Indian restaurants in East Village
Jul 18 '01 (Updated Jul 22 '01)
The Bottom Line I'm trying to save people the mistake of venturing into an inferior Indian restaurant in the East Village, so am pointing out that Haveli is better than most others.
In the area on and around 6th Street East of 2nd Avenue there's a vast choice of cheap, Indian restaurants, often decorated and some with guys standing in the doorway pleading with you to pick their place. It's a tough decision when you're unfamiliar with the places and we've tried a number, finding them mainly marginal insofar as the quality of food and the ambiance. The fact that there are no barkers out front persuading you to come in is the first hint that this restaurant is classier than those others. Once inside, the decor and help are clearly more professional. There are none of those orange bulbs that typically clutter up most of the claustrophobic, Indian places in the area. Tables are nicely set. The pace is leisurely. There's a full bar. There's even an outdoor eating area. To be fair, Haveli doesn't offer the bargain $7.95 dinners posted at many of the cheaper places, but the additional cost is well worth it as this restaurant is superior to the others.
Once seated, you'll be given a dish of papadum (Indian crackers). The menu has an interesting assortment of appetizers, from the usual pakora, soups, filled pastries. It's divided by type of food -- lamb, fish, etc. and type of sauce, so you'll find the same curried vegetables available in a rogan josh sauce or in a milder, creamy sauce. There are perhaps 8 vegetable choices, including eggplant, spinach & cheese, chickpeas, potatoes & cauliflower. Meat, fish and poultry are also listed with the same variety of sauces as the vegetables. Tandoori chicken, my test of any Indian restaurant, is excellent at Haveli -- moist, tender, well seasoned with a garnish of onions. Breads and rice are the standard Indian fare, again nicely prepared.
It's a fun, vibrant, youthful and trendy area that has changed in the past decade, so it's certainly well worth visiting. For Indian food, I'd certainly recommend Haveli, which will allow you to escape from the mediocre food served elsewhere on these blocks.
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Epinions.com ID:
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Reviews written: 401
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