Dawat

Famed chef, cookbook author and actress Madhur Jaffrey runs this outpost of nirvana, which transforms Indian favorites, including spinach bhajia (fritter) and fish curries, into exotic masterpieces served with fancy flourishes. Sea bass and lamb chops each get royal treatments with marinades made of various blends of yogurt, mustard seeds, saffron and ginger, and charming, cardamom­-flecked desserts cool your palate. The dining room is formal and subdued and the crowd is a bit on the stuffy side (it comes with the territory in this part of town), but none of it’ll matter after your first bite.