Taj Mahal Restaurant, Chicago

As diners gaze at the giant photo of the Taj Mahal, they are greeted with a delightedly diverse contrast of flavors, textures, and colors. The chefs at the Taj Mahal Restaurant capture the essence of Indian food in these contrasts: Colorful metal bowls of bright orange butter paneer alongside the earthy green palak paneer provides each table with their own kaleidoscope of colors. Fluffy garlic naan bread nestles up to crispy samosas filled with chickpeas or minced lamb. The chefs assemble dishes to match every taste bud, whether it is the sweet gulab jamun—deep fried cottage cheese topped with sugar—or the spicy chicken vindaloo.