Restaurant Information:

Hours

Mon-Fri 8:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm Sat-Sun 8:30am-10:30pm

With big, bright flavors and serious spices, this South Indian spot heats up the city's vegetarian scene.

The Scene
A glass facade, silver tableware, and blond wood seating lend a modern feel to this streamlined space. Homemade art--magenta canvases with fake flowers neatly pinned on in rows--adds a bit of whimsy to the walls. Servers struggle to explain the menu to those who can't tell an idli from a chapathi, but the mostly Indian clientele is completely at home with the vegetarian South Indian fare.

The Food
The plantain bajji, fried in lentil batter and served alongside rich sambar and coconut and mint chutneys, is love at first bite. To avoid repeated flavors, skip the potato bonda, round fritters served with the same trio of dips, and get your scoop of spicy mashed potatoes in the rava masala dosa, a crisp, netted crepe made of cream of wheat and rice. The South Indian thali offers rice, bread, and 12 little cups with big tastes, including a kuzhambu (curry), rasam (spicy soup), and pickle.