A new Indian restaurant has opened in Alexandria’s Old Town neighborhood, and as the sister restaurant of a Bib Gourmand-recognized establishment in Washington, DC, it’s bringing plenty of hype.
Kismet Modern Indian, located a few blocks from Old Town’s waterfront, opened earlier this month as the casual counterpart to DC’s Karma Modern Indian, but with the same culinary flare, led by Michelin award-winning executive chef Ajay Kumar.
Whereas Karma is fine-dining, Kismet leans more toward “fun dining,” as managing partner Sachin Mahajan puts it. But don’t mistake Kismet’s relaxed vibe to mean the food is anything less than expertly crafted. In fact, fans of Karma will recognize some of their favorite dishes on Kismet’s menu, like chicken tikka made with a house blend of tandoori spices, lamb seekh kebab, and palak paneer.
Kismet is also borrowing Karma’s bar manager, Christian Richardson, who now oversees both programs. Kismet’s drinks menu offers wine, beer, and creative cocktails like the Siddhartha, made with pea flower-infused gin, Midori, simple syrup, and lemon juice. There are also two alcohol-free cocktails on the menu, including the Familiar Faces, featuring hibiscus allspice syrup, lime juice, ginger beer, and ginger.
Of course, Kismet will have its own unique, modern Indian dishes, like a snapper peri-peri (originally tested at Karma), lamb ghee roast, and carom potatoes.
For Sachin, the opening of Kismet marks the realization of a goal set years ago when Karma first opened in December 2017.
“We had always wanted to open Karma in other cities,” says Sachin. But then the pandemic hit, delaying their plans. “Our whole goal is to change the perception of Indian food, to make it more approachable. We educate about Indian spices on the menu. We want to change the mindset, the concept of Indian dining. We want to broaden the reach. It’s about escalating the profile for Indian cuisine.”
Kismet Modern Indian is located at 111 N. Pitt St. in Alexandria. Kismet’s dining room will be open five days a week, Wednesday through Sunday, for dinner, and Friday through Sunday for lunch. Takeout hours differ from dine-in hours.
Feature image courtesy Kismet Modern Indian
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