Chicago

Even if you don't know your roti from your raita, a trip to Hema’s Kitchen will leave you satisfied. The competition between Indo-Pak restaurants on Devon Avenue is fierce, and everyone has their favorite, but Hema’s Kitchen is undoubtedly one of area's crown jewels. Hema's menu is heavier on meat options than most chow houses on Devon, and these are some of the restaurant's best offerings as well. Try one of Hema's lamb "sizzlers," the haryali chicken, or the fish vindaloo. Their mulligatawny soup is also the best most people have ever had. Hema is a master of spice, but feel free to ask the wait staff to adjust the volume on the heat level. The service is of the ethnic food variety, well-meaning but spotty, and the decor strangely erotic, but you'll forget all about that as you happily pile mounds of paneer on your butter naan. The joint is BYOB too, so you can bring a few cold ones to quiet the fire in your happy mouth.

Photo:  Brendan Keating