TAPORI
Indian restaurant · Near Northeast ·
Inventive South Asian street food and cocktails with bold flavors
Inventive South Asian street food and cocktails with bold flavors
"A crossroads for stellar street foods from Nepal and across India, this dinner-party-like destination channels coastal Kerala, the rugged Himalayas, buzzing Mumbai, and beyond through imaginative interpretations by chef Suresh Sundas and beverage director Dante Datta, who met at Rasika and first honed this funky, extroverted hospitality at Daru down the street. Steamed momos come loaded with wagyu beef, resting in a pool of chicken broth and topped with freeze-dried black Parmesan and dots of cilantro oil to cut the richness. Podi masala dosas, properly sour from overnight fermentation thanks to a massive dosa grinder brought from India, reflect collaboration with Nepali chef Baburam Sharma, who cooked dosas for 15 years in Tamil Nadu to get the flavors right. A striking design of large wooden fish pendant sculptures and prismatic tiles sets the scene, while cocktails like a martini engineered with achaar brine encourage lingering at the communal table that brings folks together in a city that has never felt more divided." - Tierney Plumb
"If you want to do Tapori right, recruit a small army. You’ll want to fan out along the long table that runs almost the entire length of the dining room and order just a bit more of everything than seems reasonable. The new Indian-Nepalese spot comes from the people behind Daru, but the vibe here is decidedly more unbuttoned, thanks at least in part to the mixing of conversations and sharing of dishes that happens around that table covered in vintage tiles. Get the lotus root chaat, dusted with tamarind and black salt and served with a dollop of sweet yogurt on the side, and the panipuri, little baskets of fried dough filled with potato and chickpeas and topped with mango. If the achari macchi kebab seems omnipresent at the communal table, it’s for good reason. The salmon is coated in gram flour and mustard oil, charred, and served with a ginger glaze. Wash it down with Tapori’s take on a Boulevardier, made with Indian whiskey and tamarind." - omnia saed, madeline weinfield, jonathan smith, mekita rivas, allison robicelli, omnia saed, kym backer
"Tapori is a new spot from the team behind one of our favorite Indian restaurants in DC. The menu focuses on regional specialties from coastal Kerala and Nepal, with dishes like pani puri and vada pav. The cocktails will also be inspired by Indian ingredients, with dressings like jackfruit and Kashmiri chili." - omnia saed
"The team behind Eater 38 hit Daru doubled down on H Street this year with a rowdy new South Indian restaurant and cocktail bar. Tapori, which means “vagabond” in Hindi, draws influence from South Indian street markets and Bollywood films that embrace Mumbai culture. Tapori centers around communal eating and flavors that span from Kerala to Nepal. Nepalese chef Suresh Sundas and beverage director Dante Datta teamed up with faraway chef Baburam Sharma to develop a menu that reflects his Nepalese background, upbringing in Delhi, and decades of experience in cooking South Indian cuisine. Dishes like pani puri, vada pav, and dosas join cocktails made with indigenous spices and fruits like chaat masala, jackfruit puree, and hibiscus. The former home of Fancy Radish got a complete overhaul from Edit Lab, complete with a 20-person communal table, patchwork tile-covered bar, and booths peering into the bright open kitchen." - Eater Staff
"If you want to do Tapori right, recruit a small army. Fan out along the long table that runs almost the entire length of the dining room and order just a bit more of everything than seems reasonable. Get the lotus root chaat, dusted with tamarind and black salt and served with a dollop of sweet yogurt on the side, and the panipuri, little baskets of fried dough filled with potato and chickpeas and topped with mango. If the achari macchi kebab seems omnipresent at the communal table, it’s for good reason. The salmon is coated in gram flour and mustard oil, charred, and served with a ginger glaze. Wash it down with Tapori’s take on a Boulevardier, made with Indian whiskey and tamarind." - mekita rivas, tristiana hinton, madeline weinfield