The Ditmas Park stretch of Coney Island Avenue is densely dotted with South Asian restaurants serving up curries, naan, and a menagerie of syrup-soaked sweets. The undeniable standout is also the new kid on the block, having opened early this fall. Cumin seed-dotted samosas come wrapped in a pie crust-textured shell that shatters under your teeth and then melts seductively in your mouth.

Eggplant chaat at Jalsa Grill & Gravy: The food of West Bengal is at least partly the focus of this Indian halal restaurant. Among many excellent and sometimes startling dishes is this chaat. It features fried, sliced eggplant coated with spices and chickpea flour. The slices arrive in an array on a hump of seasoned mashed potatoes, sprinkled with coconut and the tiny crunchy fried noodles known as sev. While this is supposed to be a snack, it would function just as well as a main course.