Chef Zubair Mohajir's culinary respite is a delicious and welcome surprise. The small, intimate, and historic "coach house" brings a myriad of new flavors and layers of complexity to the cuisines of both South- and Southeast Asia. Born in India and raised in the Middle East, before settling down in Chicago with his family, he pivoted from finance to—his true calling—cooking.
Pickling and fermentation play a vital role on the menu, as evident in the array of achars. Most recently, we were enticed by a pavé of sweet potato with a dry spice rub (molaga podi) as well as fara (dumplings) with beet butter and earthy shiitakes. Desserts, like ube jalebi soaked in saffron syrup and served with pistachio ice cream, speak of worlds colliding and has palates tingling.