Chef Kumar already has a glowing reputation in D.C. thanks to his first eatery, Karma Modern Indian, located downtown. It’s here that he earned an impressive accolade, the Michelin Bib Gourmand Award. Now he’s brought his talents to a new sister restaurant, Kismet Modern Indian, in neighboring Alexandria.

If your New Year’s resolution was to try a fresh type of cuisine, head here for dinner tonight. The swanky restaurant promises an inviting atmosphere if you choose to sit down in the dining room, a fitting setting for the modern Indian bites on the menu. Start with elevated small plates such as the Calcutta jhaal muri served with puffed rice and date chutney alongside tandoori shrimp accompanied by mango salsa. Then for the main course, enjoy the snapper peri-peri over a pillow of lemon rice or the spinach and cauliflower kofta dumplings with ginger and tomato puree. In the mood for curry? You can’t go wrong with Kismet’s homestyle chicken curry, slow-cooked and featuring a house-made blend of spices. Round out your entrees with freshly baked garlic naan or whole-wheat roti, or try the carom potatoes or mint-cucumber raita.