A quiet revolution is taking place on the Westside, where chef-owner Asha Gomez recently opened Atlanta's first contemporary Indian restaurant. She transcends the flavors of her native Kerala, a southwestern state of the subcontinent once colonized by the Portuguese, by courting a sophisticated audience with dishes that have been given refined shape and definition.

Crisp goat chops dredged in aromatic spices, boneless chicken fried in a lacy batter redolent of coconut, tender beets with pure-white yogurt pooling on top, and a vivid pork vindaloo with a vinegary gloss will win you over with their complexity. Whether you hang at the bar to share a few plates or take advantage of the casual lunch thalis, the restaurant's wood-carved walls and avoidance of exoticism (no statues of dancing Ganesh here) inspire a meditative calm.