South Indian Up West

Authentic Indian food comes to the Upper West Side By [Linnea Covington] The first time I traveled to Chennai, India, my uncle-by-marriage swore the best cup of coffee could be found at Saravanaa Bhavan, a restaurant specializing in classic South Indian vegetarian fare. Naturally, we had to try it. As they served us metal bowls containing tiny metal cups filled with steaming, light brown liquid, my Americanized coffee snobbery blossomed. Visions of glorious pounds of fresh roasted beans and hot mugs of black-as-night coffee and a general distaste for the world of sweet coffeeshop chains flitted by, but with a single sip, those recollections faded. The coffee was at once creamy, sweetish and comforting, with bold coffee back notes's indeed, the finest I tried in the whole country.Imagine my joy to find the same coffee being served at Saravanaa Bhavan"s New York locations, now two since one opened on the Upper West Side. The original shop opened 30 years ago in Chennai, but it wasn"t until 2002 that they made their United States debut in California before coming to New York"s Curry Hill in 2005. The best part about the expansion is that the restaurants not only bring an authentic taste of South Indian fare, they remain consistent throughout all their locations, a far cry from McDonald"s ever-changing menu dependent upon the country. The food they serve also proves healthy, flavorful, fresh and delightfully authentic. I have now eaten at four of their locations: the original, a New Delhi shop and the two in New York. Each one is identical in food, save for the addition of a tandoori oven and vegetarian curries at the uptown restaurant. Their decision to add dishes including the savory, slightly spicy aloo gobi (cauliflower and potato), rib-sticking mutter paneer (green peas and cottage cheese) and sweetly caramelized dal butter fry (butter-fried onion, tomatoes and lentil), was made in an attempt to speak to the neighborhood, the manager said. A good call, given the demographics of the Upper West Side and the general acceptance people give to curry. While the foundation remains the same, the dosa at Saravanaa Bhavan are something else entirely. Some, like the paper dosa, measure over a foot long and most 10-year-old children could comfortably put an arm through it. The ghee masala dosa also boasts this unique shape; inside is a layer of scrumptious potatoes and onions sprinkled with ghee, also known as clarified butter. The dosa breaks off like a cracker in some spots and you can dip it into an array of chutneys including coconut, coriander-coconut, tomato and a sauce called sambar (a vegetable stew flavored with tamarind). Other classic south Indian dishes offered are the spongy idly, a little rice cake that proves especially fun to eat in a bowl of sambar, and vada, their version of a doughnut made with lentils instead of sugar. The tandoori oven has done the newest location well too, as the buttery garlic naan and tandoor roti come out fluffy, piping hot and perfectly cooked. Another difference the Upper West Side location sports comes out in the setting. At the newest shop, the dim lights add a more romantic atmosphere and a coziness fitting for the neighborhood. It still gets busy, but the intimate space doesn"t have the capacity for bustle (though the dishes do come out quickly). Overall, for someone looking to try a cuisine different from the basic American perception of what Indian food consists of, Saravanaa Bhavan is the real deal.