I’m a big fan of the $2 microwavable Trader Joe’s Indian packets. I checked out the new store on 6th Ave and 21st St, grabbed a bunch of those packets and a box of this Thali meal. Basically it’s two of the Indian packets and rice for $4. Serves 2 and seems like a good deal. Easy, just microwave the packets. One of the packets did fall over and spill in the microwave. The Aloo Matar (peas and potatoes) was okay and the Yellow Daal was gross and chalky. I’d stick to the $2 Indian packets. They taste better and are spicy.
Speaking of which, I’ve had the Indian packets for five office days in a row now. I don’t know what my coworkers think when they see me spooning curry from a paper plate. It looks like something out of a baby’s diaper. Today, I was putting it in the microwave and it spilled and splattered onto the counter. It wasn’t pretty.
Dave got us to go to the free Shit Horse show at the Mercury Lounge last week. It was really fun. The singer is a real character. He’s like the black Rusty 5 years from now.
Afterwards, headed across the street to fill ourselves up on cheap spicy Indian food at Punjabi Deli. $1 Samosas and $3 small bowl of rice with two veggies is such a good deal. It was perfect filler to end the night.
Punjabi Deli – 114 E 1st St (btwn 1st Ave & Ave A) New York, NY 10009
I ventured North in search of something sloppy and ended up trying Minar Indian Restaurant. The food’s already made and ready to point. I got the two meat and one vegetable for $7.99 plus tax –Curry Goat with bones, Ground Lamb (which I almost said beef, but I’m glad I caught myself because they probably would have been repulsed), and some yellow curry vegetable. Must get the little green peppers to spice things up. Everything’s tasty after blazing your mouf on fire.
I ate next to two people who were so boring. Serves me right for eavesdropping.
Clay wrote about the time we ate a dish of cheese and gravy at Chinese Mirch. This is the same day I ate White Castle Sweet Potato Fries …and then a can of green peas for dessert.
I don’t know if this is new, but first time I’ve seen this –a regular Halal street truck converted to Indian. You can still see the old breakfast menu (croissant, coffee) behind the Indian art they hung up. I got the Chicken Tikka Masala ($5) and it tasted like regular street chicken with mild masala sauce.
The next day, I brought Sam. I got a vegetarian Aloo Masala Kati Roll ($3.50) and it was delicious. Spiced potatoes, some corn and onion, wrapped in a greasy paratha. I saw them squirt lemon and season it before they closed it up. Awesome!
I pretty much forced Sam to get the Chicken Curry because they didn’t have the Tikka Masala ready, even though he doesn’t eat spicy food. It was too spicy for him and he ate a hair in it. At least they gave him a banana, but he didn’t eat it. I wonder if there was a hair in it.
Desi Truck – SouthEast corner of 27th St and 5th Ave, NYC 10010
Shonali had a small get-together for her birthday at Mitali East while her mother was in town. I split a vegetarian & non-vegetarian combination platter with Mia. I almost thought they were both the same thing. The dishes weren’t too spicy like most places on curry row, but something in one of the chutneys for the papadum crackers they serve at the beginning was pretty hot …and I’ve been on the bhut jolokia hot sauce diet.
I got pretty sauced on the big bottles of Indian beers they have there. It was like a record skipping to crickets when I swore in front of Shonali’s mother. I always thought you could swear when you became an adult. I didn’t know it was a generation thing.
They gave us glasses of this tasty licorice drink at the end of our meal, that we all thought was Sambuca. I don’t think it had any alcohol or maybe it was that good.
Mitali East – 334 E 6th St (btwn 2nd & 1st Ave) New York, NY 10003