Indian food is embraced by many in New York City. I have personally never tried it until my friend, who is Indian (obviously), took a group of friends and me to an authentic Indian restaurant called Gourmet. In the past I have eaten similar foods to what I had heard about Indian, a.k.a. spicy food. So when I tried the appetizers and entrées at Gourmet, I instantly loved how each ingredient had a spice of some sort incorporated into it. Here are a few of the dishes I tasted at Gourmet.
Chicken Briyani
My favorite part about this dish was, of course, the chicken. The chicken was tender, a bit umami, and spicy at the same time. The spices I tasted in the chicken were unique and complimented the spicy rice that it was served with. The quality of the chicken was amazing, as well as the rice. This dish came with plain white rice as well, for those who are less tolerant to spices.
Naan
Gourmet served an amazing naan dish, complete with buttery sheen and flaky texture. This dish was one of the only appetizers without hot peppers dotting it. The naan accompanied the chicken kebabs, as it is used to wrap around a slice
of chicken. Combined, the naan and chicken blended as
a salty and spicy food. I especially admired the creamy
taste of this dish.
Chicken Kebab
Alas, more chicken! This piquant dish was my favorite of the whole dinner. The chicken kebabs were savory and fresh, which added to the mild flavor of meat when you first bite into it, and the peppers that awaken on your tongue at the end. As mentioned before, I had tried the kebabs with naan and without it. Both were equally delicious! I would recommend eating chicken kebabs with naan if you have a preference for mildly spicy food, as the naan helps dilute the peppery flavor of the chicken. However, if you love the fiery taste of spicy foods, just eat the chicken kebab straight on!
Samosa
The samosas were accompanied by two types of yogurt, sour and sweet. Both of these sides went will with the samosas. Each samosa had a hard but crispy outer layer, with spices hidden in seemingly every niche and crevice. The filling for the samosas were a mix of piquant vegetables that were savory and juicy.
The overall ambiance of the restaurant Gourmet was a very rural and provincial style,
w ith minimal decorations and simple tables. The Indian culture of Gourmet is demonstrated through decor such as miniature statues, figurines, and other decorations. In Gourmet customers are very relaxed and simply enjoy their meal. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to Indian food lovers and those new to Indian food!
The Swerve 