Restaurant Review: Regal Indian Fare

Banjara (97 First Avenue, New York, NY 10003)

Cafe Drake adores all things Indian as most of you know, especially the dazzling plethora of dishes comprising the world's most complex cuisine (typical Indian lunches even in remote villages typically offer 12+ dishes not including bread, rice and any number of condiments). With hundreds of East Asian restaurants in New York's five boroughs, we've made it a point to consistently try as many as possible, often following leads from local papers, Chowhound and other fanatical message boards. Additionally, it's a rare visit to any city or town - domestic or abroad - that doesn't find Cafe D at least once sampling the local Indian fare.

Perhaps that might explain (if not entirely excuse) the occasional minty fit thrown when served sub-standard sub-continental grub - a travesty given the plethora of good to great options available nearly worldwide. Our hometown is never going to seriously compete or course with the banquet of London curry shops, where most of our best meals in the genre occurred; then again we're not close to officially naming Chicken Tikka Masala the national dish as Great Britain did in 2003.

Perhaps the best moderately-priced Indian experience on the East Village's Curry Row (East 6th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, home to nearly 20 Indian restaurants) can be had at Banjara. Vaguely upscale compared to the curry joints of yesteryear (another sad casualty of the late 90's poverty purge of New York, eradicating in one fell Giuliani bear claw swoop, an entire creative culture and alternate way of life so famous to the city), Banjara carries its new haughty crown well - and deserves every syrupy accolade soon to be spooned out here, as though anointing the classic honey-drenched dessert, gulab jamon. See how corny we get when describing GOOD Indian food, such is the excitement?

"Before you opt for something lighter and brighter than this view from a street where inner city life is revealed without colorful candy coating, bear in mind this: Don't give up on theater as a means to look at rather than away from real people living lives of not so quiet and uneventful desperation." - from CurtainUp.com

But first, let us backtrack and get lost on tangents like any good cocktail party drunk. Tired from work and besieged by a cold October rain, Cafe Drake and good friend Jen Lazzaro left a performance of Lab Theater's A View from 151st Street at Astor Place's grand Public Theater in search of wine and comfort food. The deeply flawed play (though bolstered by the incredible performances of (forever genius) Lisa Colon-Zayas, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Andre Royo) resonated with uncomfortable realities needing to be drowned in cheap vino and korma sauce. Banjara soothes luckily as much as it ignites fires in the mouth. Good papadums and the inevitable trio of relishes are above average here, as is a wine list geared towards smart selections (though most hover around the $40 mark). In turn a smartly selected choice was a $28 California Pinot Noir, drinkable and heartier than the typical Pinot N - a good foil to the spices to come.

Our shared starter was a platter of South Indian specialities, Dhaksin Se Shuru ($7.95); namely, a baby dosa (Indian crepe filled with potatoes and nuts); steamed idli (a lentil and rice "dinner roll") and coconut and tamarind chutneys. Aloo paratha ($4) was bread perfection, flaky and wholegrain and stuffed with mustard seed-laced mashed potatoes and onions. Equal kudos to the traditional Lamb Vindaloo ($15): tender morsels of browned meat nestled beneath a thick sauce of many spices, vinegar and fiery chiles. Our favorite dish was a rare wonder, absent from most menus but based on an ancient recipe - Sharabi Kababi ($16). How to describe? Chunks of chicken breast meat, moist as thunderclouds, are marinated 24 hours in sweet Indian wine then given the tandoori oven treatment till blackened slightly but just cooked through, the resulting heaven simmered further in a mild cream sauce and accompanied by tandoori-grilled vegetables of every color.

We'll gladly squirm and wince through a "challenging" play every week if Banjara is a promised post-theater payoff!