In a world besotted with vertical dishes that rise to schizophrenic fusions of east and west, simplicity here conjures up a culinary chorus of curries that leaves you pleasantly satiated yet hungry for more.

"We like to keep things simple and stay with traditional cooking," says head chef David Joseph who was lured away from New Delhi's Oberoi hotel.

Simple at Maurya does not mean easy. It means true.

From the "mother sauces" to the Tandoori ovens, to the decor and the dishes, Maurya was built and is run to keep the light of traditional Indian food burning bright in Vancouver.

Maurya's menu is not only refreshingly traditional it is served in one of Vancouver's best rooms and accompanied by a wine list that is a sommelier's dream.

An arched doorway leads you to a curved mahogany bar before the room opens up to a floor of polished marble and a magnificent high ceiling done in gold leaf from which hang Moorish lamps.

Balcony facades, grand windows and flowing drapes add a palatial touch to this multi-million dollar oasis named after the great Mauryan Empire, which unified India.

If you prefer the outdoors, the restaurant offers a sun-soaked patio where you get a lingering suspicion there is a second floor someplace inside.

For some mystical reason service in many Indian restaurants around Vancouver seldom comes with a smile.

At Maurya the quiet efficiency of the serving crew--your water glass never gets below the half-way mark--is one of the key factors that give this restaurant an edge.

A greeting with gusto, normally from K.D. behind the bar, is followed by an intimate delivery of the menu and the wine list.

Staff at Maurya show a good comprehension of wine and have no trouble pairing a Shiraz with the Sager-Se (crab ball stuffed with minced prawn and scallop) or a Reisling with the Rogan Josh (lamb curry infused with yoghurt and Kashmiri mirch).

Maurya's wine list is among the top in the city with over 225 wines to choose from.

If wine is not for you, the bar provides an array of cocktails and beers including the popular Indian brew, Kingfisher.

The impressive eatery was the brain child of Vancouver restaurateurs Lalit Sharma, Iqbal Grewal, Giulio Miceli and Gennaro Iorio who own and operate restaurant La Terrazza, in Yaletown and the late night wine bar, Luce.

After a cool $2.8 million, Maurya opened its doors two and a half years ago giving Vancouver its first high end Indian restaurant.

Today the management team has been joined by veterans in the business like Rajan Arora whose Bombay Grill and Chutney Bistro in Seattle are hugely popular with Indian food lovers across the 49th.

"Traditional and healthy" are the twin themes of the trio.

Maurya's kitchen uses minimal oils, butter and creams opting instead for the time-consuming substitute of homemade stocks.

There is no compromise on the flavour and the food has a lighter texture, said Joseph.

If you have had Indian butter chicken, try Maurya's Chooza-Khas-Makhni which is a fenugreek-laced butter chicken tossed in a light tomato sauce. This dish, more than any other, showcases the tangible difference that homemade stocks make.

Our excursion to Maurya began with a sizzling hot plate of marinated lamb chops on a bed of onions and green peppers.

The lamb chops are marinated in ginger, garlic, seasoning and olive oil for 24 hours allowing the meat to retain a succulent feel even after a stint in the juice-drying Tandoori oven.

This is an excellent dish for the low-carb conscious or you can try Maurya's Atkins special--the Tashtari--a medley of chicken tika, lamb chops, cod and prawns which are piled on a hotplate laden with onions and bell peppers.

Maurya's menu is representative of India's multi-faceted regional cuisine where "spicy and hot" are all relative. So it is best to remember that the chillies on the side of the menu are not for decoration.

If you like your food hot, try the Vindaloo. We did.

The Tandoori-Murg which is baked Cornish game hen marinated in yoghurt and Indian spices is delightful. An alternative is Maurya's South Indian Goa Chicken curry.

The fine dining eatery has a strong vegetarian menu and favourites like Aloo Gobi (cumin seasoned potato and cauliflower served in onion and tomoto sauce) and Palak Paneer (homemade cheese with fresh spinach and garlic) all have a distinct Maurya personality.

A variety of naans, rotis, rice and briyani dishes (rice cooked in spices and tumeric) provide a good choice of accompaniments to the main dishes.

The restaurant also offers a reasonable priced lunch buffet between Monday and Friday, which is a great way to sample a variety of dishes and make plans for an evening at Maurya.

Lunch Buffet $9.95--Monday to Friday, 11.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

Dinner--Monday to Sunday, 5 to 11 p.m.

Maurya Indian Cuisine
1643 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6J 1W9
Phone: 604-742-0622