Taj Tribeca NYC Review: Decent Food; So So Service
The other day as we were walking toward New York City's oldest Catholic Parish - St Peter's Roman Catholic Church - near Barclay St in the financial district we were overwhelmed with an urgent craving for Indian food.
We immediately pulled out our iPhone 4 and checked for Indian restaurants in the financial district. Much to our delight, we quickly found one nearby, Taj Tribeca on Murray St.
Off we marched toward Murray Street with high hopes of appeasing the hunger gods.
Upon reaching Taj Tribeca, we quickly realized that it stood in the same location as the now-departed-but-not-mourned Moksha restaurant that we had unfortunately visited a few years back for dinner.
Busy Chatting
As with most Indian restaurants in NYC, the staff at Taj Tribeca too were found huddled at the cash counter, chatting away to glory and too busy to pay attention to diners walking in.
Mustering courage over disturbing their tete-a-tete, we asked the Caucasian waitress whether the restaurant was open for lunch. She responded in the affirmative and showed us to a table.
Fortunately, the inauspicious beginning did not end in bad food too.
Yummy Appetizers
Set in a thin reddish color water with scrambled eggs floating on top, Taj Tribeca's Egg Drop was hot and delicious. We would have treated ourselves to a second serving but for the other items awaiting us.
Cucumber, Spinach, Tomato, Lettuce Salad was flavorful with a spicy touch.
Alu Tikki was hot and spicy with a nice flavor of ginger, curry leaves and channa dal seeping into the mouth. With a nice Masala Vada flavor, Taj Tribeca's Alu Tikki so endeared itself to us that we shamelessly had second and third helpings of this popular Indian appetizer.
With the flavourful green chutney, Alu Tikki was truly non-pareil.
Decent Chicken Items
Kalmi Kebab or Chicken Wings with sufficient amount of marination was evenly cooked and a delight. In no time, it disappeared into our cavernous stomach.
Set in a orangish brown color gravy, Taj Tribeca's Chicken Curry was flavorful but not exemplary.
We would have relished it more were it a tad spicier.
We gave Goat Curry the pass as its appearance and aroma did not tickle us into trying it.
Fine Vegetarian Dishes
Set in a thick green color gravy, Corn Spinach was slightly sweetish but mercifully the Spinach did not have the raw flavor we often encounter elsewhere.
A tasty, flavorful Rajma Masala is a rarity these days. For the most part, Indian restaurants in New York/New Jersey region serve abominable Dal Makhani and Rajma Masala. But the Rajma Masala served at Taj Tribeca must be what the Gods in Heaven get to eat. Easily the best Rajma Masala we've had on the East Coast.
Mushroom Mutter set in a watery brown color sauce was a treat.
Plain rice had a freshly-prepared texutre and flavour.
Naan Bread was soft and we got sufficient number of pieces (eight pieces) in the first round itself.
Desserts - Mixed Bag
While Rice Kheer was delicious and enjoyed thoroughly, Gajar Halwa was a terrible let down.
Taj Tribeca's Gajar Halwas suffered from two problems. It was low on sugar and had the raw partially cooked flavor of grated carrot.
Needless to say, we did not enjoy the Gajar Halwa even one bit.
So So Service
The silverware was kept neatly on top of a table cloth.
But there were no labels for any of the food items on the lunch table.
It was only toward the end of our meal that the lunch table food items were labled.
Seriously if we were the owner of Taj Tribeca we will train the wait-staff about chosing their right priorities between huddling and chatting near the cash counter and labeling the food items to help the paying customer.
Taj Tribeca NYC Rating
If you are willing to ignore the so-so service and the garrulous buffoons at the cash counter, Taj Tribeca serves mostly decent food.
- © NYIndia.us
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