Aroma does Indian right in Vernon Hills

The first thing that hits you when you walk into Aroma is the amazing scent. A robust spiciness and the earthiness of the clay oven drift throughout the restaurant and tease your senses. For me, it was a race to sit down because it smelled so good.

The restaurant has a full bar with Indian beers and cocktails, plus some nonalcoholic drinks like fresh limeade and masala chai. Every table is served a basket of fried naan with tikka masala sauce upon arrival. It's a simple, tasty and light welcome that clearly introduces you to the bevy of flavors you're about to experience.

For appetizers, we ordered the nonvegetarian combination snacks, tomato shorba soup, keema naan, paneer naan and keema samosa.

The nonvegetarian combination snacks appetizer is a platter of vegetable samosa, vegetable pakora, chicken tikka, seekh kebab (ground lamb) and boti kebab (cubed lamb). Three sauces came on the side: an exceptionally spicy green sauce, sweet chutney reminiscent of molasses and a mild plum-like sauce. The meats were all tender and cooked well with a good mix of spices that had a little kick at the end. The wood-fire taste was hearty and fun. I couldn't tell much of a difference between any of the vegetables in the pakora. It was a little over-fried with too much batter. I didn't like the samosa, but I don't like peas — and it was stuffed full. The dough was crispy and light, though, and any green veggie fan will probably love it.

The tomato shorba soup was slow-cooked with onions, garlic, ginger and other regional spices. It was a nostalgic experience for me. If you've ever had pho, you'll recognize the similarity immediately. The soup tasted like a mix between pho and plain tomato soup and transported me back to my college days when pho was a staple in my diet. It's the kind of soup that leaves a sweet smile on your face and warmth in your heart.

Both the keema naan (stuffed with minced lamb) and the paneer naan (full of cheese, coriander and spices) arrived piping hot from the oven. The keema's lamb was very subtle, but definitely there. It would be perfect with a more defined flavor and quantity. Coriander overwhelmed the paneer naan, but the chutney that came with the combo platter evened it out by putting a sweet spotlight on the cheese.

For dinner we tried keema mutter and butter chicken makhani. Both entrees came with basmati rice mixed with vegetables. The keema mutter, ground lamb cooked in a tomato, onion and garlic sauce, reminded me of Indian-style sloppy Joes — oniony and meaty with a kick. I asked for my sauce mild, and it still had a hefty spice. The only problem I had with the dish were the peas. They overpowered the food and started to drown out the other flavors. But again, I'm not one for peas.

The butter chicken makhani emerged as our clear favorite. It was everything I expected from the dish, with cubed chicken, a tomato cream sauce, and spices and herbs. But Aroma took it up a notch. The chicken was very tender and spiced well, and the sauce was strong but not overpowering. We ordered it at medium heat, and by the end it felt like I had swallowed a delicious fireball.

Our waiter adeptly judged by our ineptitude pronouncing pretty much everything that this was our first time in, and kindly welcomed us with a free dessert. We had the pista kulfi, homemade Indian ice cream flavored with saffron, pistachio, nuts and cardamom. It was different from any ice cream I've had — ice crystals throughout and less creamy. I couldn't taste much saffron or cardamom, but the pistachio was intense and fresh.

My only regret from dinner was the time we arrived, close to closing. I would have loved extra time so we could visit the Indian grocery store tucked inside the restaurant. It looked great and smelled so good. But there's always next time.

Aroma Fine Indian Cuisine

270 Hawthorn Village Commons, Vernon Hills, (847) 247-0898, <a href="http://aromavh.com/">aromavh.com</a>

<b>Cuisine:</b> Multiregional Indian

<b>Setting:</b> Contemporary and casual

<b>Entrees:</b> $7-$20

<b>Hours:</b> Lunch buffet: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Dinner: 4:30 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday