Page 92 - UpperCrust e-Magazine Third Quarter 2024

MONIKA PATEL | MONIQUE MUSINGS

A Farewell to New York’s Charm

The intrepid Monika Patel has penned her swan song to the city she dreamt
of living in, and did, fabulously, for a decade. Now comes the time for a new
adventure, but not before she gives you a few last bites of NYC

further for another surprise as the space establishment also does this in a different
opens into a bright, floral garden giving way. Ambo is a small eatery close to NYU,
it a fresh, upbeat feel. The food titillates serving everyday Indian food. Started
the senses too from wide eyes to twitching during COVID by three engineers from
nostrils and watering tongue. The Lucky Baroda, who are also childhood friends,
Cheng gin-based cocktail with curry leaf has the idea was to streamline Indian fast
a slight sweet tinge but Holi Moly with chilli food while still presenting authentic taste
mezcal, passion fruit and lime is tinglingly that isn’t catering only to a Punjabi or
delicious. The Spice Toasted Pineapple South Indian palate. They have dishes like
comes recommended. Once it is placed in moong dal, khichdi, bhindi and other home
your dish, the waiter pours a scrumptious favourites. You build your own meal just
coconut gravy that made me want to lick like you would at a Chipotle, Poke Bowl or
the plate clean. I would have preferred
t was my dream to live in the city that shrimp instead of the pineapple, which
never sleeps and for a decade I lived and was also a tad salty. The Banarasi Pani Puri
Ibreathed that life. But now it’s time to with beetroot sounds better on paper, the
leave. Writer Sari Botton, confessed, “New flavour was too subtle. My favourite was
York City gave me everything it had, and the Anarkali Chicken with pomegranate
greedy as I was for experience, I took and chilli cilantro. The blend of tang and spice
took. I carry with me every day the gift along with watermelon radish and the
of the lessons New York taught me.” I nuttiness of cashews makes this kebab-like
will borrow her words because I too will dish delicious. The pieces could have been
always cherish the memories from this smaller, but we polished it off. As we did
unforgettable period of my life. But before the Chicken Amrit, Bungalow’s version of
leaving, I made the most of my last NYC butter chicken. The stuffed yogurt kebab With Chef Vikas Khanna
summer. wrapped in katafi/seviyan, is another
As a proud desi, a highlight has been popular favourite. Chef Khanna is always
to dine at Chef Vikas Khanna’s latest hovering around, inspecting something in
offering to the city, Bungalow. Ever since the kitchen, pouring drinks for guests or
it opened doors in March, I tried to get welcoming customers. He makes it a point
a reservation but it was not easy. Even to greet everyone at the restaurant. He
contacts didn’t work. So how did I get in? stopped by our table, too, and we managed
Here’s the hack. Either pounce on the Resy a photo and a short chat with him before
site exactly at 11am, two weeks before you embarking on the final leg of the meal, the
want to go, or do what I did and queue up pièce de résistance, a delectable three-way
at 5pm and luck out as a walk-in. Traipse mango dessert. It’s a rasmalai, topped with
down a few broad steps and you step into a light mango mousse, decorated with fresh
history. The entrance and bar area evoke mango coulis and chopped raspberries. Chef
the British Raj. Chef Khanna has recreated has perfected making food an experience
nostalgia using dark wooden furniture and and not just fuel for the body.
panels, old-world artifacts and books from If Vikas Khanna ensures he gives his
his personal library. And then you venture clients personal attention, another east side

90 | UPPERCRUST | JUL-SEP 2024