From one of the original owners of the nearby (and also very fine) Azitra, this semi-upscale Broomfield favorite has welcomed a couple of siblings since its opening in 2014, including a popular fast-casual outlet off Speer. But the flagship still does the date-night trick with a menu that includes contemporary creations as well as lesser-known regional dishes: zesty sautéed kale and eggplant, crab masala, chicken in cilantro-nut sauce, and more.

Run by a chef from Tamil Nadu, this comfy strip-mall storefront offers a few northern Indian staples, but the focus is decidedly on the cuisine of the southern regions — from the crunchy-soft fritters called mysore bonda, sprinkled with a confetti of chiles and herbs, to dum biryani with goat and intensely rich “coconut curry chicken” (aka chicken Chettinad) redolent of curry leaf. 

Though Biju Thomas’s original mod-urban take on a roadside dhaba in RiNo has closed (as has the spinoff in Broadway Market), the Berkeley outpost isn’t going anywhere. In fact, Thomas is promising a menu expansion. In the meantime, he’ll still be slinging all the aromatic, vibrant, and robust — not to mention customizable — curry bowls, roti tacos, and snacks like samosas and spiced tater tots that made the flagship so popular to begin with. 

The menu at this downtown dark horse runs the regional gamut while offering a few uncommon flourishes: lamb-and-egg-stuffed chicken, fried calamari, whole tandoori fish. The kitchen handles it all deftly, so mix it up with chole bhature from the north — chickpea stew accompanied by puffy fried flatbread for sopping — and complex, earthy Chettinad-style curry. Though not quite luxe, the interior’s spruce enough for casual client lunches and pre-theater bites.  

Though much of the menu at this mod newcomer to the DU neighborhood is devoted to familiar standards from the north — saag, korma, tandoori kebabs — it takes a detour with its selection of Mumbai frankies. Think of them as Indian burritos, naan-wrapped and stuffed with various marinated meats, paneer, or potatoes as well as chunks of sauteed bell pepper and onion; they’re delicious, as is the “special naan” studded with bits of crispy ground lamb, potatoes, and garlic.

Done in hues of tomato red, leaf green, and sky blue, the airy, colorful dining room of this Greenwood Village specialist in South Indian cuisine sets the stage for a wide range of must-tries based on fermented rice and lentils. Enormous, springy dosas come stuffed with everything from spicy fried cauliflower to mutton curry. Uthappam has the delightfully starchy heft of a giant potato pancake spread with diced green chile and red onion. The lentil doughnuts known as medu vada are dense and savory; the steamed rice cakes called idli impossibly light and fluffy.