Madras Ananda Bhavan, Phoenix

At Madras Ananda Bhavan, which celebrates its one-year anniversary on September 23rd, a glossy red stone floor reflects the glow of amber pendant chandeliers, as traditional Indian artwork pulsates against burnt-orange and mustard-yellow walls. The warm decor complements the restaurant’s vast menu of fiery South Indian cuisine. Chili, coconut, and ginger pervade more than a dozen curry dishes that jolt tongues out of a stamp-licking stupor, and rice-and-lentil crêpes, or dosai, cradle chunks of tender potatoes and cheese. To refresh palates, diners can sip mango lassi and rose milk or sample traditional Indian desserts such as gulab jamun, fried dough balls dunked in sugar syrup and cardamom.