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_ ■CsESidfiSSkfi ^gj Pavilion, Hampton worth risk and money The Restaurant Review by ADAM DAWKINS India Pavilion 2011 Devine Street Five Points S$ I know a lot of people might not have tried Indian cuisine for one reason or another. But I am a big fan of Indi an food, and just about every person I have introduced to the stuff has fallen in love with it. I admit that I was re luctant at first, but my roommate’s moth er got me hooked on it a few years back. I have to have my fix of Indian every couple of weeks, at least. I was there last week with a few friends (two of whom were new to Indian). We start ed off with an order of meat samosas, which are minced lamb inside a flaky pastry. Delicious. As far as the entrees, I had the chick en korma, which is my usual. A kor ma is a cream sauce with spices and can be served at different levels of spiciness. My roommate had the chicken curry, while another friend had a vegetarian meal. All in all, everyone was very pleased with the meal. India Pavilion offers a variety of breads to accompany your meal. My personal favorite is the Poori, which is a puffed bread. I also usually order a Mango Lassi to drink, which is an Indi an specialty. If you like mango, I highly suggest giving this a try. Also on the menu are a selection of Indian beers, which are quite interesting. The prices at India Pavilion are gen erally very good, and one thing is for certain: You will not leave hungry. The service is very attentive and the atmos phere is quaint, yet authentic. If you have never tried Indian cui sine, I highly suggest doing so. My guess is that you’ll keep going back for more. The Hampton Street Vineyard, lo cated in the downtown area just behind the Adam’s Mark Hotel, serves Amer ican and continental cuisine and is rec ognized by Wine Spectator Magazine as having an excellent selection of wines. Hampton street Vineyard 1207 Hampton Street Downtown Colombia ■sss The Vineyard is without a doubt one of my very favorite restaurants in Co lumbia. It serves some of the nicest en trees in town at a fraction of the price that one would be charged in laiger cities for food of this quality. I cannot resist their crab cakes, which I often have there for lunch. Those who are familiar with my col umn know that I go cuckoo for crab cakes, and I would say that the Hamp ton Street Vineyard tops anyone in town in this department. I am also a fan of the leg of lamb. For those who might have some time during the day to enjoy a leisurely lunch, I suggest stopping in at the Vineyard. It offers an exceptional lunch menu at rea sonable prices. I he service here is always nearly impeccable, and the decor is rather Eu ropean in its simplicity. One might think that this restaurant is study from look ing at the outside, but the very opposite is true. It is one of the most pleasant dining atmospheres in the area. The wine list is also one of the very best in the Midlands. If you are looking for a great place to take a date or just to enjoy a nice evening out, I highly recommend try ing the Hampton Street Vineyard. You won’t be disappointed, and neither will your date. You might want to go here for dinner just after payday, though. It isn’t cheap. Key TO PRICING GUIDES =$1- $10 PER PERSON Adam Dawkins is a senior hotel, restaurant and tourism administration major. A native of Greenville, he’s a member of the National Restaurant As sociation and the American Culinary Federation. His reviews have been print ed in journals throughout the Southeast. Please send comments and resta raunt suggestions to DineWine@aol.com.