Babu Ji
My love for all Indian food and spices started during my study abroad in London. I made my way to Brick Lane as much as I could, and once I was back in the city I tried finding my own little Brick Lane. For a fun cheap night out I will go to one of the 3 restaurants on 1st between 5th and 6th street, my favorite being Milon. But if you have a few extra bucks and want an incredible meal you have to go to Babu Ji. You can order off the a la carte menu, but I suggest for your first time you do the Chef's tasting menu. It includes a selection of a variety of appetizers, curries, naan, rice and kulfi dessert. I loved every bite, but I will dream about two dishes specifically, The Colonel Tso's Cauliflower, which is totally vegan and freaking incredible. The other favorite of the table was the yogurt kebab which was a yogurt croquette filled with indian spices and had a beetroot ginger sauce under it. The most entertaining part of the meal is the "main" which is a large platter filled with small dishes featuring all of their best curries. The setting is casual and fun, great for a large group or a date night, the staff is super friendly and the tasting menu can push anyone out of their indian food comfort zone like me. So to conclude my little food rant, GO TO BABU JI. 100% worth the $62 dinner, and my favorite indian in NYC so far!
