Bhatti

You know a place is good when you're standing outside, waiting for your fellow diners, and you overhear passersby saying things like, "This is my favorite ____ place!"  This was the case for me at Bhatti, and Indian restaurant in Curry Hill (geographically speaking, Murray Hill in the 20s and Lexington Avenue).  I noticed a lot of people entering while I stood outside and several people, in fact, spoke to each other in high praise of the restaurant while meandering past.

The ambiance was a bit different from the Indian restaurants I'm used to.  It's more modern/edgy/romantic...definitely less traditional and homey and there was no Indian man dressed in traditional garb playing a sitar in the corner (this you might find in New York's Brick Lane, a.k.a. 6th Street area).

We ordered a round of appetizers and entrees to share, including a dish of tandoori-roasted stuffed potatoes, paneer (Indian cheese), and an assortment of naan bread.  Our appetizers were chicken tikka masala, chicken biryani, and saag paneer.  Overall, the food was delectable!  I love a good hearty Indian meal always, and this hit the spot perfectly.  The chicken tikka masala wasn't as cloyingly sweet like I had it London this past time.  The biryani also came with a great raita (tangy yogurt sauce) that brightened up everything, not only the biryani.  The only slight downside was that the appetizers (potato and paneer) were a bit on the salty side so it felt like I was having a sodium overload for the rest of dinner.

Walking out of Bhatti, I can definitely see why so many people in the neighborhood uphold it as their favorite Indian restaurant!