Bhatti Indian Grill in New York, NY

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Bhatti Indian grill is a restaurant located in Curry Hill (Murray Hill but named Curry Hill because of the multiple Asian restaurants located there), where Chef Gaurav Anand serves Punjabi cuisine (Northern cuisine). Ok, I still have a lot to learn about Indian cuisine, this country being so vast. I went there few times and, each time, I discovered mouth watering dishes that I hope to retrieve when I go to a restaurant in NY. 

So yes, I was excited to go to Bhatti Indian Grill because I knew that they were preparing kebabs on a Bhatti, an open fire where they put lava instead of wood and charcoal for safety reasons, giving to the meat or fish a nice smoky flavor. But that's not it: they also have a tandoori oven.

The decor is fairly modern and I always find that the bricks add some warmth to a place, warmth that was only present thanks to the bricks... I admit that the service did not entirely make us feel welcome and the restaurant seemed a bit uncared for (see below - there was also sauce on the curtains), but the food was delicious. 

When we sat, they brought us some papadam that is like a giant cracker that you eat with different sauces that go from mild to spicy. 

As it was some sort of apéritif, I decided to order a mango lassi that was very good and had a perfect thickness.

Then, when I ordered, I saw that they have a Dal Bhatti: you probably know Dal, this lentil dish that you will find in most if not all Indian restaurants, prepared with either yellow or black lentils. The particularity of this one is that it is simmered overnight. 

I loved it, although I would have liked it without this slight kick it had: it was wonderfully creamy, thanks to the cream, butter and cooking process. Bon sang, I hate watery Dal!

I also decided to try the kebabs. So I ordered their sampler. 

I love when restaurant propose samplers. At Bhatti Indian grill, they propose a meat kebab or veggie kebab sampler, in full or half size. I chose the meat sampler that had only chicken and they were not very forthcoming in telling me what was there...So, if I remember, there was Tandoori Murgh (Boneless chicken marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic & spices, grilled), Murgh Malai kebab (grilled cubes of chicken in a mildly spiced creamy marinade infused with green cardamom and nutmeg) and Haryali Chooza (chicken marinated in a mix of mint, cilantro, green fenugreek, green chilies and hung curd). It was very good, each piece of chicken having a delicious char taste and being perfectly cooked, being still moist. I just wish that they proposed different meats, such as lamb for instance.

We could not leave without trying my favorite Indian dessert: Gulab Jamun:

These were delicious, as expected.

Although the service was disappointing and spoiled a bit the experience, I really liked the food at Bhatti Indian Grill. They just need to fix a couple of kinks to make it one of the top in the area.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Brick Lane Curry House in the East Village, NYC, New York

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It has been a while since I wanted to try Brick Lane Curry House, the restaurant being on my list after I saw an episode of Man vs Food where the challenge was to eat the Phaal, a very hot curry, so hot that you need to wear a gas mask to cook it, the fumes of the ten different chili used being too intense. But it was not for the Phaal that we went, and the disclaimer below did not change my mind, even if I can get a free beer...

Brick Lane Curry House takes its name from the neighborhood in London that is supposed to have the best curry houses outside of Asia. I have never been there, maybe one day.

It is also a subway stop, so no wonder why you can see some subway signs (underground as they say in the UK) or subway maps.

The place is like a labyrinth with three different dining rooms, the two main ones being separated by bottles of wine.

As soon as we sat, they brought us some delicious papadum:

For appetizers, we decided to try some classic vegetarian dishes: pakora.

These are vegetable fritters served with a tomato chutney that had a nice kick. The pakora were good, but missing a bit of crunch.

Then, we had aloo (potato) samosas:

Served with the same tomato chutney, it was just ok for me, as they mainly tasted the potato that was a bit bland.

The shell however was deliciously crispy.

Then, we shared the Chana Masala (Vegan):

It is a dish made of chickpeas, tomatoes, onions and spices.

I usually love chana masala, but did not like this one that was missing texture and flavor.

However, the lamb madras curry was perfect!

The waiter told us that it was spicy, but in fact, it just had a bit of a kick. The curry, made with a gravy prepared with mustard seeds, curry leaves and finished with coconut milk was very good and flavorful. I could have eaten that even without meat (the lamb was perfect), with just rice or better, with naan.

