Modern Indian Cuisine at Badshah
The Hell's Kitchen restaurant scene grows bigger and better every day, most recently with the arrival of Badshah, a restaurant helmed by Babu Ji veteran Chef Charles Mani. The small space is bright and lively with an open window overlooking the hustle of 9th Avenue and a playful mustache mural on the back wall depicting the whimsical characteristic of Chef Charles himself. The menu here is listed as Modern Indian cuisine but Chef Charles will tell you that's he prefers the term "inauthentic". He learned the foundations of Indian cooking from his mother growing up in Chennai but has since furthered his academics with a culinary degree and is constantly tinkering with classic dishes and remaking them in his own "inauthentic" style. The meal began with Gol Goppa, a traditional Indian road side dish of crispy semolina stuffed with chutney. This bite sized snack was surprisingly beautiful with bright red and green chutneys hidden in in the center. I...