"Chef Meherwan Irani, the mastermind behind the Chai Pani and Botiwalla concepts, took his enthusiasm for bold Indian flavors in an American comfort-food direction with the recent opening of Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken in downtown’s Grove Arcade. Open for both lunch and dinner, the linchpin of the straightforward, takeout-only menu is sustainably raised chicken sourced from Joyce Farms in Winston-Salem. The birds are rubbed with a choice of a delightfully complex and spicy piri-piri rub or herb de provence and served by the quarter (choice of light or dark meat), half or whole along with drippings and flatbread. The selection of six sides feels reassuringly familiar but is definitely not your average coleslaw and mashed potatoes. There’s herb-roasted potatoes and a simple corn pudding with poblanos and red peppers. But braised winter greens get an elegant lift from red wine, sultanas and pine nuts, and a hearty chilled grains dish dresses up black rice and farro with candied winter squash, greens and Champagne vinaigrette. There’s a green salad and pulled-chicken sandwich on the menu, too, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Order online through the website for pickup at the restaurant, or opt for delivery via locally owned company KickbackAVL." - Gina Smith
