Mood Cafe, Philadelphia

Cherry-colored curtains swoop across the inviting picture windows of Mood Cafe, an Indian restaurant situated on the ground floor of a loft apartment building. Inside, red remains prominent, splashing across walls and framing the restaurant's dark tables. When visitors arrive, those tables transform into stages for colorful arrangements of Indian delicacies, from various forms of fresh naan to chicken, lamb, and seafood entrees. Some dishes, specifically the barbecue tandoori specials, start out in clay ovens, such as the garlic-and-ginger-chicken kebab. Meals conclude on a high note with traditional Indian desserts, such as the carrot-based gajar halwa.