Scenes From the Tiger Fork and Dhamaka Collaboration Dinners
Washingtonians were treated to some very special meals on July 14 and 15. That’s when New York’s Unapologetic Foods, the restaurant group behind Michelin-starred Semma, as well as Dhamaka, Adda, Masalawala & Sons, Naks, and Rowdy Rooster, joined forces with Tiger Fork for two incredibly special one-of-a-kind menus.
Chef Chintan Pandya and his team, including Semma chef Vijay Kumar, were in town as part of The Unapologetic Experience, a multi-city tour celebrating the multifaceted brilliance of American food today, from Indian and Thai to Middle Eastern and Cantonese, and everything in between. Together with chef Simon Lam and his team at Tiger Fork, they hosted two days of unforgettable meals: the first being a street eats celebration with walnut fried shrimp and Indian fried chicken from Rowdy Rooster, and the second being a multi-course sit-down dinner with an unforgettable cumin lamb shoulder biryani. Here’s a look back at the culinary magic they created on both days.
For the first day’s event, the outdoor patio was decked out to welcome guests to Tiger Fork.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
But given that it was a summer in D.C. (and temps were very toasty), most diners opted to dine inside Tiger Fork. At the bar, they could order custom cocktails.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy. Must be 21 years of age or older to consumer alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
Tiger Fork’s bartending team was hard at work making drinks for guests.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy. Must be 21 years of age or older to consumer alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
Near the kitchen, diners could order food that included everything from papdi chaat and lamb seekh kebabs to honey walnut shrimp and sesame soy cold noodles.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
The full spread of dishes on the menu included (clockwise from top left): fried Rowdy Rooster chicken; sesame soy cold noodles; papdi chaat; walnut fried shrimp; octopus ceviche; and lamb seekh kebab.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
A close-up of the lamb seekh kebab.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Servers brought dishes to guests at their tables inside.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
… While the chefs made sure to get all the orders ready.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Some happy diners.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy. Must be 21 years of age or older to consumer alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
Many diners opted to order most, if not all, of the street eats menu.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy. Must be 21 years of age or older to consumer alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
More satisfied diners pose for a photo with the chefs.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
American Express card members got to go home with a gift bag.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
And everyone could grab an ice-cold mango lassi on their way out, too.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Chef to Chef
Before service on night two, Tiger Fork chef Simon Lam gave chef Chintan Pandya a tutorial on how to make the restaurant’s salt-and-pepper squid.
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Before guests arrived, the chefs had a pre-service talk with the staff to go over the menu.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
The menu for the sit-down dinner on night two.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Guests were eager to start their meal.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Before dinner started, Resy Editorial editor Deanna Ting interviewed Unapologetic Foods CEO Roni Mazumdar and Tiger Fork’s Nathan Beauchamp and Greg Algie.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Chefs Chintan and Simon also spoke to the crowd about the menu for the night.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Diners toasting at the start of the meal.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy. Must be 21 years of age or older to consumer alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
Smoked tomato shorba was the first bite of the night, served as an amuse bouche.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
The chefs at the ready with the tomato shorba.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Mazumdar chatted with guests and and the chefs at the open kitchen in the back in between courses.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Chef Pandya, along with Semma chef Vijay Kumar, put the final touches on the first course of the night: Pahadi jhinga, tiger prawns served with cilantro, mint, and flavored “amul” butter.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
A close-up of the tiger prawns.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
The second course was a roulade soy chicken leg, complete with a mushroom vermicelli farce and fried cruller pâté, from Tiger Fork chef Simon Lam.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Diners loved digging into the chicken legs (and feet).
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy. Must be 21 years of age or older to consumer alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.
The dish that both chefs collaborated on was a showstopping cumin lamb biryani served with raita. Each biryani was served tableside.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Dessert was a delicate black sesame flan (pictured here) as well as a mango kulfi.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
American Express card members went home with a special gift bag.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Inside the gift bag was a set of spices from Diaspora Co.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
… and that’s a wrap on The Unapologetic Experience.
Photo by Farrah Skeiky for Resy
Read more about the gospel of American food, according to Unapologetic Foods, and how chef Simon Lam is breaking boundaries.
Farrah Skeiky is a Washington, D.C.-based photographer. Follow her on Instagram.
Stone Malick is a Los Angeles-based photographer and videographer. Follow him on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
Resy Presents: The Unapologetic Experience
A multi-city tour celebrating the multifaceted brilliance of American food today, from Indian and Thai to Middle Eastern and Cantonese, and everything in between.
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