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Semma (restaurant)

This article is about the restaurant in Manhattan. For the Tamil film, see Semma.
Semma
Semma in April 2024
Map
Restaurant information
Established2021 (2021)
Owner(s)Roni Mazumdar
Chintan Pandya
Head chefVijay Kumar
Food typeSouth Indian cuisine
RatingMichelin Guide: 1 Michelin star
Street address60 Greenwich Avenue
CityNew York City
StateNew York
Postal/ZIP Code10011
CountryUnited States
Coordinates40°44′9.7″N 74°0′2.2″W / 40.736028°N 74.000611°W / 40.736028; -74.000611
Seating capacity79 (12 bar seats,) 85 in the summer (with patio)
ReservationsRequired outside of the bar/summer patio
Websitesemma.nyc

Semma is an Indian restaurant in New York City specializing in South Indian cuisine. The restaurant, operated by Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya and their hospitality group Unapologetic Foods, replaced their first collaborative restaurant, Rahi. The restaurant received a Michelin Star in 2022 and has received positive reviews from restaurant critics.

History and focus

Rahi, the restaurant which previously occupied Semma's location, closed in September 2021.[1] Semma opened on October 12, 2021.[1] Vijay Kumar left his position as chef at Rasa, an Indian restaurant, in California to become the chef at Semma.[1][2] Kumar grew up in Tamil Nadu and designed the menu to focus on the foods of Southern India.[1] Dishes on the menu, including the nathai pirattal (a snail dish) and a venison dish, were inspired by meals prepared by Kumar's family during his childhood.[3] Semma does not list a phone number.[4] The writers of a 2023 New York Times article about strategies to secure in-demand restaurant reservations referred to Semma as "one of the hardest-to-get-into places" in New York City.[4]

"Semma" means "fantastic" or "super" in Tamil.[3][5] Mazumdar and Kumar have both said that patrons have thanked them for providing food and flavors which accurately capture cooking found in India.[3][6][7]

Design

The interior of the space was redone after the closure of Rahi, with a new design inspired by the Indian state of Kerala.[1] The New York Times referred to the interior as having "tropical accents" and noted that wood ceilings "suggest" Keralan houseboats, known as kettuvallam.[8] Semma also features a mural depicting a Kathakali dancer.[9] The restaurant's decor was designed by Wid Chapman Architects.[10]

Reviews and accolades

Reviews

In a positive review, New York Times critic Pete Wells compared Semma favorably to other restaurants by Unapologetic Foods.[11] Wells praised the "rustic cooking" featured at Adda and Dhamaka, Semma's "siblings" as their primary strength, while asserting that Semma was distinguished by its "chutneys...sauces...and spices" and its more extensive offerings.[11]

In a review published by Eater, critic Robert Sietsema praised the restaurant for "aggressively challenging New York’s long-standing ideas about the scope and depth of Indian cuisine".[12] Sietsema highlighted the Mangalore huukkosu, mulaikattiya thaniya, and erral thoku as several of his favorite dishes.[12]

Hannah Albertine, in a review published by The Infatuation, praised the restaurant's decor and food.[13]

Accolades

The restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star in 2022.[14] The Infatuation included Semma on its list of the best new restaurants in New York City in 2021.[15] The restaurant was included on a list published by The New York Times of the restaurants "loved most" by its critics in 2022.[16] The publication Bon Appétit included Semma on its list of the best new restaurants of 2022.[17][18] Semma has been included on lists of the best Indian restaurants in New York City published by sites including Eater,[19] Thrillist,[20] TastingTable,[21] and The Infatuation.[22]

Pete Wells placed Semma in twelfth place in his 2023 ranking of the best hundred restaurants in New York City,[23] and in seventh place on the same list for 2024.[24]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Adams, Erika (October 13, 2021). "Star Dhamaka Team Closes Rahi to Make Way for a New South Indian Spot". Eater NY. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Cheshes, Jay (June 27, 2022). "Inside New York's dining revolution". Financial Times. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Shah, Pooja (December 8, 2022). "How Semma became the only Indian restaurant in the US to win a Michelin star this year". Vogue India. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Krishna, Priya; Syam, Umi; Aufrichtig, Aliza (October 24, 2023). "How to Win the Restaurant Reservation Game". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  5. ^ Sietsema, Robert (October 25, 2021). "South Indian Newcomer Semma Slings Crisp, Crunchy Dosas and Curry Leaf-Infused Gin Cocktails". Eater NY. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  6. ^ Muthalaly, Shonali (November 10, 2021). "Manhattan tastes rural Tamil cuisine". The Hindu. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  7. ^ Bhagat, Mallika (July 11, 2023). "New York Says 'Semma' To South Indian Cuisine With Vijay Kumar". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on July 11, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  8. ^ Fabricant, Florence (October 12, 2021). "The Carlyle Hotel's Refurbished Restaurant, Dowling's, Opens". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  9. ^ He, Michael (September 5, 2023). "Inside One MICHELIN Star Semma, a Taste of South India in Manhattan". MICHELIN Guide. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  10. ^ Li, William (February 1, 2023). "Heritage Is on the Menu at New York's Hottest Restaurants". ELLE Decor. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Wells, Pete (January 10, 2022). "South Indian Food That Goes Back to Its Roots, at Semma". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Sietsema, Robert (October 25, 2021). "South Indian Newcomer Semma Slings Crisp, Crunchy Dosas and Curry Leaf-Infused Gin Cocktails". Eater NY. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  13. ^ Albertine, Hannah (November 18, 2022). "Semma – West Village – New York". The Infatuation. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  14. ^ Fortney, Luke (October 7, 2022). "Winners and Losers From NYC's 2022 Michelin Awards". Eater NY. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "New York City's Best New Restaurants Of 2021 – New York". The Infatuation. December 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  16. ^ "The Restaurant List 2022". The New York Times. September 19, 2022. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  17. ^ Human, Becca (September 14, 2022). "For Chef Vijay Kumar, the Path to Semma Began With Rice". Bon Appétit. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  18. ^ "BA's 10 Best New Restaurants of 2022". Bon Appétit. September 14, 2022. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  19. ^ Sietsema, Robert (May 10, 2021). "18 Stellar Indian Restaurants in NYC". Eater NY. Archived from the original on July 22, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  20. ^ Reddy, Swathi (November 11, 2020). "The 15 Best Indian Restaurants in NYC". Thrillist. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  21. ^ Gallacher, Blair (December 7, 2022). "The 21 Best Indian Restaurants In NYC". Tasting Table.
  22. ^ Talreja, Neha; Finn, Carina; Kim, Bryan (May 12, 2023). "The Best Indian Restaurants In NYC - New York". The Infatuation. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  23. ^ Wells, Pete (April 18, 2023). "The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  24. ^ Wells, Pete (April 1, 2024). "The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City in 2024". The New York Times. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
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