Mahanth is Editor of usindiamonitor

Many of us Indian-Americans were both surprised and proud to hear that the top-rated restaurant in the United States was named Chai Pani in Asheville, North Carolina according to the famed James Beard Awards in 2022. A feather in the cap of Indian-American cuisine indeed after a brutal pandemic era for the food service industry in particular. While I haven’t had a chance to check it out yet, the next best thing was to watch this review by Karl Rock, who flew all of the way from Mumbai to Asheville to visit the establishment and do an honest, deep dive into the extensive menu, including the chaat. Check it out! And hearty congratulations to owner Meherwan Irani on the big win.