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Time is of the essence, so we bolt inside Guru 1 Indian Cuisine, a newly opened noshery that blends both southern and northern Indian cooking. We have one thing on our minds: a quick lunch. In fact, we take the "please seat yourself" sign to heart and jump right into the buffet without even warming our seats.

Phil Skinner/ajc staff (ENLARGE)
The Guru 1 Indian Cuisine in Roswell welcomes hungry patrons with tasty offerings like the palak paneer.
Phil Skinner/ajc staff (ENLARGE)
The chicken tikka masala.
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GURU 1 INDIAN CUISINE • Where: 555 S. Atlanta St., Roswell. 678-461-9565. • Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Dinner 5-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Closed Mondays. • Reservations: Yes. • Recommended dishes: Chicken tikka masala, chicken curry, mango pudding, naan. • Prices: Appetizers, soups and salads .95-$9.95; entrees $8.95-$19.95; desserts $2.50. • Verdict: On par traditional Indian dishes in a flash.

BUFFET BLAST

We hit the massive rice steamer first for a scoop of warm carbs, then make our way around the concise yet pleasing selection. High marks go to the chicken tikka masala. Chicken chunks swim in the orange, yogurt-based gravy with hints of ginger, garlic and onion. It makes for the perfect sopping solution for the basket of fresh-out-of-the-kitchen naan triangles that eventually arrive at our table.

Piercing our forks into the chicken curry, we expect a spicy smack. Instead the brown gravy proves mild, a kind of soothing Indian comfort food. But our waiter says the buffet curries are purposely tame. Next time we look forward to ordering something like shrimp curry straight off the menu and requesting a bit more sizzle.

Equally cozy are the veggie pakoras, fried sand dollar-size patties made of spinach, eggplant, bell pepper, potatoes and cauliflower deep fried in a batter of chickpea flour and spices.

GET SPICY

Those looking for that hot and spicy fix should gravitate toward the menu's vindaloo section. A choice of chicken, lamb, beef, shrimp or fish comes in a chili-laced sauce with a melange of ingredients including tomatoes, garlic, ginger and vinegar. And squares of potatoes float throughout.

GET SWEET

Guru 1 has no shortage of sweetness. Its kheer, an Indian rice pudding, proves milky and brings with it the slight bite of cardamom. Its mango pudding comes off visually as large squares of orange sherbet. Its consistency straddles the line between pudding and ice cream. The gulab jamon seem like not-too-distant relatives of the doughnut hole. These cottage cheese and dry milk balls are guilty pleasures bathing in honey and sugar syrup.

HAVE A DRINK

India's liquid traditions come out in force. Diners slurp down mango lassis, best described as tropical milkshakes. The rooh afza looks like an Indian version of a soda fountain float with vanilla ice cream bathing in red rose syrup. And imported Indian beers including Karma and Kingfisher stay cold in the restaurant's glass cooler.

For a quick hit, Guru 1 satisfies with on par traditional Indian favorites, many of which appear in the form of that incredibly convenient lunch buffet.