The spread of dishes at Dravida, that includes Trinidadian, South African and South Asian influences
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Only in New York can you walk into a restaurant and order a Maine lobster cooked with Indo-Chinese ‘Schezwan’ sauce. Or ‘Maggi’ noodles with blue crab. The diverse landscape of the city is the backdrop of chef Aarthi Sampath’s East Village restaurant, Dravida, that tells the story of South Asian cuisine, and its many iterations across the world.
It is a divided world, and borders are hot button issues. But long before today, the South Asian diaspora was already on the move, carrying its memories, its spice boxes, and its history across oceans. These stories of migration find a place on the menu of Dravida.
Chef Aarthi Sampath
“My inspiration was South Asian food as a concept,” says the Mumbai-born chef who has familial roots in Tamil Nadu. “It is not North Indian or South Indian; it is global. Every culture of the South Asian diaspora is present here in New York, so what better place for Dravida. It is a one-of-a-kind restaurant.”
Dishes here reflect the many places where South Asians have settled. Be it the spice trade that took them to foreign shores, as indentured workers, or for business. “You can travel through Pakistan, South Africa, Trinidad, and you will find a familiar cuisine, even though the ingredients, like the chilies, may be different.”
For research, Aarthi went to family homes of immigrants and listened to their stories. “I was trying to seek those experiences. I would try and dine at a Trinidadian family’s home. They would tell me about their ancestors, who were forced to come to another country and work in the fields. I want to really celebrate that struggle and that life,” says Aarthi who made her name in the US on season 29 of Chopped in 2016, and later served as a judge on MasterChef Tamil.
Textural walls and hand painted mural at Dravida in the East Village
What is on the menu?
Seasonal vegetables, in-house spice blends and heritage recipes, albeit with a modern twist, make up the menu at Dravida. Drawing from her Tamil roots is the asparagus poriyal, or the squash poriyal, depending on the season. “A signature dish we have is our seasonal veggie curry ramen with blue crab, our take on the iconic Maggi noodles. We use scratch made noodles, our own curry powder, seafood stock, and green beans to recreate this childhood favourite.” An ode to her time in London, and the British city’s love for desi food, is duck nihari hand pie with a braised duck leg stew. Deviled egg bejo is an amalgam of Burmese cuisine and Chennai street food. It has Burmese masalas and crispy shallots stuffed in boiled eggs. “The Burmese immigrants in Chennai have made this dish popular.”
Doubles, the Trinidadian version of chana bhatura, Bangladeshi shukto made with fall vegetables and Durban oxtail bunny chow take us around the globe. The thoughtfully curated menu has notes on where each dish comes from, with stress on nuances such as markets and streets.
Doubles, the Trinidadian version of chana bhatura, at Dravida in NYC
A seat at the table
Dravida has been open for a few months and has already had glowing responses from NYC celebrities such as Padma Lakshmi. The restaurant is in a long list of regional Indian establishments opening up in the city, from chef Vijay Kumar’s Semma to Chatti by Regi Mathew. “I think south Asians chefs are taking a seat at the table. We are ready to tell the world, ‘We are here, and our food is amazing!“
Dravida is located on 1st Ave, New York and is closed on Mondays
Published – September 25, 2026 01:04 pm IST
