Amma Vegetarian Kitchen   

3291 M St NW
Washington, DC 20007
202-625-6625
www.image-in-asian.com/amma

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Looking for good vegetarian cuisine? Start looking for good Indian cuisine. The two are interwoven, and the menu at this vegetarian haunt in west Georgetown is decidedly South Indian. Despite its location amid haute boutiques, tourist taverns and college kids in head-to-toe Ralph Lauren, this is not a typical Georgetown restaurant. A spin-off of the ever-popular Aditi, the tiny dining room boasts such elegant touches as Styrofoam plates and plastic cups -- call it minimalism with a focus on the food. Sari patterns on the tables add a bit of culture, and native music helps to create atmosphere. Georgetown students and wallet-conscious locals fill up the dining room, and they all seem to have been here before. You don't really stumble in -- the restaurant sits at the far end of the strip on the second floor of a building, so upon entering, you get the feeling you've just discovered something. The menu offers a wide array of dishes, from delicate curries to hearty lentils. Many dishes are creatively seasoned with coconut or coriander adding depth to the plate. Most items are prepared ahead of time and arrive almost instantaneously, but the bread is all made to order -- and it's terrific. -- Nick Freshman