Whatever you say about the restless soul of John Adams, whose resume nearly doubled in a two-year span of ad hoc supper clubs, consulting gigs, and restaurant stints, you can’t deny that he is a man with a culinary vision. Everything about Marrow, his most recent endeavor, radiates years of forethought, from its russet-toned color palette to the dining room’s faint campfire aroma emanating from a smoker that Adams installed before the restaurant’s November opening. Most exciting is how all of his years of playing with Asian components have matured into a sophisticated take on fusion. Adams doesn’t merely mix ingredients; he harnesses whole spectrums of flavor in rich soul-food standards brightened and enriched with hints of curry, tamarind, lemongrass, and chiles. In no dish is this more evident than his fried tandoori chicken, which wears a crackling, crunchy coating of Indian spices cooled perfectly by yogurt and smears of cilantro and red-pepper chutneys. Just as globally influenced are the bar’s riffs on classic mixers, such as a Sazerac with pineapple and cinnamon, and an old-fashioned composed of bone marrow–washed rye.
TIP: Order with abandon, divide, and conquer. Main dishes are enough for two people, and the menu structure encourages family-style sharing.
DON’T MISS: Luscious Shells & Paneer, a finessed interpretation of the macaroni trend that folds in veggies and curried butter sauce.
1106 Prospect St., 986-6752, marrowindy.com
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