Inside Tapori, H Street’s new Nepalese-Indian restaurant

Opening this Friday on H Street is a new standout, South Asian restaurant called Tapori. Headed by Dante Datta and Suresh Sundas, these two are well-known in the city as alums of Rasika as well as the co-owners of Daru, a popular Indian restaurant that has gotten several notable nods from the media as well as Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list.

On his goals for the restaurant, which is barely a mile away from Daru, Datta said he hoped to create a “vibrant, convivial” space with cuisine that is inspired by the street food found across Nepal, as well as all the way down to southern India.

The space is outfitted with an open kitchen, cozy booth-style spaces with a 20-person communal table in the center and a bar that is notably larger than the one found at Daru.

The name, “Tapori,” translates into “vagabond” or “rowdy” in Hindi, but it is also a reference to the Tapori subculture in Mumbai. The colorful mural near the center of the restaurant is also an apparent nod to the 1995 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film, “Rangeela,” which features a Tapori protagonist.

Sundas told WTOP that their approach to Tapori is “absolutely different” from Daru, saying, “Absolutely, you feel like you are going somewhere else which is not close to Daru and something different.”

While Daru’s “Indian-ish” food and Tapori’s menus have a few similarities — such as pain puri and bison momo — Sundas said a few notable menu items that show their differences include the slow-cooked goat pakku biryani, the lamb boti kebab and the gunpowder masala dosa, which is a savory crepe made from a fermented batter and filled with spiced aloo (or potato) masala, sambar (a vegetable stew) and coconut chutney with tomato chutney.

For those with a sweet tooth, don’t miss the kulfi — a traditional frozen, creamy dessert served on a stick like a popsicle, but made with condensed milk, pistachios, saffron and cardamom.

The long-anticipated Tapori is now open to the public and can be found at 600 H Street NE in D.C., located in-between Whole Foods Market and Solid State Books.