Cheeni

Carolinas’s 2024 Eater Award Winners | Eater Carolinas

"After relocating from a North Raleigh strip-mall origin to a downtown Durham space, this restaurant expanded its offerings and audience while retaining the homestyle spirit of the chef’s South Indian roots. Run by the chef-owner and her daughter/manager, the kitchen focuses on true-to-home preparations rather than generic standards—don’t expect typical butter chicken or a heat-scale ordering system; dishes arrive as they were meant to be made. Seasonally rotating plates such as hariyali whole fish, pork korma, and Tamilian chicken showcase balanced flavors that appeal to both heat lovers and milder palates. The move also introduced new initiatives, and the vibe preserves the original warmth even as the concept steps up in execution and finds a receptive Bull City crowd." - Erin Perkins