Terrific Takeout: Andaz Authentic Indian Cuisine Winter 2016 Our Coverage Sponsored by Fresh Origins
Owner of Andaz, Kunwar Bist, with his Executive Chef, Mannual from Calcutta, India
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It's not who you know, it's WHOM YOU KNOW and we know Kunwar, who has the best Indian culinary endeavors on the Upper East Side. In a venue that is small but sweet, a common situation for many in Manhattan where real estate is at a premium, Kunwar and his Executive Chef Mannual endeavor to serve the most delicious Indian food that is not only spectacular tasting but also on the healthy side. Open since 2008, Andaz has been pleasing the palates of many locals...and again, we're letting you in on a secret. But maybe it's not anymore as Michelin put them in their 2016 guide.
Andaz was first featured last spring:
We were graciously greeted with a Mango Lassi, a mango yogurt smoothie. It's non-alcoholic and enlightens your taste buds.
We then tried Andaz's Green Salad: a garden fresh salad of lettuce, cucumber, carrots, tomato and onion. Each lines up at attention, and they were both careful and thoughtful to put the dressing on the side for the one here that does not care for salad dressing, mostly.
We felt like we were most adventurous in choosing appetizers. Meet the Lasooni Gobhi, above. If you don't speak Indian either, you should know this is cauliflower topped with homemade tomato sauce flavored with garlic. It boasts excellent depth of flavor and is quite rich.
We also tried off the appetizers the Aloo Tikki Chat, which trumpets contrasting textures, through and through. Pan seared potato pancakes mixed with masala lentils and chicpeas are topped with tamarind mint and yogurt. This was a highly creative dish, to us.
Please meet the Chicken Korma.
It's a tantalizing experience that highlights cubes of chicken cooked with mildly flavored cashew, almonds and saffron sauce; the sauce in particular is superb. Each bite of exquisite flavor make this a dish that impressed us the most; Indian spices with terrific kick will wake you up this winter.
Oh how we loved the Garlic Naan! That is the Indian version of Garlic Bread and it is hot, fluffy and delicious. You are going to want to dip it in everything and it is also superb standalone. We are pro-carb in moderation.
Finally, the last in the lineup we tried was the Jhinga Latpata. Mild shrimp curry with fresh grounded herbs evoke a hearty richness that is ideal for winter. The garnish was lovely, and you should also know that Andaz has chef's specials every month.
Andaz continues to be Terrific Takeout!
Gulab Jamun-fried dumplings dipped in hot sugar syrup
