Chef Preeti Waas's stuffed baby brinjals at Cheeni are the dish that appears in virtually every review of the restaurant: small, sweet aubergines filled with spiced chickpea and coconut, cooked to collapse in a tamarind gravy. The dish represents Waas's South Indian training applied to North Carolina aubergines sourced from local farms. It is available on both the omnivore and the vegetarian menus, making it the most emblematic Cheeni order for first-time visitors.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
Eater NC's Restaurant of the Year with two James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist nods for Preeti Waas, crossing South and North Indian traditions.
Book1-2 weeks ahead
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