India has been perfecting vegetarian cuisine for hundreds of years, to the point that even diehard carnivores can luxuriate in rich lentil stews, zingy rice plates perfumed with spices and giant, crispy dosas stuffed with everything from stewed potatoes to Indo-Chinese Szechuan noodles — all of which can be found on Masalaa's meat-free menu. And going well beyond the standard curries found in nearly every Indian eatery in town, Masalaa draws from the culinary traditions of South India as well as the beachfront food stalls of Mumbai, making for a fun street-food journey. Despite its age, Masalaa shows no signs of growing tired, proving that good cooking makes good food — even if meat's not in the mix.
Readers' choice: Little India