Ashley works near an area in New York that is known for its Indian food. Walking down Lex, it’s very hard to resist the intoxicating smell that seems to be intentially blowing out from the kitchens of the restaurants lining the street. Ashley and I recently explored a particularly note-worthy, Southern Indian restaurant, Saravanaa Bhavan. This place stood out to us for a long time for its dominantly Indian patronage—always a good sign. Indeed, when we walked inside we found ourselves surrounded by Indian businessmen and the hum of Indian-English dialect. Apparently, Saravanaa Bhavan is a popular Indian chain, based in Chennai. The first time we went we both had the Thalis (a selection of dishes served in a small steel bowls on a round tray–I’m having the “business thali” above); it’s a great way to sample a variety of flavors. Some are quite spicy, but they’re all delicious and the selection is a little different every time. Above, Ashley is having the masala dosa, a spiced potato-filled rice-and-lentil crepe that’s both spongey and crisp, depending on where you pull from.