Bindi?

[Siouxsie]

What do y'all recommend?

Also, what wine might be good to bring?

Thanks!

[KatieLoeb]

I went to Bindi for Restaurant Week and loved it. Lots of intricate flavors, not too much heat, but definitely a generous hand with the savory spices. Not sure if the menu is the same as it was, but there was a delicious eggplant dish that my friends and I enjoyed quite a bit. Lamb was also very tasty.

I'd say to bring beer or vodka/rum to mix with their yummy pitchers of mixers. We tried the pomegranate/ginger/lime one and I liked it so much I created a cocktail for my menu at work with similar flavors. If you simply must have wine then go with something with a hint of sweetness like a nice riesling or a Torrontes from Argentina.

[zeffer81]

This is a secondhand rec because I haven't been there yet but a couple of my friends went last week and said the small plates were better than the entrees. Again, not my opinion, just passin' on the word.

[Buckethead]

This is a secondhand rec because I haven't been there yet but a couple of my friends went last week and said the small plates were better than the entrees.  Again, not my opinion, just passin' on the word.

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I've been to Bindi and I agree, the apps were much better than the entrees. The lamb entree in particular (lamb shank, if I remember correctly) was a letdown.

The other thing is that you shouldn't be expecting Indian food. It's Indian-ish. The food's good, but after my meal I really just wished I'd gone to Tiffin instead.

[KatieLoeb]

The other thing is that you shouldn't be expecting Indian food. It's Indian-ish. The food's good, but after my meal I really just wished I'd gone to Tiffin instead.

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See, I don't think that's a fair comparison. If you want really authentic Indian, then Tiffin is mos' def the way to go. Bindi:Indian cuisine as Lolita:Mexican cuisine. It's not meant to be authentic. It's an interpretation of a cuisine by an American chef. It's good for what it is and is trying to be. It's not trying to be Tiffin.

A more balanced statement would be if you enjoy Mexican cuisine and like Lolita, you will enjoy Tiffin if you like Indian food.

[Siouxsie]

Just to follow up, we liked it pretty well. We knew going in that it was an "interpretive" approach, so no issues there. We had the samosas and krofta (lamb meatballs) to begin, which were tasty. I had the chicken entree, which was good too. Friend #1 had the lamb stew and liked it a bunch. Friend #2 got the vegetarian thali combo, which looked like a great grab bag to me. She was happy too. Big portions and leftovers all around.

The only wrong note was the cookies dessert. It was my idea and not a good one--too dry, esp. for those who weren't in the mood for chai.

Also, the online reviews I read talked about the somewhat standoffish service and I gotta say, there's something to that comment. Nothing outrageous, just a bit of a 'tude.

I brought a riesling, but we didn't get to it. We started off with a red while everyone was arriving, then had prosecco with dinner, which was actually a good match, I thought.

I'd go again, but am likely to check out Palace at the Ben first for comparison's sake. Our check wound up around $30 each.

Edited March 12, 2008 by Siouxsie (log)

[Buckethead]

The other thing is that you shouldn't be expecting Indian food. It's Indian-ish. The food's good, but after my meal I really just wished I'd gone to Tiffin instead.

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See, I don't think that's a fair comparison. If you want really authentic Indian, then Tiffin is mos' def the way to go. Bindi:Indian cuisine as Lolita:Mexican cuisine. It's not meant to be authentic. It's an interpretation of a cuisine by an American chef. It's good for what it is and is trying to be. It's not trying to be Tiffin.

A more balanced statement would be if you enjoy Mexican cuisine and like Lolita, you will enjoy Tiffin if you like Indian food.

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I agree with that for the most part, Bindi's approach to Indian is definitely the same as Lolita's approach to Mexican. I just feel that Bindi is not as successful at it, or maybe Indian food doesn't lend itself to that interpretation as well as Mexican does, or maybe they just need more practice. When I went there I knew what it was supposed to be and was expecting to like it on those terms, but what ended up happening is that the flavors didn't impress, they just reminded me how much I like good Indian food, and that what Bindi was serving wasn't it. That never happened to me at Lolita, I like their food for what it is and I like Los Taquitos de Puebla and Plaza Garibaldi for what they are. I didn't get that at Bindi, it just seemed like Indian food that had been dialed down for a wider audience. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I know a lot of people don't like Indian food because the spices and flavors are so bold. If liking Bindi may eventually lead those people to try Tiffin, I'm all for that.

[KatieLoeb]

If liking Bindi may eventually lead those people to try Tiffin, I'm all for that.

Bindi = gateway drug/cuisine?

Think of it the way I think of white zinfandel. It gets people started on liking wine. After that I can show them true path.

[zeffer81]

Also, the online reviews I read talked about the somewhat standoffish service and I gotta say, there's something to that comment.  Nothing outrageous, just a bit of a 'tude.

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Stopped in for a late dinner tonight. Food was decent was service was blatantly lacking. And, because there were five of us, they tacked on an automatic 20% gratuity to boot...

To begin, we were waiting for our fifth person and wanted to order appetizers. Apparently they must take the entire order together because "the kitchen" likes it that way because they take papers orders. Well, for a place with a rather substantial small plate menu, there's got to be a better way. And it might have been ok had we been told that in a more apologetic tone. In addition, we had to flag our waiter down to add more ice to the ice bucket for the wine--there were about three pieces, no joke. In general, it seemed as if we had to flag our waiter down more often than he checked in on us. On a more positive note, our water glasses remained full the entire night--something I'm fanatical about because I'm a big water drinker.

The good was up and down. We had the flatbread roti, bibb lettuce wraps (with some sort of meat in them) and the samosas to start. The roti was good with a variety of grilled vegetables, but exceptionally spicy. I didn't mind but it was unbearable for some of my dining companions. I would suggest that they give the diners a heads up when they are ordering something that spicy. I hear the lettuce wraps were good, but I don't eat red meat so that's just hearsay... My favorite appetizer had to be the samosas which were fava bean and ???. They came with what seemed to be a fruity chutney and a deliciously cool and smooth raita. The raita was probably my favorite part, and I ate that plain after all was said and done.

For entrees two of us, myself included, got the vegetable curry. It was solid but nothing earth-shattering. My friend's father got the lamb, which I would have warned him against had I read the above review. He reported that it was surprisingly bland (although he finished the entire portion so it must have had *something* he liked ) My friend and her boyfriend got the braised shortribs, which they both seemed to enjoy. The meat was tender and falling off the bone and the spices were evident yet not overpowering.

Overall, would I return to Bindi? Possibly. With some serious overhaul of the waitstaff (and the bathroom was a little funky, although we were there on the late side so I'll give them a pass for that) the place definitely has potential. Is it three bell worthy? Well, I don't deliver the edict but I went to Osteria last week, another three bell winner, and it was head and shoulders above Bindi in every facet.

[Vadouvan]

Overall, would I return to Bindi?

Have no fear, an "actual" really good Indian restaurant is opening down the street at 1318 Chestnut.

Soon you will forget about Bindi.

[cinghiale]

Have no fear, an "actual" really good Indian restaurant is opening down the street at 1318 Chestnut.

Soon you will forget about Bindi.

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Not Minar. Mithil & Naresh, maybe?