I've been passing by this restaurant since the time of inception as they took over the space. Tonight, after 3 months back from my trip frim India eating at I the best Indian restaurants which I made sure to go to, I decided to try Tulsi.
Before I went to India, most of my Indian food experience has been either buffet style or sometimes ala carte and they seem to all be mushy or grilled like a tandoor.
I am glad that I have the opportunity to evaluate what a Michelin Star chef cooking Indian food in New York is like.
The place is modern as you can see. Their menu varies from food from the north to the South in this restaurant.
I ordered Shrimp Balchao as my first course. It was good but I wasn't impressed. It reminded me more of a Philippine seafood dish called escabeche. It had tomato sauce, onions as a base and I could taste the sugar.
The price was a bit too high for something one can prepare the sauce ahead of time and shrimp added after. $14!
Above was a dish I wanted to compare with what I had in India called Lal MAAS. It is goat stew with ginger, masala and other Indian spices. It was good but for the amount of goat I had, $28 was outrageous!
The garlic naan was the best in the meal. The dough was very light and crisp and flavorful. That was $5.
Another disappointing dish I ordered was the fried okra. I enjoyed this very much in Jaipur when my Tourguide ordered it. That was nice green thin slices of okra fried crisp. But at Tulsi:
The okra was saved by the onions they fried and added to the dish; but it tastes more like burnt whatever. Because of the nutrient and the cost $9, I had ton save it to take home.
For dessert, I wanted to try something new.
So I ordered Santra Payasam. It's some Indian custard served in a bowl made of chocolate. I can't complain but I wasn't ecstatic.
Now, my curiosity has just been fixed!
Tulsi
East 46th St., between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.
