Tom Sietsema, the food critic for The Washington Post for nearly 25 years, recently released his list of the “8 Best Indian Restaurants in and Around D.C.,” and one Montgomery County restaurant made the cut.
Chennai Hoppers, located at 136 Paramount Park Dr. in Gaithersburg’s Spectrum Town Center, opened its doors in November 2020. The restaurant offers a variety of exotic Indian dishes, with a special focus on the cuisine of Tamil Nadu, the southern Indian state where the city of Chennai is located.
Chef and Owner John Rajoo describes himself as “a culinarian from Southern India who believes in deep-rooted culinary traditions and diverse indigenous ingredients, and in the power of sourcing old cooking techniques with a contemporary touch that emphasize fresh herbs and roasted spices. His efforts towards understanding and appreciating Indian regional cuisines, by reconnecting them with their roots through regional food and local and seasonal ingredients. John completed his culinary Arts & Science in Chennai, India and later graduated from Baltimore International College with a Master of Science in Hospitality Management.”
In his review, Sietsema writes, “The fried seafood in my Manchurian shrimp is the color of candied apples and crackles when its glassy exterior, red with chili oil, is pierced. The size of my chicken kothu parotta suggests a twosome will be feasting on the mountain of chopped paratha, chicken and scrambled egg, a comfort lifted with fresh cilantro, onion and tomato.”
