Tikka Indian Grill

Joining a surge of relaxed modern-Indian joints (Babu Ji, Inday), this homestyle Williamsburg kitchen is spearheaded by Bangladesh-born Malika Khan (Calcutta's Dhakka, London's Baraka), who taps into the Bengali and Northeast specialties she learned from her mother. In the glass-walled space—decorated with jars of Indian grains, brushed-metal bistro chairs and vibrant large-scale photographs of spice-market scenes—Khan serves an extensive menu narrowed into categories including chicken (tikka masala, vindaloo), lamb (rogan josh, chennai lamb) and vegetarian (paneer saag kofta, baingan bharta roasted eggplant). Rounding out those heat-packed platters are a refreshing mango-yogurt lassi drink, sweet cardamom-smacked cheese curds and India's ice-cream-pop kulfi.