3 NYC Indian Restaurants To Try Right Now

For many years, Indian food was an afterthought on the New York City food scene. But, with thoughtful preparations using familiar ingredients in creative ways, Indian cuisine is at the forefront of the next foodie trend. The summer 2017 issue of Elliman Magazine  and Ted Loos give us the lowdown on three of-the-moment Indian restaurants. Make sure to try them before you can’t get a reservation.   1.  PAOWALLA Courtesy of Paowalla   Mumbai native, chef Floyd Cardoz, is leading the New Indian charge with his Indian trattoria, Paowalla, in SoHo. Tucked into a space that was for years an Italian restaurant, Paowalla features appealingly modest, smart-casual decor—navy banquettes, lime-washed brick walls. The food massively over-delivers, from the cheddar cheese kulcha bread to the shrimp and baby squid biryani and the chicken-liver masala. Cardoz has thrown out the rulebook entirely. “We’re using familiar ingredients in some very different ways,” says the chef, who is applying classic techniques and preparations to foods like artichokes, which are unheard of in India.   2.  INDIAN ACCENT Credit: Christopher Villano   The modern elegance of Indian Accent, with its flourishes of marble and gold, lets you know right away that you’re not in an old-school Indian restaurant, not to mention its location in the Parker Meridien Hotel. The founding chef Manish Mehrotra devised the menu, which is beautifully executed on site by chef Vivek Rana. Menu highlights include scallops, gunpowder (yes, gunpowder!) and turmeric potato in a Kerala moilee, part of a $75 three-course prix-fixe dinner. Clever cocktails and a far-ranging, high-quality wine list round out the experience, which works for date night, a business meeting, or any time when making an impression counts.   3.  PONDICHERI Credit: Julie Kesselman & Hamzeh Zahran   The Flatiron District is home to Pondicheri, which has an extremely casual vibe, snazzy tiled floors, and hipster light fixtures with exposed filaments. This newcomer helmed by chef-owner Anita Jaisinghani, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even offers takeout. Vegetarians won’t want to miss the Meatless Monday dinner menu (no animals available), especially the saag and egg dosa, a perfect twist on the current trend of eating eggs anytime.   Find a home near these amazing restaurants by  searching our New York City  properties here .