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, and if some of the dishes are unfamiliar, lean on the staff who know their stuff and are eager to share. 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 that bursts with flavor. The gunpowder dosa, a classic rice and lentil crepe filled with potato masala, is on every table for a reason. Attu kari sukka is falling-apart tender lamb in a dark brown curry redolent of warm spices.

More in New York