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Boston Globe

Don't Tell Aunty is worth talking about

The backstory : Don't Tell Aunty is the latest from the Flying Lion hospitality group, which runs Seaport restaurants such as Madras Dosa Co. and Nowon. This is in a quieter area, occupying a sleepy corner of Boylston Street where many hungry symphony-goers have lamented a lack of dining options. Don't Tell Aunty offers Indian small plates. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff 'We fell in love with the location. We thought the neighborhood could use something like this. The building is owned by Berklee College of Music, so we have a live music element. We love how we can integrate the community into the space, and give students an opportunity to have a stage and practice their craft,' says co-owner Sruthi Chowdary, who operates the restaurant with Babu Koganti. But what's with the name? Advertisement 'Aunty is a very fun play on how we were raised back home. There's a funny thing, or a sarcastic thing, that aunties are always on the watch,' says Chowdary, who grew up in Vijayawada, in southeastern India. 'Everyone is so into each other's business, but also in an endearing way.' Masala fries at Don't Tell Aunty. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff What to eat : Fusion cuisine with a southern Indian lilt. 'A lot of Indian food on the Western side of the world is from the northern part of India. We never found food that felt like home for us, and that's what brought us into this industry —sharing what Indian food means to us. It's not always chicken tikka masala,' Chowdary says. Advertisement Instead, it's croquettes stuffed with butter chicken in chili oil; saucy tater tots with mint, tamarind, yogurt, and onion sauces; nacho-style kale fritters, similarly sauced; paratha bread coated in a spicy Bolognese sauce — all exceedingly grazable, designed for sharing (and perhaps overordering) after a few drinks as the music reverberates and the lights get lower. The bar at Don't Tell Aunty. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff The runaway hit, though, is something simpler: avakaya hummus, made with spicy pickled mango: an exemplary fusion treat. 'Aunts and grandmothers sit together and make huge jars every summer, when the fruit is in season, and it lasts throughout the year. It's a yearly ritual at home for us. And everyone loves hummus in America,' she says. Prices are affordable, with most offerings under $20, befitting the college-adjacent locale. The Bollywood Swingin' cocktail. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff What to drink : The backlit bar has Miami vibes, all pink and palm trees; cocktails ($15 and up) are playful but potent: a Spicy Lil' Auntie is their twist on a margarita, with mango and jalapeno; Curry Tales is a martini, sort of, with vodka, vermouth, and curry brine. Take it slow. The takeaway : A spicy mix of nightlife and creative small plates, worth telling your aunties — or at least your college roommates — about. 1080 Boylston St., Boston, 617-982-6152, The lamb ghee roast dish at Don't Tell Aunty. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Kara Baskin can be reached at