Zaika Indian Cuisine

In 2015, three Indian expats (and former roommates) opened a neighborhood restaurant in an unassuming shopping plaza just west of the Broad Causeway Bridge in North Miami. Drawing from their shared background working for the prestigious Taj Mahal Hotel Group in their home country, owners Majob Patel, Avanish Shrivastava, and Shivashankar Malabanti developed a menu that skews toward the robust and buttery flavors of northern India, while also dipping into the subtler offerings of the south, famed for its use of coconut and curry leaves. They named their restaurant Zaika — a Hindu word that roughly translates to "sense of taste." Any meal here must include the naan, prepared in-house using a traditional coal-heated clay oven, each chewy disc the perfect vessel for whatever fragrant, saucy dishes you choose. On that count, our top picks include tender Malabari chicken enveloped in a coconut sauce and adorned with curry leaves, red chili, and mustard grains, and the lamb rogan josh, a hearty dish slow-simmered in a ginger-infused tomato base. Pro tip: Vegetarians and meat eaters alike will appreciate the yellow lentil dal, served in a bowl crowned with a rich paste of garlic, butter, and spices.