Indian Food in NYC

January 6, 2006 7:38 AM

Where can I find great Indian food in NYC?
posted by spaghetti to Food & Drink (20 answers total)

You can't. You can find passable Indian food on Lex in the 20s. It is a known fact that there is almost zero authentic, well done Indian in NYC. Do a search at Chowhound.com for a full report.
posted by spicynuts at 7:47 AM on January 6, 2006

Dosa Hut on Lex at 27th has really good South Indian. But if you want the real stuff, go to Jackson Heights. There are plenty of excellent Indian places there: unfortunately, the one I used to go to is closed now, so I don't have a specific place to recommend.
posted by rottytooth at 8:01 AM on January 6, 2006

Angon and Banjara are both on 6th St and neither deserve that address. I've never been disappointed at either (though I go to Banjara more often).
posted by gaspode at 8:02 AM on January 6, 2006

Manhattan is pretty bleak, but head to Queens! I adore the Jackson Diner, in Jackson Heights (a majority South Asian neighborhood). The naan and mustard greens (sarso ka sag) are especially delicious. It's only about a 15-minute subway ride from midtown on the F train.
posted by ilyanassa at 8:05 AM on January 6, 2006

Chennai Garden on 27th between Lex & Park has very good, I ndians from Mumbai approved, buffet lunches during weekdays. You'll find a mix of North & South Indian cusines.

Sarvana Bhavan Dosa Hut on Lex between 27th & 28th also has good South Indian but their North Indian is avg.

Almost any Baluchi's has better North Indian food than Jackson Diner. Jackson Diner used to be good but their quality & taste have deteriorated over time.

You can get good Bombay style junk food at Sukhadia's Midtown Manhattan
17 West 45th Street
New York City, NY
(between 5th and 6th Avenue)
Phone : [phone]

You can get good parathas at Indian Bread Co. on Bleecker St.
posted by riffola at 8:14 AM on January 6, 2006

YOU CAN FIND GREAT TRADITIONAL INDIAN FOOD AT MINAR 134WEST 46TH STREET NY A BIT SPARSE BUT TRY THE DOSA'S 10 OUT OF TEN
posted by baker dave at 8:18 AM on January 6, 2006

P.S. My post is based on not just my tastes but also based on what my elder sisters like. We were all born & brought up in Bombay, so take it for what it is worth. Others may insist Jackson Diner is excellent, it used to be but we find they skimp on quality now, their samosas have reduced in size and are often undercooked. Vatan on 3rd & 28th is a Gujarati cuisine based restaurant, but as per my Gujarati family, we prefer the Gujarati fare from Dimple in Jackson Heights or Manhattan & we definitely prefer Sukhadia's Gujarati cuisine.
posted by riffola at 8:20 AM on January 6, 2006

Also this has been covered so many times before here on Ask MeFi.
posted by riffola at 8:22 AM on January 6, 2006

Response by poster: I thought there had been stuff on this before, but I did a few different searches and didn't find anything. Do you have links to other threads?
posted by spaghetti at 8:39 AM on January 6, 2006

At the higher end of Indian food there is "Surya", between Grove St and 7th Ave. I believe the chef's cuisine is restricetd to a certain area of India, but it's great nevertheless. A little expensive, but excellent food. I generally avoid Indian row, though. Also, although it's not strictly Indian, "Tabla" is also supposed to be good, and is on my list of restaurants to visit soon.
posted by DannyUKNYC at 8:42 AM on January 6, 2006

I can't find it either. I could've sworn we've covered it before. Oh well no harm in compiling it again in an easy to find place.

As for expensive restaurants, Shaan at Rockefeller Center has semi-decent roomali roti (very thin napkin like) and decent food. Tamarind just north of Union Sq. is pretty good too.
posted by riffola at 9:07 AM on January 6, 2006

By napkin, I actually meant handkerchief.
posted by riffola at 9:08 AM on January 6, 2006

I second the recommendation for Chennai Garden.

Jackson Heights has some great spots as well, though unfortunately, more snack stops than proper restaurants. Amazing, amazing, artery-clogging good samosas, pakora and chaat at Maharajah Sweets. Though if you're going to Jackson Heights, go to the Argentinian steakhouse for God's sake and get a steak.

Tangra Masala in Sunnyside makes some mean Chinese-Indian food. It's Indian-style Chinese food basically; but what a good, good restaurant. Also in Sunnyside is Spicy Mina's. People either love it or hate it; if I'm not mistaken there's a ton of conversation on Chowhound?

For upscale Indian in Manhattan, try Mainland India, Copper Chimney, Brick Lane or Salaam Bombay. All great (if expensive) spots with stuff better than ye olde chicken korma.
posted by huskerdont at 9:08 AM on January 6, 2006

The best Indian food I've had recently was at Dakshin on 88th and 1st. (yes, the UES, wouldjableeve.) Really really good. They have a Hell's Kitchen outpost too but I haven't been there.
posted by FailedSeductress at 9:30 AM on January 6, 2006

The chowhound links are:

Manhattan discussion board

Outer boroughs discussion board


[And at the risk of excess repetition: these are high quality (moderated) discussion boards, where you can post a question - if what you want to know isn't already there - and read responses at no cost and without even registering.]
posted by WestCoaster at 10:12 AM on January 6, 2006

someone needs to create a rottentomatoes-type interface for Chowhound. Everytime I go there I'm literally about to starve by the time I find a place I want to go.
posted by any major dude at 10:37 AM on January 6, 2006

Tamarind
posted by event at 11:01 AM on January 6, 2006

Let me second a couple of comments here:

a) You can't find great Indian food in NYC

b) You can find pretty decent Indian food at Banjara, 6th St and 1st.
posted by Decani at 11:44 AM on January 6, 2006

Another vote in the upscale category for Tamarind on E. 22nd.
posted by superfem at 9:08 PM on January 6, 2006

late to the party, but if you want to try Indian-Chinese, I just discovered CHINESE MIRCH on Lex and 29th - their Gobi Manchurian was really good
posted by darsh at 5:14 AM on March 21, 2006