Amma

[mikeyrad]

Suvir,

Just wondering how the overwhelmingly positive reviews have affected the ability to procure a reservation. Has Amma become "hot" -- and I don't mean spicy? Has Paris Hilton called?

[anil]

Yes, as I mentioned there and  firmly  believe that one or two dishes in Amma will outshine to become as well known as Motimahal's (Delhi) butter chicken    It might even become sublime in its satisation of the hungry.

Anil, the members of eGullet have been champions of Amma. Many, many thanks to each of you for your support and patient hearing....Could not ask for a better family of eGulleteers.

Would you mind sharing what these dishes are?? Maybe we ought to keep the discussion in the NY forum. Since that thread is the more active one. I am very curious now.... wondering what your favorite dishes at Amma are... ones that you are thinking in this instance.....

And thanks for this huge compliment.

This is what I had said in October - While Parta ni Machi is also very good.

[Sujatha]

Congratulations Suvir!!! I can't forgive myself for not coming to Amma's while I was in NJ last week!!!

The cover of your book is so nice. I like the warm colors that are used - reminds me of the warmth of mom's cooking. Can't wait to hold your book...

Sujatha

[tanabutler]

Can Paris Hilton read?

[docsconz]

I just got back from a quick trip to NYC. My wife and I had the wonderful great fortune to dine at Amma for lunch yesterday. Not only was this the finest Indian dining experience I've ever had, this was one of THE finest dining experiences. The food, service and personality of this charmingly decorated restaurant were absolutely awesome. The wine recommendation from Bikky proved to be a sensational match (presumably the same shiraz that Robert Brown had) and one that I wouldn't have predicted.

Suvir, Hemant, Bikky and the rest of the crew I offer my deepest thanks and congratulations. You have worked hard and it shows. I also offer you the my wishes for the best of luck for continued success. I also very much enjoyed meeting all of you.

[Suvir Saran]

Congratulations Suvir!!! I can't forgive myself for not coming to Amma's while I was in NJ last week!!!

The cover of your book is so nice. I like the warm colors that are used - reminds me of the warmth of mom's cooking. Can't wait to hold your book...

Sujatha

Sujatha, I am sorry that I missed the chance to meet you in person. How are you? How are the chutneys coming along?

Thanks for your compliments on the cover of the book. Glad you like the warm tones. You are always so kind to me..... my book would be lucky to find itself in your hands.

Come back to the East coast and do visit us at Amma. It would be a pleasure to see you and share some of our food with you... and maybe even have you give us some tips on mom's cooking.... your mom that is.

[Suvir Saran]

I just got back from a quick trip to NYC. My wife and I had the wonderful great fortune to dine at Amma for lunch yesterday. Not only was this the finest Indian dining experience I've ever had, this was one of THE finest dining experiences. The food, service and personality of this charmingly decorated restaurant were absolutely awesome. The wine recommendation from Bikky proved to be a sensational match (presumably the same shiraz that Robert Brown had) and one that I wouldn't have predicted.

Suvir, Hemant, Bikky and the rest of the crew I offer my deepest thanks and congratulations. You have worked hard and it shows. I also offer you the my wishes for the best of luck for continued success. I also very much enjoyed meeting all of you.

It was an honor for all of us at Amma to see you and your wife come to Amma during your visit. And I well know the effort you made even in circumstances that were not most conducive. Our thanks to you for making the great effort, really.

Come back and try the tasting menu with more dishes. Perhaps next time you are in NYC, it would be after the new menus are in place.

Thanks for all your kind words.

[Suvir Saran]

This is what I had said in October - While Parta ni Machi is also very good.

Anil, are you sure you are not William Grimes?

You seem to have similar tastes to Mr. Grimes.

[anil]

Can Paris Hilton read?

Who is Paris Hilton ? Am I missing a joke here ?

BTW: Tana your photographs are very nice.

[Suvir Saran]

Can Paris Hilton read?

Who is Paris Hilton ? Am I missing a joke here ?

BTW: Tana your photographs are very nice.

Ditto!

I was thinking the same Anil.

[tommy]

people can always google for pop-culture references.

[mikeyrad]

Here is a short bio on Paris Hilton. She seems to be showing up a lot lately on Page Six in the Post. They report sightings at all the hot restaurants and clubs. Figured that it'll be any day now...

[tanabutler]

Paris Hilton is, alas, the best America can do for a mainstream celebrity du jour. Her propensity for being pantyless and wearing micro-miniskirts is a magnet for paparazzi. She's a none-too-bright bazillionaire with a TV show.

(I'm glad you like my pictures. I want to come to Amma again and take more!)

[Suzanne F]

Another report. Another terrific meal.

Soba, BondGirl, HWOE and I were there last night. (Suvir was not; he was stuck somewhere because of the snow )

It is indeed a warm and lovely room. Well, warm when people remember to close the entry door. And sitting in front of the window, half our party had a view of the beautiful falling snow; I was more than happy to face into the room with its tasteful art. So much nicer than Indian restaurants with spangles all over (although I loved the glass tiles around the mirror in the bathroom).

The little spinach and sweet potato patties we received as an amuse were delicious -- and the little tastes of coriander and tamarind chutneys with them whetted my appetite for more.

