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It is warm enough at last to fill the patio tables at restaurants on the Boardwalk at Rio. But night is fast approaching so we enter the restaurant whose signage outside reads Karma on one end, Penang on the other. This hybrid is the third Indian restaurant on this spot, for those who are keeping track.

Karma/Penang is part of the Indaez Group whose holdings include Tandoori Nights in Gaithersburg and Northern Virginia, and Penang in the District. The menu draws from Indian, Indian-Chinese (popular now from Mumbai to Manhattan), Thai and Malaysian cuisine.

Several noteworthy dishes derive from the city of Penang, which sits on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Sayur goreng, Malaysian-style fried calamari, is appealingly hot stuff as a starter. Roti canai, a crispy pancake with curry chicken dipping sauce "from an award-winning family recipe," is a popular favorite, we learn.

Ikan merah, a third Malaysian dish, is delicious flash-fried whole red snapper dramatically presented with a sweet-hot sauce on the side. Lamb chops, marinated in yogurt and spices and grilled in the tandoor, are another winner.

Chicken makhani, aka butter chicken, with its rich tomato sauce, is universally loved and deservedly so. I think of it as Indian comfort food. Londoners think of it as their national dish.

Prawn masala qualifies as comfort food, too. Combined with broccoli, onion and tomato, the super-size seafood gets kicked up a notch with a piquant sauce.

Kormas, richly endowed with expensive spices and nuts, originated as banquet dishes in the courts of the Moghuls. You don't have to be a nabob to enjoy them. Navratan korma (meaning nine gems) is true to form. The dish's nine vegetables, fruits and nuts form a feast that not only a vegetarian would love.

The dishes at Karma's recently introduced lunch buffet ($9.95) change daily. Recently, we spotted: tasty lentil floured vegetable pakoras; tamarind and cilantro chutneys; steamed basmati rice; mellow yellow lentils; soothing saag paneer (spinach with homemade cheese); a Malaysian vegetable stir-fry; Indian-Chinese Hakka noodles; fork-tender lamb rogan josh; spicy-sauced chicken vindaloo; superb ruby-colored tandoori chicken; salad; raita (yogurt sauce); crispy lentil wafers and kheer (creamy rice pudding) fit for a king.

Wines are available by the glass or bottle. India's Kingfisher beer is a good partner for the spicy food, as is sweet or savory lassi, a yogurt drink. A large cup of fragrant masala tea served with a small pitcher of milk is a delight. The coffee is good as well.

The low wall behind the reception desk conceals a slim fireplace that summons atmospheric flames, and the vividly lit bar showcases bottles in deep red niches.

Tall-backed dark brown and cream upholstered chairs cluster around black marble-topped tables in the 160-seat dining room. However, the high ceiling, bare walls and floor-to-ceiling windows accentuate noise. A small nook behind the reception desk, known as the quiet room, offers a haven. Movable dividers can create more intimate areas as needed, and a glass wall sets off the private dining room at the rear. Striking lighting fixtures illuminate the dining room somewhat unevenly.

As evening falls, we find ourselves seated in a relative black hole. It is dark, but not romantic, opines a friend when we can no longer discern the colors of our food. Candles or lamps might help. As cool drafts drift in through the open patio door, we notice that many diners have donned their coats.

These are but minor irritations. The food is wonderful and Karma/Penang's eclectic menu offers a lot to explore.

karma/penang

Rio Washingtonian, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., Gaithersburg

301-330-6611, fax 301-330-2245

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. noon-5 p.m., Sun.-Thurs. 5-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5-11 p.m.

Style of cuisine: Indian, Indian-Chinese, Thai, Malaysian

Entrees: $9.95-$21.95

Credit cards: All major cards

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www.indaezgroup.com