Trekking to the Taj Mahal is right alongside running with the bulls on your bucket list.

Get a taste of the good life at Samar by Stephan Pyles.

A quiet corner of downtown Dallas is the unlikely site for the sultry oasis from swami Stephan Pyles. Avert your eyes from the pavement as you shimmy into the warm space tinted in saffron and amber and reach quickly for the tart martini infused with pomegranate liqueur.

The menu juxtaposes dishes from India, Spain, and the Eastern Mediterranean: Bombay tiger prawns with crispy okra, Persian spiced fried chicken, lentil cones filled with potato-garbanzo mash, and spicy chutneys that’ll get your tummy shaking.

After dinner, sink into one of the couches on the patio where hookahs are filled with herbal, fruity flavors.

It’s perfect for pipe dreamers.

Samar by Stephan Pyles, 2100 Ross Avenue, suite 100 (214-922-9922 or samarrestaurant.com).

Photo: SnapthePicture