I am a huge fan of Chef Hemant Matur who is known for being the first Indian Chef in the US to obtain a coveted Michelin star across two New York City restaurants: Devi and Tulsi. I followed him across the years in his culinary exploration, with Saar Bistro being his latest venture years ago before opening Veerays last year. I love the concept that is well represented there: this is the first Indian speakeasy in the Big Apple and you get that feel from the beginning, with its small entrance that brings you to a comfy, lounge like dining room, that can be busy at time (so, reservations are strongly suggested).

I love their cocktail menu that definitely embraces the theme, with cocktails names after gangsters like Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, or Lucky Luciano ($20) that I got the first time we went. Made with rye, orange juice, lemon juice and grenadine, its vibrant red color reminded me of the bloody prohibition period. At our next visit, I got their Charles “king” Solomon ($20), in memoriam of a Boston mob boss. This cocktail, also known as sidecar, was made with Hennessey cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice. They also have mocktails, but none of them were interesting for Jodi, so, the first time we went, she asked if they could make something else for her and she ended up with a Shirley Temple ($6). In our next visit, interestingly, the waiter told her that they could not make anything other than what is on the menu.

The menu is interesting, the Chef menu offering an exotic meat tasting ($88), for the whole table with a one week booking in advance, that is comprised of interesting meats like Ostrich, Kangaroo, Yak, alligator or Camel. So far, I could not find anyone courageous enough to come with me to try it, but, at least, I was able to try their camel seekh kebab ($28), that was served with a date chutney and an olive garlic naan. Packed with spices and with a bit of heat, I admit that they would have served me some other meat, I might not have noticed. But at least, I can say that I tried camel. I also got their Achari quail ($17), that is marinated in spices before being grilled and served with a fig chutney. Quail is difficult to cook as it can quickly be overcooked, but at Veerays, it was perfect and I did not mind the spiciness of the dish at all, the yogurt and tamarind of the samosa chaat ($12) helping with the fire in my mouth.

Another appetizer we tried was Avni’s Prohibition Bhaji ($14), mashed mixed vegetables cooked in a tomato gravy that was accompanied with soft pav, that were two buttery breads, taming a bit the slightly spiciness of the dish. The way you eat is by simply making a sandwich. But the dish Jodi loved the most is their portobello mushroom ($22) that is a paneer stuffed mushroom served with black wild rice. This is a nice dish, the portobello mushroom having a meaty texture and the rice was delicious, quite tasty.

One entree I was definitely looking forward to trying was The Don’s lamb chops ($48), as it is the signature of Chef Matur: lamb chops served with marble potatoes and a pear chutney. I love lamb and was definitely not disappointed, the spices, although clearly present, not overpowering the gamey taste of the meat.

With our meal, we also tried few sides and breads: the Amul cheese naan ($6) was good, but I was expecting more cheese in it. However, their coconut naan ($6) was incredible! Fluffly, nicely charred, it definitely has a soft coconut taste that gave another dimension to it. Their Dal Makhani ($14) was also delicious and is a must have, being creamy and comforting, and their Gobhi Taka Tin ($12), that is cauliflower sautéed with peppers, was also earty and packed with flavors.

Dessert, that they also call the “Curtain Call”, was a nice way to end an incredible meal. Of course we had to try their gulab jamun or Masquerade balls ($10), that were served in a velevety cream, that cut a bit the sweetness of one of my favorite desserts. We also tried their ice cream, called Handcuff ($10), that is a cardamon ice cream that sits on a cardamon cream. This was superb: dense, it was quite creamy. Another must have, even in cold days!

I am not sure why it took me so long to try Veerays: the food there is fantastic and exciting. This is definitely a place to know if you want to have modern Indian cuisine.

Enjoy (I did)!

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Veerays - 213 E 45th Street, New York, NY 10017

Veerays, NYC first Speakeasy from Chef Hemant Matur

Brunch at Leonetta in New York City