NYC Tastes

In between the boisterous sports bars and dark Irish pubs of Murray Hill sits Vatan; a neighborhood staple known for its bejeweled elephant facade, thatched roof tables and the distinct vegetarian cuisine from the  Indian state of Gujarat. Vatan has only one menu, a $34 prix fixe that includes appetizer, entree and dessert, all served thali style.  Guests can reorder as much as they would like and the entire vegetation menu is also available vegan, gluten free and nut free. Simply choose your drink of choice, spice level (entree only) then sit back and let the parade of food begin. Appetizer thali:  Chana Masala~ garbanzo beans spiced with onions and coriander,  Khaman~ puffed cream of wheat flour cake, Batatavada~ fried potato balls in chickpea flour batter, Mirchi Bhajia~ fried hot pepper with garam masala, Sev Puri~ crispy bread filled with potatoes, garbanzo beans, yogurt & chutney; Ragda Patis~ potato cutlet in white bean sauce, Samosas~ savory p...

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...

I was invited to dine at Benares in Tribeca last week, a restaurant helmed by all star duo Chef Peter Beck of the Tamarind empire and restaurateur Inder Singh, formerly of Devi and Baluchi's.  The restaurants focuses on the classic Indian cuisine of Utter Pradesh, the western city where Benares is located.  Walking into the restaurant I was delightfully surprised by the beauty and size of the space.  Big cushy booths lined the wall with seating for at least six people, large round tables dotted the dining area and there was even a sleek little bar up front for those who just wanted to have a few cocktails. The menu boasts an eclectic mix of vegan, meat and seafood dishes with each meal starting with a whimsical bowl of rice crackers taking on a rainbow flair. Classic chickpea, potato and wheat crisp Papri Chaat got an exciting boost of flavor from the addition of coriander and pomegranate chutney. While the plump Tandoori Sh...