You've got to admit, the selection of food on campus isn't exactly the best. This is my third week here at Brandeis, and I'm already tired of the Usdan quesadillas (however good they may be) and Sherman food. So what should you and your friends do for dinner on Friday night if you don't want another meal of lackluster campus food? The simplest solution for attaining high-quality and varied meals is, of course, to go into Waltham-Main Street and Moody Street house a surprisingly wide selection of authentic ethnic restaurants and shops. Last Friday, I chose to peruse the Indian genre. There's something about dipping garlic naan into hot curry and savoring the blend of sauce and spice that drives me crazy. If you have a passing interest in Indian food or want to experience a unique dining experience, I recommend Little India at 475 Moody St., right up the street from Lizzy's Ice Cream.

Little India is, in fact, little. Its red awnings are modest compared to others on Moody Street, and between its two rooms, the restaurant seats about 50 people. With dim candles and soft background music, the atmosphere is perfect for a quiet night of good food and relaxation. No, this is not a restaurant for big crowds. When our group of nine entered, the waiter seemed surprised and hurried to shuffle tables together, cramming us into one of the corners. Despite the squeeze, the tables were clean and the service was relatively quick.

I ordered the chicken madras, a dish described by the menu as "boneless cubes of white chicken cooked in tamarind sauce with fresh garlic, ginger and cashews." It was served in a metal platter with rice. The dish was basically tender chicken covered with a thick, red sauce that tasted of tomatoes and Indian spices. It went great with both the rice and the naan bread, which I had to order separately. One disappointment, however, was the portion size; at $13.95, I was expecting something that could fill me right up, but the servings were similarly small for everyone else at the table.

After finishing the madras, I just felt like I needed more. I was extremely glad I ordered the gulab jaman, a dessert composed of amazingly sweet dough. Definitely order these "wheat and milk balls drenched in sweet syrup." Again, my only complaint was the quantity, as two gulab jaman balls cost $3.50.

I do love Indian food and have experienced it many times before, but Little India still ranks very high on my list. Danielle Zipkin '12, who had never had Indian before, said she enjoyed her lamb bhuna but still preferred Tom Can Cook's Thai cuisine. Scott Evans '12, who was also a virgin to the Indian culinary experience, said after partaking in yogurt served over rice and lamb that his first time was "surprising good." A girl named Lauren Zhang '11, being an adventurous sort, ordered the chicken vindaloo, marked on the menu for its spiciness. After some gulps of water, she concluded that the hotness of the spices blended very well with the dish, especially when eaten with naan. Of our group of nine, not a single person was disappointed.

My only problem with Little India, in the end, is its small portion size and moderately high costs. For its price range of $10 to $14, there should simply be more food. And it wouldn't hurt if the tables were a little bigger, for the sake of comfort and mobility while trying to reach over the table for the communal rice bowl. But of course, the food provided is much, much better than anything on campus. A slightly bigger budget and a BranVan call is all you need to experience Little India.