Indian/Pakistani
Roti Boti: If it’s good enough for Metta World Peace…
If you guys were not in New York to experience the winter storm, this “nor’easter” as they call it (clearly, the first time I’ve ever heard that term in my life which says a lot coming from a Chicagoan)…just know it was no joke.
NYC yesterday (pic: daily beast)
The wind, the snow, the cold, the puddles…it was not a day to be outside at all. Just go home, throw your soaked socks in the hamper, and jump under a fleece on the couch, and watch copious amounts of TV. Everyone else? They’re idiots.
Unfortunately, I was one of those idiots. But for good reason, I swear: My friend, Asif Ali, was performing at the famous Carolines on Broadway for the NY Comedy Festival’s Comics to Watch, and the line up quickly proved to be worth trekking through the snow for the show (ok maybe it was just six blocks of trekking for me, but…irrelevant).
Carolines
Matt & Meera in Hoboken, NJ
By Munia Islam
I had my eyes on this place for a while. Every time I would see the paper covering over the windows, I wondered how many more days until it opened up. And then one day while walking by, we saw that the paper covering was gone, and the place was open—the place was Matt & Meera.
My South Asian heritage clearly had its biases, as I looked at the name and thought Meera…I wonder what kind of food they will serve?! As its name suggests, it’s a indo-fusion restaurant. Just opened in Hoboken, New Jersey on June 23rd, and is a comfortable home feeling with a contemporary twist.
pomegranate ginger ale
Tiffin Wallah in Curry Hill
Tiffin Wallah
A couple weeks ago was one of the first times in a while that I went to an Indian restaurant. It’s not that I don’t like the food of my peoples (au contraire, I love), it’s just that I don’t really think about going to a restaurant to getting my hands on some chicken tikka masala. But you know, I live away from home, and (clearly) I don’t make enough time to cook at home. When my friends suggested we get dosas for dinner, I was game for once so we headed over to Tiffin Wallah in “Curry Hill” (that’s a totally non-official name for you non-NY’ers, but it refers to the desi-restaurant laden area of Murray Hill).
Papri chaat
We broke fast with papri chaat (crisp fried dough, chick peas, tamarind sweet yogurt and date chutney) kinda like how I would at home (did I mention I miss home?). My friend Miral ordered some Indian naan-pizza thing which we can’t remember the name for the life of us…I think it was the Chili+Cheese Dosa they have (they say it’s their version of a quesadilla and that sounds about right).
It's like an Indian pizza...
Dosas at Hampton Chutney Co. in Soho
This is probably the closest I’ll ever get to the anything-Hampton:
Hampton Chutney Co.
Inside Hampton Chutney Co.
I’ve always intended to check out Hampton Chutney Co., but I somehow find myself planting myself inside Ruby’s nearby (any excuse I can make for their Blueys sandwich and pumpkin salad I guess). It’s kind of a shame I do that, because the whole area is lined with so many different restaurants. On a recent shopping trip to Soho though, I finally decided to stop in and try some of their dosas (think a rice-and-lentil flour crepe stuffed with savory potatoes and other veggies).
Tandoori Nights in Sacramento
Chicken
Lamb
The first place my dad took me out to eat on a recent visit to Sacramento, CA, was his favorite restaurant in the area, Tandoori Nights.
Noodle Bar in Greenwich Village…Love
There’s nothing I didn’t love about the food we had at Noodle Bar down in Greenwich Village. Their Pan-Asian food is a healthy mix of Thai, Indian, and Korean-inspired (at least by my count). I ordered their Coconut Shrimp dish with spicy flat noodles.
Coconut Shrimp & Spicy Rice Noodle, $11
What I loved about this dish was the jumbo shrimp was covered by a thick fried coconut shell where you can really taste the flavor. The flat noodles were delicious too, not overly-doused in oil.
