D.C.’s New Indian Restaurant Chai Pani Opens in the Union Market District | Eater DC

"A color-soaked, 4,000-square-foot ode to Indian street food, this D.C. outpost from James Beard Award winner Meherwan Irani lands at Union Market on Friday, August 29 with fellow winner Vishwesh Bhatt helming the kitchen, channeling the bustle of the subcontinent through a menu anchored by seven chaats. Kale pakora chaat layers fritters with sweet yogurt, tamarind, and green chutney plus sliced grapes, melon seeds, and green mango powder, while matchstick okra fries come tossed in a special seasoning and served with a lime wedge. Pav sandwiches include the famous Sloppy Jai, a spiced-lamb take on the sloppy joe, and the KFC Sandwich, a Kashmiri fried chicken number with mayo and sweet pickles. Unique to D.C., a new sigri section—simple charcoal grilling rather than tandoor—turns out beef sirloin, blistered okra skewers, paneer, and green peppers, alongside classics like butter chicken, baingan bharta, and masala curries. Specials from Vish show up in the Everything Daal, a homestyle lentil dish with seasonal vegetables and a crunchy potato-chip finish, and a Chesapeake-minded Kingfish tawa fry pan-fried in ghee with red onion, green chile, and curry leaves. Drinks lean street-side, from house-made nimbu pani and daily mango lassis to cocktails like a cardamom Old Fashioned (Indian and rye whiskeys, jaggery, cardamom bitters) and the Kaapi martini with sweetened South Indian filter coffee and chai masala. The space doubles down on nostalgia and maximalism—marigolds on the ceiling, yellow pom-poms, dramatic drapes, dangling florals, and a mural celebrating the dishwasher—with contributions from 13 artists, a vibrant bar framed with Indian artwork, and a happy host stand surrounded with cookbooks, T-shirts, and spices for sale. Born in Asheville in 2009 (Atlanta followed in 2013) and crowned Outstanding Restaurant in America in 2022, the brand arrives ready to make Chai Pani D.C. feel like your restaurant." - Lulu Chang