I reviewed Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi food and 200 Muslim men –link
Posts tagged indian
Kathi Rolls’ Seekh Kabab
One of the boarded up restaurant in Curry Hill finally opened up –Kathi Rolls, where Kabab Factory used to be. Interestingly enough, they kept part of the name “Kathi Rolls by Kabab Factory” on the sign. I’m not sure it is the same people since most of what I read about the new place is that it’s owned by the Bhatti Indian Grill across the street. Kathi Rolls is a clean, young trendy looking place …almost like a Pinkberry version of Kabab Factory.
I got the Seekh Kabab (lamb) Kati Roll $5 with my choice of free vegetable toppings (onions, lettuce, tomato, peppers, egg, etc.) I held back the urge to get everything and just picked a few that I thought would compliment a lamb kati roll. It was nice, spicy and a decent size. The paratha/Indian flat bread was soft and pillowy.
I’m now curious about Bhatti Indian Grill. They have a lunch buffet that I’ve heard they bring to you plated. For the price of two kathi rolls, a buffet is a pretty good deal.
I’m also interested in the future state of Curry Hill and how it plays out. Seems like more trendier places are setting in and taking over the hole-in-the-wall joints. But it isn’t as if the trendier places are any more expensive. I would say it’s like how a lot of Thai places have become trendy looking yet affordable (i.e. Planet Thai, Sea). And with the trendy looking DhaBa taking over the old Dosa Hut next door to Bhatti, the block seems more like a destination for college kids than cab drivers.
Kathi Rolls – 101 Lexington Ave (btw 27th & 28th St) New York, NY 10079
Sirtaj’s Batair Masala Quail
A couple of weeks ago, I was craving curry. I don’t know when I’m not. Anyway I went to the closest Indian place to my work, Sirtaj. I decided to try their Friday daily special, Batair Masala (quail cooked in special sauce served with rice or paratha or naan) $6 after tax or whatever they charge from the $5.50 price.
I was wondering if they already had the quails cooked and pre-prepared since it’s their daily special. But how many people actually order the quail? I waited ten minutes, so I’m not sure what that means in their kitchen.
To my surprise, the quail came whole in a small soup container filled with brown curry sauce. The sauce was the winner. The quail was tricky to eat with the small bones and using only a plastic fork and spoon. It was good though. I just kept wondering how fresh the bird was. The cup of white sauce is delicious too. And as I said before, that brown quail sauce is awesome. It didn’t taste too spicy as I was eating, but I was definitely sweating.
I did come back another day and tried their Chicken Tikka Masala, thinking it will probably be the same sauce …masala sauce? But it wasn’t. It was red and yucky. That came out in ten seconds after I ordered. So they must have some food already prepared back there.
Next time, I can do with just the Batair Masala sauce sans quail. But look how cool that lil’ guy is just chilling on that platter of rice. It’s the next Spuds MacKenzie.
Sirtaj – 36 W 26th St (btw Bway & 6th Ave) New York 10010
Curry Express Indian Restaurant & Sweets
I wanted to take my new camera out and dine-in in Curry Hill (late 20’s of Lexington Ave). There’s a few places that are low-lit and would be great to try out some shots. I was thinking of Kabab House’s unlimited kabab special in their dark dining room. But like several other places on the strip, it’s closed for renovations or a for new upcoming Indian restaurant …including Tamil Nadu Bhavan (Dosa Hut) where I’ve had one of my favorite lunches, which is now all boarded up.
I ended up at Curry Express, which I believe has also gone through it’s own outside renovations. I remember passing this place and thinking it used to be just Indian sweets, but on the contrary as I stepped in for the first time. Steamed trays of Indian food and a flat screen playing an awesome 60’s Bollywood film, where there was a 60 year-old tranny in a choreographed dance/fight scene and the guys were swinging at each other with colored handkerchiefs. It reminded me of the old Batman TV show.
I got the curry goat with two veggies (saag & mixed vegetables) $7. It came with a small salad and bowl of cool white sauce. Pretty good, although I’m starting to think all these places taste about the same.
I’m pretty happy with my new camera. The food pic below has no Photoshop re-touching (which I usually do to all my photos). I have a feeling my camera let me enjoy my meal more. Perhaps the Bollywood movie helped too.
[update on the camera: The new Canon S90 is a tad bigger than my old SD1100 IS. And with the selectable ring around the lens, it gets a little tight in the back pocket of my skinny jeans. I'm afraid to sit on it. I used to sit on my old one all the time ...and slide on the floor during karaoke. but maybe that's why some of the buttons don't work anymore.]
Curry Express – 130 E 29th St (btw 3rd & Lexington Ave) New York 10016
La.Sani’s Lamb Feet
I was craving some Pakistani food the other day, so I headed over to the two Pakistan/Indian/Bangladesh restaurants that are side by side on 29th St. The kind of restaurants with curries already cooked and ready to serve from steam trays. When I got there, there were 200 Muslims lined up and praying right in front of the two restaurants. I even saw guys abandoning their nearby halal carts and running over to line up. I didn’t know what to do. I really wanted some curry, but I didn’t want to be the one jerk who interrupted 200 Muslims’ prayer to get that curry.
Anyway I came back. Went to La.Sani where I’ve had their chicken curry lunch special before. I asked the guy to name all the stuff they had out. One of them was lamb feet. Alright! New to me. Time to try. I got the lamb feet with a side of okra and veggies on brown rice. The guy loaded it up and it looked awesome, until he squashed it down with the flat lid. I tried to spring some life back into it in the photo below. It also comes with a small salad wrapped in foil and a small cup of cool creamy cucumber-type sauce.
If you ever tried pig feet, lamb feet is somewhat similar. Not much meat, if any. Mostly gelatinous stuff that is almost like fat (possibly it is partly fat?), but it’s lighter than pig’s feet and less of it (at least in this dish). The lamb feet bones are long and skinny. It’s mostly bones and cartilage here and a bit of the edible gelatinous stuff. I was a little embarrassed if a co-worker caught me sucking the marrow out of the lamb feet bones. I got some of it out.
The okra and veggies were tasty. Not overly spicy. And the cool cucumber-type sauce was good over everything. $7.
La.Sani Restaurant – 15 W 29th St (btw Broadway & 5th Ave) NYC 10001
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