Indian food and I go way back.

I remember the first time I tried it; it was right before my freshman year, during Dawg Daze, when the U-District had a community dinner for students on the corner of Northeast 50th Street and the Ave. I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into when I chose Indian cuisine over Greek, but it began what has now become a four-year love affair.

When I think of Indian food, I still think of Northeast 50th Street, but not because of that community dinner. One street west of the Ave, on Brooklyn, sits Cedars, a popular Indian restaurant that many UW students have become familiar with.

It’s actually not my favorite Indian restaurant in the area — an honor I bestow upon Jewel of India, located on Northeast 47th Street and the Ave, because of its friendly service and homey feel and perhaps because they were the ones that served up the Indian fare at that fateful community dinner. But Cedars on Brooklyn has undeniably some of the best Indian food in the U-District, and the restaurant’s environment makes it ideal for both group gatherings or a more intimate meal.

For starters, try a samosa, the crispy vegetable- or beef-filled pastries in the shape of plump pyramids. I personally prefer the vegetable ones, since the potato stuffing doesn’t leave me feeling too full to finish the rest of my meal.

This delicious treat is a safe bet if you or anyone in your party is unfamiliar with or wary of Indian food. The fried pastries make for an easy transition into unknown food territory, and you should try it with the sweet violet or spicy green sauces for an even more tantalizing experience.

The array of main dishes offered at Cedars is pretty typical of Indian restaurants in the area, but the restaurant offers more for your dollar and taste buds. A heaping plate of rice comes with most meals, and the cooking is phenomenal. The sweet mango curry and butter masala dishes are my favorite — most entries offer the choice of vegetable, chicken, lamb, beef, fish or prawns — but you honestly can’t go wrong with any of the masala or korma dishes, cooked with a variety of spices, sauces and vegetables to your own liking. Go with your gut and choose what seems most appealing and you’re unlikely to regret it.

An order of nan, a basic flaky Indian bread — think a tortilla, except way better — with your meal is standard and enough to fill up anyone. Luckily, my dinner partner demanded that we order dessert as well. We tried the marble nut halvah, which the menu calls “a Middle Eastern delicacy made with sesame, Swiss Chocolate, roasted nuts and honey.”

I wasn’t a fan of the dessert, which left a kind of bitter taste in our mouths. However, I am a fan of Cedars, whose friendly hospitality — you won’t lack of people waiting on you — and delicious food really do make it a must-try restaurant in the U-District.