Flavors of India, Washington

Flavors of India manages to embrace the spirit of home cooking despite the fact that its home is located half a world away. Basing their menu on the cuisine of northern India, the chefs make everything from paneer cheese cubes and yogurt to cilantro and tamarind chutneys in-house. They also embrace the region's culinary techniques by charbroiling skewers of marinated meat and seafood within a clay tandoor oven. The recipes' combinations of aromatic herbs and sauces stem from centuries of tradition; however, the chefs do allow diners to customize their orders by specifying the amount of fiery spice—creating a mild entree or a curry capable of smelting a meteorite.