Both dishes were served with some rice:

And we also ordered some naan that was freshly made:

As usual, I ordered a sweet lassi that was pretty good: thick but not too much and not too sweet, it was perfect to extinguish any heat coming from the dishes.

The food at Brick Lane Curry House was just ok for me and I think that it is overpriced. I definitely prefer Baluchi's or The Masala Wallah over this place.

Enjoy (...)!

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Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Brick Lane Curry House
	* Overall
	★★☆☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	East Village / Indian
	* Street Address
	306-308 East 6th St., New York, NY 10003
	* Phone
	(212) 979-2900

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Lunch at Tamarind, Indian cuisine, in Tribeca, NYC, New York

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Continuing our discovery of restaurant through Restaurant Week offers, I picked Tamarind, an Indian restaurant located in Tribeca. I saw that they offer an Executive Lunch for $25, so there was little risk for us to go there for Restaurant Week.

Sadly, the scaffoldings on the art deco building this place is located in are masking the restaurant, but, as soon as you enter, you cannot miss the fantastic decor and the space. 

Seating 175 people and setup on two levels bathed in natural sunlight, it has a classy and modern feel.

So we sat at a table close to the kitchen that opened into the dining room.

Before we ordered our food, they brought us some rice with mint sauce as an amuse-bouche.

This was a nice way to start, the dish being flavorful, with a bit of spiciness.

As a beverage, I ordered a mango lassi that was not too sweet and perfect to fight any heat that the dishes had:

Then, we ordered our appetizers. Jodi went for the spinach and watermelon salad:

It was composed, besides the watermelon and spinach, of grilled paneer (cheese), and drizzled with a tamarind-balsamic dressing. I really liked it as it was refreshing and the cheese and watermelon paired very well together, the cheese being chewy and the watermelon crunchy, giving a nice texture to each bite.

On my side, I ordered the crab nazakat:

It was made of lump crab meat, mustard seeds, curry leaves, lemon zest, honey and coconut, and was served with a papadum. I liked it although a bit watery: it was refreshing and had a nice balance of flavor, the sweetness of the honey balancing the acidity of the lemon zest. However, if it was not for the place and the papadum, I would not have associated this dish with Indian cuisine. 

Then, we had to pick two entrees. Jodi ordered the Potli Baingan:

It was eggplant smothered in a sauce made with potatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, cumin and coriander seeds. That was very good! I truly appreciated the fact that the eggplant was not overpowered by the sauce that was creamy and mild.

Her second choice was mehti paneer:

It was paneer (cheese) bathed in a thick sauce made with fenugreek leaves, coriander, yogurt, onion and garam masala. This was delicious too, the sauce being smooth and very tasty.

On my side, I ordered Murg Kali Mirch and Taar Korma.

Murg Kali Mirch were some pieces of chicken that were seasoned and grilled with a sauce that had white and black pepper.

This was delicious: the chicken was perfectly cooked and moist, with a nice char and the sauce thick and a bit spicy. Definitely a dish I recommend.

The second dish, Taar Korma, was lamb smothered in a tomato and yogurt sauce that had ginger juice and saffron.

That was another fantastic dish: the lamb was very good, and the sauce delicious. In fact, I could have eaten it with or without the lamb, simply with some naan bread, or with the five spice rice that was served with our dishes.

They also brought us the vegetable side of the day that was made with spinach and potatoes:

That was a nice addition to our meal, although I wish there was more potato (we got only one small piece).

They also brought us some naan that was fluffy, with some nice char.

Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the Mango Shrikand that was like a mango yogurt with pieces of mango on top.

On my side, I ordered Khubani Halwa:

It was made with apricot, almond and honey.

I really liked the texture and taste of it and it was not too sweet. It was perfect with the double espresso I drank with it.

I really liked my lunch at Tamarind: I think this restaurant is really embracing the concept of restaurant week by making people discover their cuisine, proposing them not one but two entrees as well as an amuse-bouche and an additional side. Needless to say that at the end of the meal I was full, content to have a good deal, and looking forward to going back for dinner to discover other dishes.

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

Restaurant Information

tabelog.us

	* Restaurant Name
	Tamarind Tribeca
	* Overall
	★★★☆☆
	* Neighborhood / Cuisine
	TriBeCa / Indian
	* Street Address
	99 Hudson St., New York, NY 10013
	* Phone
	(212) 775-9000

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