If the new super-posh retail (think Jimmy Choo's, Tiffany's, etc.) and condo construction going on in Upper Northwest have deterred you from venturing further up the western side of the Red Line, it's time to buck up and take a trip to the D.C./Maryland line to Indique Heights -- the new bigger and better outpost of Cleveland Park's Indique.

The highly praised work of chef and co-owner K.N. Vinod is worth braving the urine-tinged smell by the ATM at the Friendship Heights Metro stop off Wisconsin Avenue and the big ugly brown office building housing the new restaurant.

Once inside, you are transported into a modern Indian temple dedicated to infusing a classic cuisine with fresh goodness and to winning over skeptical Indian traditionalists.

Climbing the stairs and stepping over the threshold for a leisurely lunch of small plates last week, we were immediately taken by the inviting ochre curtains and the sweeping vista of Western Avenue’s treetops behind the bar. As we settled into our cushioned seats, the smell of exotic spices wafting from the nearby kitchen struck us, and we wondered why were only the second table seated in the cavernous yet cozy spot. And it also puzzles manager Nandita Madan, who admits that lunch hasn't yet caught on at the youthful Indique Heights.

A cold canary-colored yogurt soup, tinged with tumeric and hot chilies woke us up to the fact that we were in for a treat. It was smooth, creamy, tangy and hot at the same time. Every bite elicited a new guess as to the spice mix contained inside. An appetizer of papri chaat –- flour crisps with chick peas and diced potatoes smothered in cool yogurt and accented with swirls of tamarind and cilantro sauces –- needed just a dash of salt to make our mouths pop and our taste buds fight for domination between sweet and sour flavors. As traditional Indian street food goes, this dish requires a lot of preparation and no combining until just before service so the chaats – literally, licks – don’t get soggy.

Another appetizer worth ordering is the mini oothapam. It’s basically a pancake stuffed with lentils or chicken and rice. It is also typical Indian street food, says our worldly Bengali companion. But here, served with an array of colorful sauces –- tomato chutney, two kinds of coconut, and the tamarind sauce again –- it could be served to kings.

The tamarind chutney, featured as a condiment with many dishes, deserves a mention of its own because of the obvious attention to detail paid to it by the chef. Sporting a smooth texture and tasting ever so slightly of freshly toasted and ground cumin seeds, it resembles not at all the gloppy, sticky-sweet sauce you find stuck to the table in cheap plastic jars at lesser Indian establishments.

As for entrees, the tender boneless lamb laced with cardmom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, ginger and coconut strips called Syrian lamb fry transported us to a place where Middle Eastern and Near Eastern flavors produce offspring showcasing each other's best attributes. The paneer makhani, a dish of firm homemade cheese chunks in a tomato sauce, was slightly less exciting but still worthy of soaking the tasty and warm nan served on the side. The dal -- the lentils served with both dishes -- channeled a bit too much butter for our taste. But with all the appetizers and nan, we didn’t have much need for more veggies.

Just because we couldn't resist a taste, we ordered Indique’s version of gulab jamun –- a traditional sticky sweet dessert of fried milk balls and honey that can ordinarily weigh the stomach down like a brick after a few bites. Indique somehow managed to make this light enough for two to finish.

The restaurant also features a 40-seat outdoor patio, which would be perfect for sipping creative Indian-inspired cocktails and checking out the progress of construction below.

With most plates in the $5-$7 range and lunch specials in the $9-$11 category, even we could afford a post-lunch stroll through Tiffany’s.

Indique Heights
2 Wisconsin Circle
Chevy Chase, Md.
(301) 656-4822