Masalawala & Sons
Indian restaurant · Park Slope ·
Bengali restaurant serving meat & vegetarian dishes, plus cocktails
Bengali restaurant serving meat & vegetarian dishes, plus cocktails
"Masalawala & Sons is from the team behind Semma and Dhamaka (another place you'll be hearing about shortly). This Park Slope spot reimagines staples from the city of Kolkata and surrounding region of West Bengal, with an emphasis on seafood. Get the tiger prawns served in a young coconut, or fried fish with kasundi, a tangy mustard, on the side. The food is on par with what you'll find at Masalawala's sister restaurants, and you'll want to spend all night in the big, festive space." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, neha talreja, carina finn koeppicus, sonal shah
"Masalawala & Sons is from the team behind spots like Dhamaka and Semma. At this point, they know their brand: inventive regional dishes you’ll have a hard time finding elsewhere in the city. Their focus here is on Bengali food, which means fish is king. Get the one wrapped in banana leaves, or try the tiger prawns in coconut milk. This food is on par with their other restaurants, but you’ll stay longer because the large space makes for a better hang. There’s a wedding party’s worth of colorful gajras hanging from the ceiling inside, and a roomy patio out back for the warmer months." - willa moore, neha talreja, will hartman
"Unapologetic Foods’s Indian restaurant centered on Kolkata is offering a $45 dinner. It begins with phuchka (Bengali-style pani puri) and ends with the bhapa doi, a creamy dessert. In between, there are appetizer options such as beguni (fried eggplant) or keema pao (minced meat) and entrees like chicken biryani or murgh rezala (chicken in a creamy curry)." - Melissa McCart
"Crispy phuchka served tableside is a showstopper: servers poke a hole in golf ball–sized, hollowed, deep-fried bread balls and stuff them with black chickpeas, potatoes, and chutneys, then ladle a spicy, slightly sour chilled broth into each ball before handing them over. The interplay of textures — the crunch of the shell, the soft chew of the potatoes, and the silky, tamarind-laced broth — creates a one-bite experience the reviewer knew they wouldn’t soon forget." - Eater Staff
"What's Different: The original Masalawala, which was on the LES and closed in spring 2021, featured dishes from owner Roni Mazumdar's hometown, Kolkata. You can still get some of those dishes at this Park Slope spot along with some new items. There's also a market in the restaurant where you can buy spice blends and home goods. Verdict: Masalawala & Sons is from the team behind Dhakama and Semma. At this point, they know their brand: inventive, hyper-specific regional Indian food you’ll have a hard time finding elsewhere in the city. The food is on par with their other restaurants, but you’ll stay longer because the bigger space is a better hang." - team infatuation
