In Fresh India, Meera Sodha uses sweet-and-sour tamarind paste to turn plain rice into a show-stealing side. The tamarind is essential here; find it at well-stocked grocery stores and Indian markets.

I haven’t encountered another Filipino restaurant with such a modern approach to food and ambience. An abstract mural engulfs an expansive wall, with tropical leaves, superimposed with Baybayin, a pre ...