"About a year ago, chef, cookbook author, and host of MasterChef India, Vikas Khanna met up with restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi, owner of Gramercy’s GupShup. There, a conversation about their families helped seal the partnership for their new restaurant, Bungalow, opening March 23 in the East Village, at 24 First Avenue, near East Second Street. Khanna, whose Junoon landed one of the first Michelin stars in New York for an Indian restaurant and held onto it for several years, was drawn to Rizvi’s project (the newest restaurant in his Bombay House Hospitality group) that, when it opens Saturday, will nod to the diversity of Indian cuisine paired with modern cooking techniques. The name Bungalow references Indian social clubs of the past from which a new style of cooking emerged. It includes elements from both home cooks and street vendors, according to Instagram, with examples of regional cooking from the Kashmir Valley to Tamil Nadu in the South. The menu is divided into small plates ($12 to $18), like Malai chicken with pomegranate garlic reduction, a purple sweet potato chaat, and yogurt kebabs. Large plates ($25 to $35) list a spice-roasted pineapple as well as goat Nihari. Bungalow classics include chicken biryani or one of a couple of daals. Naan, kulcha, and roti are available as sides. The eight to 10 drinks on the cocktail list come with names like the Holi moli, a spicy cocktail with Kashmiri chile-infused mezcal, to honor the spring Holi festival. And the Lucky Cheng references the drag bar that used to reside at this address in the 1990s. When it comes to design, much of the furniture and accents have been brought over from India, says Rizvi, from the chairs in the entryway to many of the books that they’re hoping will compile the largest collection of Indian cookbooks in New York. The 5,600 square-foot space with 125 seats is divided into three sections: the lounge, the dining area, and the kitchen, where there are also seats to dine. Starting at 5 p.m. on March 23, Bungalow will accept walk-ins only for March 23, 24, and 25. Reservations open from the morning of March 25." - Melissa McCart
