Is Devi the best Indian restaurant in New York City? If it isn't, it's in the top three. This is an elegant, serene restaurant with a sommelier, a nine nation wine list, a pastry chef (the chef's wife), and authentic dishes from India's diverse regions prepared by chef-owners Suvir Saran and Hermant Mathur in much the same way as they are in Indian homes.

Exciting, unexpected fare and exotic, beautiful surroundings make Devi one of Manhattan's most memorable ethnic outposts. If you're looking for the real, cosmopolitan New York, the one the locals know, you would be well advised to head down to East 18th Street - that's where the Indian subcontinent lives in New York.

Those who step into Devi experience an Indian restaurant quite different than the standard storefronts familiar to most Americans. Multi-colored lanterns hang from a high, bright red ceiling, intricately carved wooden pieces and sections of temples adorn the walls, and brightly colored textiles are everywhere. Diners on the balcony overlook those seated at banquets below, table candles flicker, fabric walls form private booths, and Indian music fills the air.

A sampler of warm breads is a must. It contains crisp and soft versions of garlic and plain naan, roti, onion-parmigiano kulcha, spinach and goat cheese, pea and potato pecorino and lamb pecorino parathas.

Devi is a vegetarian heaven. Four of eight appetizers, both rices, seven of eight sides and nearly twice as many entrees as the seafood, poultry and meat main course sections are in that category. The two sides to target are the Indo Chinese style Manchurian cauliflower, spicy but not blatantly so with a slightly sweet tomato spin and wonderfully crisp okra with the texture of green potato chips.

The Chole Bhature entrée offers a representative vegetarian survey course of airy, light puffy bread that can be dipped in the okra crisp-dotted yogurt and a mesh of chickpeas and potatoes. Among the non-vegetarian dishes I'd order again are the tender, tandoor-grilled lamb chops on a subtle pear chutney with a clump of spiced potatoes and the soft, spicy giant Goan sea scallops festooned with balchao sauce with a dash of radish rice.

Desserts are far more interesting than those at typical Asian eateries. The kulfi or rich, dense Indian ice cream is often seen but that's not true of the crispy saffron infused bread pudding, the turret of mango cheesecake and the small, intense fig cake with its offsetting goat cheese ice cream.

Devi is located at 8 E. 18th St. at Fifth Ave., 212-691-1300; devinyc.com


Richard Jay Scholem was a restaurant critic for the New York Times Long Island Section for 14 years. His A La Carte Column appeared from 1990 to 2004. For more "Taste of the Town" reviews, click here.