Reviewed: India's Flame brings heat and flavor to Tempe

The weather's not the only thing that’s hot in the Valley! We've got a handful of top-notch Indian restaurants that don't hold back with the heat.

My husband and I were looking for a tasty, no-frills Indian spot last weekend and found it in India's Flame at the U.S. 60 and Rural Road in Tempe.

What I ordered:

• Vegetable pakoras: These lightly breaded veggies were a tasty way to sneak some greens into my meal.
• Butter chicken: The sauce was heartier and less sweet than I've come to expect from butter chicken — but I liked it! The chef doesn't mess around with spice: I ordered a 6/10 on the spice scale and was grateful for the server’s attentive water refills.
• Paneer butter masala: This was a great blend of butter and tikka masala sauce. After the paneer was gone, I was using every bit of naan and rice to sop up the delicious flavor.

The verdict: I loved this place. The flavors were rich, and it's much more approachable than my other favorite Indian spots, The Dhaba and Feringhee, which are both delightful but a touch upscale.

• India's Flame is the perfect casual lunch or dinner spot and would work well for takeout.