Mayura Indian Grill and Bar, Portland

Relying on traditional recipes from northern and southern India, the chefs at Mayura Indian Grill & Bar forge their halal-friendly menu of meaty and vegetarian dishes. Their specialty lies in filling dosas with spicy lentil chutney or potato curry, but they also simmer house-made cottage cheese alongside fragrant herbs and seek out seasonal vegetables for some of their entrees. They can marinate orders of chicken and lamb in one of their spice-infused sauces before roasting them in a clay oven that burns more intensely than a bodybuilder's love of lunges.

Dishes, whether meat or vegetable based, end up on the dining-room tables' crisp, white linens, which, along with the rows of corrugated pillars, imbue the space with a stately air. Beyond mealtimes, Mayura embraces south Asian culture by occasionally showcasing Indian films for the community.