Garland

“As at least half our menu is vegetabledriven; we hear from a lot of diners that they feel like they can eat at Garland often without feeling ‘heavy’ afterwards. Our food has its roots in humble cultures so the reliance on ’richness’ is just not really a part of who we are. We don’t ’mount’ our sauces in butter. We rely on either long cooking for braising meats, or quick cooking for vegetables to keep them fresh, vibrant and nutritious.”

Smashed salt-roasted new potatoes with fresh fenugreek and green onion purée; asparagus with green alliums, roasted oyster mushrooms and sticky rice; fish with wilted braising greens and puffed rice salad.

Kumar takes a minimalist approach to seasoning, making sure every spice strikes a decisive pose, but doesn’t stint on charitable work. Garland hosts upward of fourteen annual fundraisers for children, women and civil rights; works with the Interfaith Food Shuttle to raise awareness of food insecurity, and donates its food scraps to farmers for compost. This is a restaurant to get behind – and you won’t be sorry you did.

“Although the menu at Garland is pan-Asian, it draws specifically from Kumar’s Indian heritage and the cooking style she learned from her mother, prepared with ingredients she sources from North Carolina farmers.” –Hannah Hayes, Southern Living