Only the top 40 restaurants were ranked in 2011's Best Restaurants list.
In a perfect world, Indian street-food spots would be as plentiful here as burger joints. As it is, we can satisfy our cravings at this color-splashed Friendship Heights dining room.
There are familiar dishes—samosas with chickpeas, the tamarind-and-yogurt-swirled potato salad called papri chaat, and miniature dosas, tissue-thin crepes from Southern India. But beyond those mainstays are excellent Syrian-style lamb with coconut, and paani puri—crunchy one-bite puffs filled with tamarind water. Tandoori meats are done particularly well, and curries are assertively spiced.
While many Indian restaurants have skippable desserts, a trio of rice puddings, the pistachio-dotted custard called shreekand brûlée, and kulfi with orange are lovely here.
Also good: Kathi rolls, wraps of chicken and chutney; gingery seafood soup; shrimp varuval with lemon rice; chicken tikka makhani; Malabar shrimp curry; spicy chicken chettinad.
Open daily for lunch and dinner. Moderate.
>> See all of 2011's Best Restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
