Thattu

Chef Margaret Pak takes diners on a culinary journey to Kerala—a southwestern state in India that’s also the homeland of her husband Vinod Kalathil—at this buzzy Avondale newcomer. It comes on the heels of a brief, yet critically acclaimed, run at Politan Row food hall, where Thattu was a James Beard semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant. Expect comforting recipes like pork chop peralan, which stars a big hunk of meat resting atop a yucca cake alongside coconut-braised collard greens, and black chickpea-filled kadala curry with roasted coconut gravy. The lunch menu yields a delightful Kerala fried chicken sandwich dressed with spicy pickles and curry leaf aioli.