Pakistani cuisine is, like Northern Indian, pretty meat forward. Goat, mutton, and lamb simmer for hours in spiced sauces and are then served on sizzling plates with tomatoes and ginger. They pass through the dining room, perfuming the air like intoxicating, carnal hashish. Relax all control—besides, the menu is little help; a dish might be described as having “selected mild spices,” but then arrives with tons of mouth-searing (but seductive) garam masala. If you don’t recognize a morsel, don’t bite into it too confidently—whole peppers are everywhere.

But La Sani’s perfected the art of balance. Hot fried papadum (flatbread) are served with sour-sweet plum chutney and soothing, thin raita. Beginners will like chicken handi, with its lightly creamy sauce scented with cardamom and ginger. Scoop it up with fresh ghee-slicked naan and have some palak paneer and fried onion bhaji, and you’ll get a good sense of the flavors without breaking a sweat. Don’t miss shahi kheer rice pudding for dessert, with cardamom, chopped pistachios, and a whisper of rosewater.

It’s common knowledge that lunch buffets are never as strong as made-to-order dinners, and La Sani’s no exception. Also, it’s totally halal, so BYOB isn’t an option, but there’s a house sparkling beverage of chopped fruit, Perrier, and apple juice. Just the thing for the excellent sting.