumers for their money. "We won't be taking shortcuts. We want to consistently do things right."