A product of the prodigal Unapologetically Indian restaurant group, Semma is a spectacular spawn. A menu full of authentic, hard-hitting share-plates, given in generous portions make for an astonishingly affordable menu. It’s no wonder they got Michelin’s mark within mere months.
The Gunpowder Dosa is their signature dish. The classic comfort remains recognizable, but there has never been a batter so beautiful, filled with a spice mix so formidable.
I never thought I’d see snails outside of Paris and Vietnam, but here they ate. The Nathai Piratta serves them so tender, tucked into a surprisingly smooth ginger-tamarind sauce. The kal dosa are quite thick, like blini for caviar but better.
Mirchi Ka Salan simmers stuffed peppers in a sesame-peanut sauce. They were my least favorite dish but remain recommended for vegetarians who can take the heat.
Meen Pollichathu is a whole sea bass simmered in ginger and shallots, topped with a creamy sauce. This one is simply succulent and sometimes that’s all you need.
Valiya Chemmeen Moiles is just stunning, a lobster of epic proportions, cooked to perfection with a gravy of mustard, turmeric, and coconut milk. This one is the dish to remember, unanimously voted the best of the night.
Paratha and coconut rice are mandatory options for soaking up sauce, must-haves for the leftover soupy splendors of sea bass and shellfish.
If you want to end the meal with something sweet, a Shahi Tukda will do. It’s a bread pudding of buttery brioche soaked in a fragrant, milky cream. Just a bite or two will suffice, and it will satisfy your sweet tooth without leaving you too full to move.
Strongly spiced and heavily sauced, these dishes make a significant splash on a food scene that often panders to more conservative palates. More impressively still, Semma makes it all taste good. Their spices are strong, made even more so by their powers combined, yet Semma stays on the right side of marvelously memorable without being an unpleasant punch in the face.
I expected to be blown away, but Semma exceeded all expectations.
No comments:
Post a Comment