Shan-A-Punjab Brings Generous Indian Cooking to Allston

A basket of naan can quickly take over the table at Shan-A-Punjab. The bread arrives with enough character to be more than a supporting player: crisp and flavorful in some orders, soft and fluffy in others, but substantial either way. Garlic naan is a favorite choice, and aloo-naan gives the meal another warm, potato-filled direction.

This Allston restaurant has the useful quality of being easy to enter without much Indian-food homework while still giving regular diners plenty to work through. Chicken tikka masala and butter chicken are on hand, of course, but so are lamb vindaloo, paneer curries, aloo choley, pakoras, shrimp samosas and several dishes that invite a return visit.

The dining room is neat, modern and comfortable, with ample seating and horse paintings providing a distinctive visual note. It can suit a person stopping in alone as readily as a larger table settling in to share appetizers, curries, rice and another basket of bread.

The basic rhythm of a meal is pleasingly flexible. Start with samosas or pakoras, choose a saucy entrée, add rice and naan, and decide how much heat sounds good that day. Spice levels can be requested or adjusted, a welcome detail for diners who want more than the usual one-size-fits-all approach to a curry menu.

Chicken tikka brings juicy pieces and rich seasoning, while chicken curry offers a familiar route into the menu. Butter chicken and chicken tikka masala remain good choices for someone who wants a classic, creamy entrée without overthinking the decision.

For a more fiery-looking plate, lamb vindaloo comes in a rich, spicy sauce with tender lamb. Beef vindaloo is another option, and garlic shrimp and lamb coconut curry broaden the choices beyond the restaurant's better-known chicken dishes.

Mulligatawny soup and mutter paneer offer flavorful seasoning with moderate heat. They are the sort of dishes that make an unhurried meal appealing: one can start with soup, another with a crisp appetizer, then let the main courses do their work in the middle of the table.

The vegetarian side of Shan-A-Punjab is substantial enough that it does not read like a short appendix to the meat dishes. Paneer appears in several forms, and aloo choley brings potatoes and chickpeas into the mix. Pakoras provide a fried, snackable start when the table needs something to pick at while the entrées arrive.

Samosas are another easy order for sharing. The baby samosas are filled with potatoes and peas, while shrimp samosas offer a change of pace with relatively thin pastry. Ordering a couple of different starters is a simple way for a mixed group to sample without committing everyone to the same thing.

Paneer curry is a particularly sensible bridge dish for diners still learning the menu. It is comforting, substantial and well suited to being scooped up with naan, which is not a bad way to learn how a meal here fits together.

On weekends, Shan-A-Punjab has offered a buffet that lets newcomers sample broadly and gives familiar diners a chance to build a plate without choosing only one curry. The spread combines approachable standards with options that can take a diner a little further than the usual takeout order.

Naan is included, which matters. A buffet plate of curries, vegetables and rice is better with fresh bread nearby, and this restaurant's naan is one of the more memorable reasons to linger over another serving.

Buffet meals also include dessert, notably gulab jamun, the soft, gently sweet finish that works nicely after a plate with a little spice. Buffet selections have generally been on the milder side, though individual dishes and requested spice levels can vary.

The buffet has been offered in the late-morning through early-afternoon window on weekends, but its schedule and availability have changed over time. It is worth confirming current buffet service and hours before making a special trip for it.

A mango lassi brings pronounced mango flavor and a refreshing, smooth texture, especially welcome alongside a richly sauced entrée. It is an easy companion for a meal with vindaloo or other dishes carrying more warmth.

There is also a small practical pleasure in the canned sodas: you can decide for yourself whether to pour one over ice or drink it straight from the can. It is not glamorous, but it is the sort of tiny choice that makes a casual lunch feel comfortably unfussy.

For dessert beyond the buffet's gulab jamun, badam-kulfi provides a nutty frozen option. After garlic naan, curry and perhaps a few samosas, a cool dessert has a way of sounding exactly right.

The service style is attentive and friendly without making a meal complicated. Staff have helped diners unfamiliar with Indian cuisine understand the dishes and the simple pleasures of eating a curry with rice or naan. That makes Shan-A-Punjab an accommodating choice for a table where one person knows precisely what they want and another is still figuring out the difference between paneer and pakoras.

Food service is often brisk, with many meals reaching the table in around 20 minutes, though a busy room and the size of an order can naturally change the pace. The restaurant also has an active takeout and delivery side, and delivery meals have arrived fresh and hot.

Parking nearby includes a few off-street spaces as well as street options that can be free or paid. Reservations have not been necessary for many dine-in visits, though that can always depend on the day and the size of the group.