Semma

Chef Vijay Kumar runs the show at Semma, where regional south Indian cuisine is on full display. This is authentic Indian cooking that doesn’t pander to American expectations. One bite in and you’ll quickly learn that this cooking is all heart. Dishes are spicy, but the heat is used as elegantly as it is liberally. Start with the mulaikattiya thaniyam, the chef’s childhood snack of sprouted mung beans, coconut and smoked chili. The gunpowder dosa, a classic rice and lentil crepe filled with potato masala, is on every table for a reason, and the Dindigul biryani with tender goat and fragrant seeraga samba rice offers a more nuanced glimpse into Tamil Nadu’s regional cooking traditions. Don’t skip the flaky, richly layered parotta, a very satisfying version of the beloved South Indian flatbread.