whats best indian place in manhattan? need 'upscale' vs 'authentic' experience for birthday party with people who dont particularly love indian food. heard dawat near bloomingdales was very good but not so anymore. devi or ada? thanks
Agree Tamarind is awesome...for decor and that 'upscale' experience. But IMO it's very average for quality of food. Tabla is another savvy experience but, there too, I've found the food to be too 'fushion' to be authentic. Bombay Talkie is a cute place in Chelsea that actually gets fushion food right. Being an Indian, for taste, my money's on Amma and Bukhara Grill, both of which blend food and ambience well. For great food on the cheap, try Balucci's (sp?) in the village (I think Spring) off of 6th Avenue. If you're clamoring for South Indian food, Curry Hill (surprisingly) has some good spots, including Chennai Garden and Pongal. Best.
A friend's site (I changed the background on the elephants 4 years ago from tan to white.) http://www.britus.org/curry/restaurants.php I don't think he's updated site much as of late, but, quite a few to choose from - some with his ratings. He also takes pictures in and around New York. http://www.africanprince.com/contents.php
I seem to remember somebody to organize an FChat dinner night at such a place. Vik, Utkarsh, when's it gonna happen????
I've eaten at many highly-rated Indian restaurants in Westchester, NYC, and Northern NJ over the past twenty years. And in my opinion the best Indian place in the NY metro area by far is Karma Kafe in Hoboken, NJ. For example, it's much better than Jackson Diner in Queens, which is Zagat's top rated NYC Indian restaurant. It's not uncommon to see people from midtown take the PATH out to Hoboken just for that restaurant, especially for the lunch buffet.
I lived in Hoboken until recently, and I agree that Karma Kafe is outstanding. It isn't as authentically cheesy as the places in Curry Hill or east 6th Street, but the food is awesome and (if you like this) very spicy. Across the river, Tabla and Tamarind are both excellent, but a completely different experience. Indian fusion food is ... interesting, but obviously not very authentic.
