Continuing our discovery of restaurant through Restaurant Week offers, I picked Tamarind, an Indian restaurant located in Tribeca. I saw that they offer an Executive Lunch for $25, so there was little risk for us to go there for Restaurant Week.
Sadly, the scaffoldings on the art deco building this place is located in are masking the restaurant, but, as soon as you enter, you cannot miss the fantastic decor and the space.
So we sat at a table close to the kitchen that opened into the dining room.
Before we ordered our food, they brought us some rice with mint sauce as an amuse-bouche.
This was a nice way to start, the dish being flavorful, with a bit of spiciness.
As a beverage, I ordered a mango lassi that was not too sweet and perfect to fight any heat that the dishes had:
Then, we ordered our appetizers. Jodi went for the spinach and watermelon salad:
It was composed, besides the watermelon and spinach, of grilled paneer (cheese), and drizzled with a tamarind-balsamic dressing. I really liked it as it was refreshing and the cheese and watermelon paired very well together, the cheese being chewy and the watermelon crunchy, giving a nice texture to each bite.
On my side, I ordered the crab nazakat:
It was made of lump crab meat, mustard seeds, curry leaves, lemon zest, honey and coconut, and was served with a papadum. I liked it although a bit watery: it was refreshing and had a nice balance of flavor, the sweetness of the honey balancing the acidity of the lemon zest. However, if it was not for the place and the papadum, I would not have associated this dish with Indian cuisine.
Then, we had to pick two entrees. Jodi ordered the Potli Baingan:
It was eggplant smothered in a sauce made with potatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, cumin and coriander seeds. That was very good! I truly appreciated the fact that the eggplant was not overpowered by the sauce that was creamy and mild.
Her second choice was mehti paneer:
It was paneer (cheese) bathed in a thick sauce made with fenugreek leaves, coriander, yogurt, onion and garam masala. This was delicious too, the sauce being smooth and very tasty.
On my side, I ordered Murg Kali Mirch and Taar Korma.
Murg Kali Mirch were some pieces of chicken that were seasoned and grilled with a sauce that had white and black pepper.
This was delicious: the chicken was perfectly cooked and moist, with a nice char and the sauce thick and a bit spicy. Definitely a dish I recommend.
The second dish, Taar Korma, was lamb smothered in a tomato and yogurt sauce that had ginger juice and saffron.
That was another fantastic dish: the lamb was very good, and the sauce delicious. In fact, I could have eaten it with or without the lamb, simply with some naan bread, or with the five spice rice that was served with our dishes.
They also brought us the vegetable side of the day that was made with spinach and potatoes:
That was a nice addition to our meal, although I wish there was more potato (we got only one small piece).
They also brought us some naan that was fluffy, with some nice char.
Last was dessert. Jodi ordered the Mango Shrikand that was like a mango yogurt with pieces of mango on top.
On my side, I ordered Khubani Halwa:
It was made with apricot, almond and honey.
I really liked the texture and taste of it and it was not too sweet. It was perfect with the double espresso I drank with it.
I really liked my lunch at Tamarind: I think this restaurant is really embracing the concept of restaurant week by making people discover their cuisine, proposing them not one but two entrees as well as an amuse-bouche and an additional side. Needless to say that at the end of the meal I was full, content to have a good deal, and looking forward to going back for dinner to discover other dishes.
Enjoy (I did)!
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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!
| * Restaurant Name | |
|---|---|
| Tamarind Tribeca | |
| * Overall | |
| ★★★☆☆ | |
| * Neighborhood / Cuisine | |
| TriBeCa / Indian | |
| * Street Address | |
| 99 Hudson St., New York, NY 10013 | |
| * Phone | |
| (212) 775-9000 |
