The New South Indian Restaurant Where Spices Rule in Flatiron

Kidilum is a ritzy Keralan fine dining restaurant in Flatiron, led by chef Vinu Raveendran. The menu is built around spice-rich dishes, with spices ground daily in a dedicated spice room. The chakka features crispy jackfruit balls with a tender pulled-pork texture in a rich cashew sauce. The iracchi pathiri is visually striking, with shredded beef served atop fried rice cakes, and is not strictly required but highly satisfying. The attu chaps are praised as among the best lamb chops in New York, brushed with salted plum for a sour tang. Cocktails are notably balanced, including a Khopra that tastes like a peach ring and a Kidilum martini with mango brine. A post-dinner tour of the spice room may be offered.

"Kidilum is a ritzy Keralan restaurant - a rarity in NYC - in Flatiron that's helmed by chef Vinu Raveendran, previously of two-Michelin-starred Mugaritz in San Sebastián. It's a special occasion restaurant, but it's fun, it's delicious, and the spice-rich dishes (they grind their own spices daily in a dedicated spice room) will transport you to the South Indian coast."

"If the chakka ($24) isn't on your table, you're doing it wrong. Crispy jackfruit balls, which have the texture of tender pulled pork, are swimming in a rich cashew sauce. Don't miss this, especially if you like spice. Yes, the iracchi pathiri ($27) is Instagrammable, with the branches (which the chef personally turns into serving dishes) that are a bit gimmicky. This rich appetizer of shredded beef atop fried rice cakes isn't a must-order, but you won't regret ordering it."

"I'd go as far as to say the attu chaps ($42) are some of the best lamb chops in NYC. The meat - which the waiter said they get from a tiny producer in Australia - is brushed with salted plum, which gives it a bit of a sour tang. I wish I had ordered another plate of them."

"The cocktails ($22 each) are better than they need to be - remarkably balanced, and could fit right in on any fancy cocktail bar's menu. The Khopra with dark rum, jasmine, pineapple, coconut, and curry leaves somehow tastes exactly like a peach ring. Order it if you like sweeter drinks, or Kidilum martini with gin, dry vermouth, and raw mango brine for a tangy twist on a classic. Try to see the spice room downstairs after dinner. Your server may offer a tour, and if they do, say yes. The small, closet-sized space is packed with all the carefully sourced spices they use."

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