Dinner at Bungalow in New York City
The next time you're in New York City and crave the delicious foods of true Indian cuisine, go to Bungalow, the East Village establishment run by Michelin star chef, MasterChef India judge and author, Vikas Khanna, and Bombay House Hospitality founder and CEO, Jimmy Rizvi.
Earlier this week I dined at Bungalow with family and friends - I hope you saw the photo on my Instagram page @marthastewart48. On the menu, Chef Vikas includes some of his favorite family recipes as well as traditional classics and regional specialties. Guests can select from a list of small plates and large plates - we tried nearly every one and enjoyed them all. Among them, the Smoked Sweet Potato Chaat, Shrimp Balchao cones, and Anarkali Chicken, Chicken Chitranee, Paneer Chandni, Sheermal bread, and much more. For dessert, we had Rose Kulfi, Molten Chocolate Cake, and Mango Three Ways: rasmalai, mango mousse, and coulis with raspberries. It was a very fun and most delicious meal.
Here are more photos, enjoy.
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- It was a lovely evening to meet up with friends and family after a busy work day in New York City. Here I am in front of the restaurant Bungalow with my niece Sophie Herbert Slater, her sons Silas and Felix, Chef Vikas Khanna, and his friend and assistant, Mysha.
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- Vikas Khanna is a Michelin star chef, restaurateur, cookbook writer, filmmaker and humanitarian. I first met Vikas when he catered an event for me in 2005. He was also a guest on my LIVE television show in 2011 along with my niece Sophie. Vikas went on to be the host of MasterChef India for seven seasons. And last March, he opened Bungalow.
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- The name Bungalow refers to Indian social clubs and comes from the Hindi word “bangla” meaning “a house in the Bengali style.” (Photo courtesy of Bungalow)
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- Outside the entrance to Bungalow are two large stainless steel vessels containing a bath of red rose petals, pink roses, and votives. This symbolizes femininity, beauty, strength, and fertility.
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- The restaurant is divided into three different sections including a lounge, a dining area, and a kitchen. Many of the photos and decorations are authentic and were brought here from India. (Photo courtesy of Bungalow)
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- This is the dining room, which gets lots of natural light. Chef Vikas and Jimmy wanted the space to feel nostalgic and cozy. (Photo courtesy of Bungalow)
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- We loved this beautiful small plate of Smoked Sweet Potato Chaat made with green mango sauce, yam chip, ashwagandha droplets.
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- This dish is called Ammi’s Lamb Chops served with mango powder, green papaya, poppy seed, ginger, and garlic. Everything was so flavorful.
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- This exquisite chaat, which is the Hindi word for “snack,” is finger papad with lime and garlic crystals.
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- And this appetizer is called Shrimp Balchao Cones – a dish from Goa. It is made with nigella, tamarind, garlic and curry leaves.
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- Anarkali Chicken is another small plate with pomegranate-chili, cilantro chutney, and zesty watermelon radish.
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- Among the menu’s large plates, or entrées, is this Paneer Chandni – it was one of my favorites. This is made with homemade cheese, cashews, cardamom, and black pepper.
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- Everyone loves traditional naan – the leavened, oven-baked flatbread characterized by its light and slightly fluffy texture and golden-brown spots from baking. This garlic naan is a must-have.
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- This very special dish is inspired by the harvest festivals of South India. It is spice roasted pineapple with coconut, lemon, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. This photo was taken just before the sauce was poured around the fruit.
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- The Chicken Chitranee is a homestyle chicken curry with tomatoes, tamarind, and shishito chili – another big hit at the table.
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- This was one of the most unique dishes! It is a saffron bread called Sheermal made with flour, cardamom, saffron and a satiating amount of ghee, or clarified butter.
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- My nephew Christopher also joined us. Here he is with Sophie, Chef Vikas, Felix, and Silas.
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- For dessert we had Rose Kulfi, an Indian-style ice cream, with candied rose petals, butterfly pea rabdi, and white chocolate bark. Sophie noted that the floral rose notes were reminiscent of many of the ancient temples she has visited in India.
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- This Molten Chocolate Cake was complimented well with gulab jamun ice cream and cherry compote.
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- This dessert was called Mango Three Ways: rasmalai, mango mousse, and coulis with raspberries. The children devoured every morsel.
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- And here I am with Chef Vikas. Congratulations Chef – to you, Jimmy, and the restaurant – it is excellent. And, it has already served 100,000 meals in the first 110 days since opening. If you love Indian cuisine, this is definitely a stop to include on your next trip to New York City.
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