Glenn C.
Yelp
Side note- Menu in person is a little bit different. They also had a bunch of specials, including a fried chicken appetizer, a whole crab, two other types of biryani (chicken and shrimp,) and a few others.
I was at this excellent new Indian restaurant earlier in the evening with one of my groups, whose chef used to cook for some of the Unapologetic Foods spots. The food was overall delicious, and while there were some hiccups in the service, it's understandable given how new they are. They were also very friendly and apologetic about the dosas taking so long, as one of the tawa grills was broken. They currently don't have a drink menu, but they do offer the usual Indian sodas and a non-alcoholic beer (Athletic Brewing). The restaurant is BYOB for now, and they should have a license by the end of December or so.
The only appetizer we got was the S.P.D.P for $8, listed as "crispy puris, chutneys, yogurt, sev. The OG Mumbai munch." This was an excellent version of pani puri, or, in this case, dahi puri, since the filling was dahi/yogurt. It was a bit sweet but not too much, and there was a mild heat, presumably from the powder on top. The bit of sev on top added a nice crunch, along with the puri's texture. This was very tasty and very much worth it, as it came with four pieces.
The best main dish was the Goat Biriyani Military Style for $28, listed as "fall-off-the-bone goat, with whole spices & short grain rice." It was a bit different from the usual biryani in a few ways: The bread crust/dome was much more cooked down and edible rather than just used as a cooking tool, and the rice was short-grain instead of the usual long-grain. Outside of these minor differences, the flavors were outstanding, with the goat extremely tender and the masala blend strong but not overpowering. There were plenty of crunchy onions, and the dish was nice and spicy, with the raita, which had some chopped vegetables, helping to balance the heat. Overall, this reminded me of the old Adda biryani before they moved to the East Village, outside of the short-grain rice, and I would highly recommend it.
There was also a delicious version of Szechuan Noodles for $16 listed as "Noodles with crunchy veg. Wok-tossed with fiery flavor." Compared to other spots that serve Indian Chinese food, I found the noodles a bit less oily and a bit spicier, which I appreciated, and the dish was only mildly sweet. I also liked the abundance of onions, though this is also because I'm not the hugest fan of bell peppers. The portion size was nice as well, with an ample amount of noodles.
The Smoky Butter Chicken for $19, listed as "Tandoori chicken in silky tomato gravy. Enough said," was also very tasty, though a bit expensive, since rice isn't included (it's an extra $5.) Compared to other spots, the gravy wasn't overly sweet and had a good amount of spice. The chicken was also tender inside, though I prefer larger pieces of meat elsewhere, even if it's a bit less tender. Aside from the price point, this was tasty and would work perfectly with the biryani.
The Podi Masala Dosa for $14, listed as "crisp dosa with podi & potato. South Indian soul food," was also tasty. However, I found that some other spots make a crispier dosa, such as the pretty close-by but fancier Lor, without mentioning some of the southern Indian spots specializing in dosas and other similar southern Indian breakfasts. The bit of potato inside had good flavor, and the podi added a bit of heat and crunch to the outside. The coconut chutney on the side was very nice as well.
The last dish was the Silver Pomfret Rava Fry for $20, which was initially $24, and was listed as "A Konkan coastal specialty. Pomfret marinated in spices, coated in semolina, and pan-fried until golden and crisp." The best part of the fish was the outside due to the spiced semolina, which added a wonderful crunch. However, the fish inside wasn't as flavorful as a similar dish at Gazab. There is also apparently a masala variant on the online menu, which I would try next time, as it would probably penetrate the fish more and be closer to the latter restaurant. This was pretty good overall.
The only thing I can really complain about this place is that the service was a bit disorganized. Still, if I'm just counting the food alone and presuming that the service qualms will go away once they've been open for longer, I would heavily recommend this restaurant. I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually have long lines and are difficult to get into, just like Masalawala and other spots from the same group. Would highly recommend them, and I wish them good luck, and I will likely check out their brunch some weekend I'm empty.
