Update:
Semma has just received a Michelin star in the NYC Michelin guide 2022!
guide.michelin...
I'm actually quite surprised as I consider it to be on par with Dhamaka, but... well, congrats to Semma for the Michelin star status. This video will be added to the Michelin collection playlist.
Semma is a newly opened Indian restaurant in New York City that serves authentic and unapologetic South Indian food. When it comes to South Indian food in NYC, most people think of the almost stereotypical vegetarian/vegan items such as dosas, vadas, etc. But at Semma, the menu selection expands beyond the stereotypical and the vegetarian: it reaches beyond the rather uncommon items that can only be found deep inside South India, including a good amount of animal products, such as snails, goat intestine, venison shank, etc. This is not your typical South Indian dosa place and it will surprise you. Semma in Tamil means fantastic.
The chef Vijay Kumar at Semma grew up in Tamil Nadu, and used to work at Michelin one star Indian restaurant Rasa. The food here is very rich in flavor and depth of complexity, and very very spicy. This is geared towards the spicest level of all and it's not for the faint of heart who can't tolerate the intense amount of heat.
The internal decoration has a very adequate tropical vibe and immediately transfers you to South India, both in aesthetic and temperature. I mean, the restaurant certainly had AC but it was so weak that my group of four were constantly sweating throughout the meal, even before any dishes are served, so I was pretty sure that is caused by the lack of cooling instead of the heat from the food, of course the spiciness of the food adds further to the feel. Oh, and when we finished the meal and walked outside the restaurant, it actually felt cooler outside than inside, during the summer!
The restaurant is under the corporate group Unapologetic Food which includes restaurants that abide by their unapologetic philosophy. The restaurants under this group include Adda, Dhamaka, and Semma. With this visit to Semma, I have completed all my visits to the unapologetic trilogy.
Semma
60 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011
www.semma.nyc/
Food I had:
Mulaikattiya Thaniyam (bean sprouts salad)
Nathai Pirattal w Kal Dosa (snails)
Gunpowder Doaa (yeah, it serves dosa too and it's quite good)
Kudal Varuval (goat intestine)
Valiya Chemeem Moilee (lobster)
Dindigul Biryani
Mirchi Ka Salan (stuffed pepper)
Chettinad Maan (venison shank)
Elaneer Payasam
Shahi Tukda
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• NYC Food Around the World
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:34 Restaurant: Semma
01:15 Cocktail
01:50 Mulaikattiya Thaniyam
02:40 Nathai Pirattal
04:01 Kal Dosa
04:43 Gunpowder Doaa
05:32 Chutneys
07:18 Kudal Varuval
08:49 Valiya Chemeem Moilee
10:37 Dindigul Biryani
11:50 Mirchi Ka Salan
13:10 Chettinad Maan
14:39 Elaneer Payasam
15:47 Shahi Tukda
16:57 Conclusion
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