A Side of Psychic with Your Tikka Masala

By Anam Baig For lovers of Indian food, Mughlai on the Upper West Side melds pungent exotic spices, piping hot breads straight from the tandoor and psychic energies. Wait. Psychic energies? Mughlai has been serving authentic Indian cuisine for the past 30 years and recently added to the menu Jody Friedman, "psychic intuitive," to entertain and awe their patrons. Friedman walks around the restaurant on Thursday and Friday afternoons, handing out cards printed on Monet's Water Lilies, promising "empathic, insightful answers and guidance" through her "spontaneous and abundant wisdom." "But that's only after they get their food," she laughed. "No one wants to be bothered by a psychic when they're hungry." Friedman, a trained social worker and psychoanalyst turned psychic intuitive, has been helping people with her gifts for 15 years. After becoming a regular at Mughlai, she eventually asked the owners if she could give readings in their restaurant. "I picked this restaurant and the restaurant picked me," she said. Amidst the dark hues of auburn and mustard walls and old Indian artwork, Friedman meditates at a table for two while waiting for curious restaurantgoers to finish their samosas and paneer before having their auras read. She offers a range of readings, from relationship advice to career options. She also deals with a myriad of human emotions that "make people feel stuck, like anxiety, stress and depression." People generally ask her questions about their love lives or about relationships that are failing or broken. "Closure and a way to learn and move on from experiences, that's what most people look for, and I help ease the pains of the complication that is life," she said over a steaming cup of masala chai. "There are some people out there who are too afraid to get readings or are just afraid of the unknown. I want to help them get past that." It may seem odd for a psychic to set up shop at an Indian restaurant, but it could just be good business sense. "I don't believe it myself, but she draws in a crowd, especially young people," said restaurant manager Kabir Bhuiyan. "It's good for business, good to offer something different at a restaurant rather than just great food." Friedman said that it's the restaurant's inviting and generous energy that make it a good location for her to work. "It's the energy there; it's good energy," she said. "I would not be able to do these readings, say, at a bar because the carnal energy would be overwhelming. I would rather be in a relaxed environment such as this."