Not all curries are created equal, as anyone who’s dined at Maska will attest. The heavily spiced sauces you’ll find at this Midtown Miami restaurant are far superior to any you’ll try at one of the many new Indian spots around town thanks, in no small part, to executive chef Hemant Mathur. The Jaipur native is the country’s first Michelin-starred Indian chef, with restaurants in New York and now in Miami.
Upscale in its design (and price point), the restaurant features a well-padded menu of classics as well as more progressive offerings to keep both the anointed and those new to the cuisine plenty of dishes to choose from. Though, you can’t go wrong with anything that bears chef’s name, such as the lasooni gobi, a crispy cauliflower appetizer packed with flavor; or any of the signatures, including the butter chicken and tikka masala. Tandoor-cooking is Maska’s trademark and Matu wields the clay oven like few can, putting out succulent lamb chops, tender bone-in chicken and lovely oyster mushrooms.
If you’re not used to ordering dessert at an Indian restaurant, do make the exception at Maska—they’re delightful. Your waiter’s description of them might not seem appetizing at first, and you may not immediately recognize any of the ingredients or flavors once it arrives, but you’ll be glad you did.