The upper 50’s/lower 60’s on the east side of Manhattan is a bit of a geographic no man’s land. Not quite Midtown, not quite the Upper East Side, this area has taken on some alter egos in the past few years (Turtle Bay, Tudor City, Sutton Place – ish), but it still gives off the feeling it doesn’t quite belong. Luckily, restaurants keep opening up here, giving it more of a residential, neighborhood-y vibe.
Simon Indian Palace is the newest addition to this budding area, and for a restaurant that’s only been open for two weeks, they’ve done a remarkable job at both running the restaurant, as well as marketing its opening. The staff is warm and attentive, and in lieu of its missing liquor license, is currently BYOB.
Here’s what we ate:
Garlic Cauliflower
Crisp florets of cauliflower are fried and smothered in a sauce reminiscent of a sesame chicken glaze. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night – the simplicity of it made it an approachable dish for someone not very familiar with Indian cuisine.
Lamb Korma
Succulent hunks of lamb in an almond-flavored curry was absolutely fantastic. With Indian food, I tend to fall into a rut of re-ordering the same dishes by rote. It was nice to get outside my comfort zone and try something new, and this was a home run.
Vegetable Jalfreazi
Mixed vegetables like cauliflower, red bell peppers, and eggplant cooked in a tomato-based sauce accompanied by garlic rice. A delicious way to eat your veggies.
Twisted Talk: Do you enjoy Indian food? What’s your favorite restaurant in the neighborhood? Discuss below!
