Bright, stylish, comforting, contentment… but also disconnect. These are the words that come to mind as I reflect back on my visit to one Chote Nawab, an Indian Restaurant nestled on the corner of 28th and Lexington.
*Image by roshan b. at yelp.com
As soon as I walk through the doors I was struck by the layout of the place. Bold colors line the outer walls, while rustic murals painted the rest. Ornate modern hangers line them and the industrial piped ceiling up top. Its such a festive and exciting combination and contrast, tied together by the wood trimmed furniture which adds a homey feeling to the space.
Needless to say I got swept up in the atmosphere almost immediately, and my enthusiasm did not diminish thanks to the impeccable service and attention I received. My waters were refilled at a constantly, never reaching the bottom of the glass. Orders and dishes were taken and delivered swiftly, all with a cordial smile and polite questions asking me if I needed anything else. So to all my readers make sure your tip is astounding, because with service like that your waiter deserves nothing less.
*Image from madrasrecipe.com
Yet for all the glowing praise I’m giving Chote Nawab right now, it pains me more then anything to say that it fell short of the most important aspect of any restaurant, the food. Scanning the menu my enthusiasm was not diminished as I saw categories for all types of different entree, from seafood to vegetables, chicken, lamb, beef, the list went on. I chose the Lamb Madras lunch special, coming in at only $11 at a steal. A mix of Lamb curry, and coconut I was looking for a flavorful blend of sweet and spicy. Yet upon taking a bite out of my dish I soon realized I had only received twice the amount of the latter and none of the former, the coconut flavor having been almost completely killed off by the heat . Mixed with an unlimited refill of rice, a container bean dip, and Naan bread on the side the meal itself was quite filling, but it just lacked the same spark of sophisticated spark as the decor, relying on the staple of Indian spices like American dishes do with meat and potatoes, simple but uninspired.
While I believe anyone who visits Chote Nawab can appreciate the simplistic novelty of its cuisine, it still feels as though the restaurant has a ways to go before they can reach that next new and invigorating modern mix of flavors that its physical design at least, aspires to.
4 responses so far ↓
Vivian // Dec 1st 2012 at 10:18 pm
I absolutely loved your pictures and the writing was amazing! You were so descriptive it made me feel like I’ve been at the restaurant. I really liked how you described the overall ambience of the restaurant and the service, and used the pictures to back up what you were saying.
After reading through your post I am also disappointed that the food didn’t live up to the expectations I was developing. Nonetheless, the way you ended it really gave me hope that if I ever do go to this restaurant they might have improved. There is always hope.
Juliya Madorskaya // Dec 6th 2012 at 1:48 pm
address?
yl146984 // Dec 7th 2012 at 10:34 am
I’m not a big fan of Indian food because they tend to be spicy, and I can’t handle spicy. However, I just wanted to comment on the photo of the restaurant. It seems so inviting. I love the bright colors and impeccable service that they gave you.
To fall short on the food, I’m sorry it was not as you hoped.
Thierry // Dec 18th 2012 at 9:35 pm
Yum, I love Indian food. But I think I just might go for the funky decor.
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