September 27 - October 4, 2001
Issue No. 313

Best Traditional Indian

Indian cuisine has been interpreted so clumsily stateside that Tamarind's Intentions — to server traditional sub continental dishes in a tautly stylish environment — seemed too ambitious at first. But the restaurant has pulled off its goal and been a raging success ever since it opened in January. Chef Raji Jallepalli Reiss, who owns the renowned Raji's in Memphis, offers a menu that renews our sense of discovery without relying on misguided fusions; Witness dishes like lucknow ki bhajia (fritters made from spinach leaves, banana and cheese), nargisi kofta (lotus root dumplings), konju pappas (shrimp cooked in a sauce seasoned with curry leaves, smoked tamarind and coconut) and tandoori scallops served in a bowl made from fried potato strips (pictured). The spice for which the restaurant is named acts as a tantalizing motif: It serves as a bittersweet flavoring in many of the dishes, a dip for the complimentary flatbread, and in a delicious twist, a signature ingredient in house cocktails like the Tamarind margarita and Cosmo (okay, so that's a tiny concession to fusion). Traditional in its allegiances but distinctly Manhattan in its style, Tamarind has hit the sweet spot that eludes many of its competitors.