A midwestern appetite is typically satiated with steaks and burgers.  For the adventurous soul though, a distant land comes ashore in the form of one restaurant.

The Globe Indian Cuisine Restaurant and Bar, located in the Quincy Plaza near the corner of 10th Street and Quincy Street, situates itself in what could be labeled as the international foods district.

With a pizza parlor on one side and a Mexican restaurant on the other, the cuisine, as well as the décor, is what helps put the Globe in its own category.

As one enters the restaurant, their senses are immediately greeted by what is a traditional looking Indian restaurant. The décor is chosen in primary colors that are typically seen throughout the region.

Once seated though, the décor becomes secondary as the main event begins with a menu that features authentic food that would be found on the table of any Indian home.

The group that this writer dined with started with appetizers of Vegetable Samosas, a pastry stuffed with potatos and green peas, and a serving of Vegetable Tikki, what most Americans would equate to a kind of hashbrown but more finely packed and fried more completely than is the normal.

The Samosas were flavored with some of the spices that tasted of ginger and were actually a mellow flavor. While the Tikki were spiced with some salt and pepper, they were heavier in texture certainly giving one a good start to a satisfying meal.

The three entrees that followed were a good measure of the philosophy of Indian food and its diversity.

Lamb, which is a staple of Indian cuisine, was the main component of one of the more enjoyable dishes ordered. Vindaloo is a dish that typically will feature lamb meat cubed up and then cooked in a sauce so spicy that it could melt the eyes out of a typical person’s skull. Combined with potatoes in the sauce, the stew is quite spicy and filling.

Alongside the meat dishes came a couple of dishes that highlight Indian embellishment of the vegetarian diet.  Palak Paneer, a spinach dish that has fresh cheese, ginger and various spices and herbs found in the region, was a more subdued and arguably, more nuanced dish as the ingredients came through more clearly.

Aloo Palak, the last dish ordered, was another spinach meal but went further in the vegetarian vein, including potatoes, garlic, ginger, peas and other different kinds of spices. The inclusion of all the different vegetables made for a more interesting texture as the spinach was surpassed in flavor and wasn’t really the main thrust of the dish tastewise.

One cannot really understand the Indian cuisine without though enjoying a central part of the food culture. As with the French and the baguette, the German and Kaiser roll and Americans with hamburger buns, so to is Nan to the Indians.

Nan is a flatbread that some might liken to Pita bread in Greek food. In this case, Globe infuses their Nan with garlic and as the meal progressed, the diners were encouraged to use the Nan as a delivery device for the rest of the meal, putting the various dishes on the bread and thus adding another layer of flavor and texture to the meal.

Overall, Globe delivered on their promise of a quality, authentic meal in the traditions of India.

For those that are looking to open their culinary horizons, Globe Indian Cuisine Restaurant and Bar fits the ticket of outside the norm in Topeka and something everyone should be encouraged to try.

The menu and hours for the Globe Indian Cuisine Restaurant and Bar is available on www.globeindiancuisine.com.