We all ordered different appetizers: iddly, bhel puri, samosas, and stuffed vegetables. It's been years since I had iddly, and these were better than anything I remember; I loved the hint of coconut in them, and the accompanying chutney was mysteriously delicious. The bhel puri was a good mix of flavors and textures. We all wished it were easier to identify the fillings in the samosas; whatever they were, they were all tasty. The "stuffed vegetables" that arrived seemed to HWOE to be not at all what he was expecting -- well, no, because there had been a mixup and he received stuffed chicken. Just as well though, that too was good. The stuffed vegetables were worth waiting for: quite a large amount, perfect for sharing. The bell pepper picked up the smokiness of the tandoor nicely, and the potato was even smokier, yummm. The mushroom was good, but I think the achar mushrooms at Diwan were more interesting.

It was indeed a delight to have a good conversation about wine. We ended up with a Romanian (!?!?!?!) merlot/cabernet franc/cabernet sauvignon blend that worked perfectly: very rich, fruity, and spicy. Of course, it helped that none of the food is gratuitously spiced.

We were warned off the whole grilled pomfret ("Too fishy today" -- my guess is that they had not received a delivery, and didn't want to serve older fish) so HWOE ordered the halibut. BondGirl got the Tandoori prawns, and Soba and I the lamb chops. We also ordered crab kulcha and raita to share. Other than the same problem noted above of the food not coming hot enough in temperature, everything was delicious. The halibut was soft, sweet, and well-flavored; the prawns proved that Hemant is truly a master of the tandoor; and the lamb chops were so tender. Rices and potatoes that came with these made me want to get full portions (next time, I hope). I'd also be happy just feasting on the crab kulcha -- lots of sweet, sweet crabmeat in a good bread. The crunchy vegetable on the raita -- which even stayed crunchy after HWOE inadvertently mixed it in -- was a good contrast to the smooth, tart yogurt.

To me, the best thing about the food was the subtlety of all the spicing. After a while I gave up trying to guess the ingredients and just let the flavors wash over me. This is really what distinguished the food from any other Indian food I've had before.

We ordered 3 desserts -- the kulfi, rasmallai, and rice pudding -- and received a portion of the mango cheesecake as well. What a pleasant change from all the too-too-sweet confections (and rosewater they so often reek from) one usually gets. Suvir has really refined the kulfi and its citrus sauce, and the cheesecake was more light mango than rich cheesecake, making it a perfectly blended ending. The rasmallai and rice pudding took a bit of getting-used-to, but we very nearly licked the bowls when they were finished. And the spiced tea was so good we had to have seconds.

So: more grateful thanks to Suvir, Hemant, Bikky, and all others. All the praise you've received is well-deserved.

[tanabutler]

What a thoughtful write-up, Suzanne. Nice work!

[mikeyrad]

Praise for Bikky:

Pairing wine with Indian food is not easy an easy task. There are sommeliers who would argue that the spices are far too complex for wines. Some simply use wine as a palate refresher.

I had the tasting menu paired with wines a couple of weeks ago and was absolutely amazed how Bikky's wine selections enhanced the flavors of our food. I wish I could remember all of the wines that we had, but by the end of the meal it was a miracle that I could even walk. I do remember a couple of wines that we had before I got totally inebriated and one after I was in lalaland. We started with two Chardonnays that were not over-oaked like most California varieties. The first was French, extremely crisp, no oak at all. I think we had it with the Bombay Bhel Puri and/or the Spinach Chaat. The other was either from Australia or New Zealand. It had a slight buttery flavor (but not too much) that indicates malolactic fermentation also maybe a little oak, but certainly not overpowering. After that, things started getting a little fuzzy although I think I remember a delightfully fruity Australian Shiraz with our Tandoor Grilled Lamb Chops.

Next time I promise to write some notes -- that is if I'm sober enough to write. In any case I can tell you that I had another wonderful meal at Amma that was enhanced by Bikky's wine selecteions. He is truly the perfect compliment to Suvir and Hemant talents in the kitchen.

Mikey

[Pan]

Thanks for the meal report, Suzanne. I'm glad you had a great meal and have a couple of tangential questions:

Could you describe the art a little more? (I'm wondering if I'd find it tasteful.)

Also, are there some dishes that are robustly spiced? I rarely complain about "gratuitous" spicing in Indian dishes.

[SobaAddict70]

I guess it would depend on your definition of "robust".

Mmm-hmmm, I'm not quite sure any of the dishes fit that bill -- at least none of what we had. Certainly not on the level of a vindaloo. Other views may vary.

I think a more accurate descriptor would be "subtle yet complex". Make sense?

Next time I think we will have to get the trio of rices (which is what another table had ordered). I'm also interested in their vegetarian selections -- i.e., jackfruit biryaani, spinach chaat.

Soba

[docsconz]

The dishes are certainly full-flavored, although not overtly spicy-hot.

[mongo_jones]

The dishes are certainly full-flavored, although not overtly spicy-hot.

from what i know of suvir--entirely through conversations on the india forum--i'd guess that nothing that is not meant to be robustly spicy would be robustly spicy. i am looking forward to whenever my next nyc trip will be. i've tried many a ballyhooed indian restaurant in the u.s and rarely found it to be up to the hype or it price points. i get the feeling amma will be the exception.

[hitchmeer]

The dishes are certainly full-flavored, although not overtly spicy-hot.

from what i know of suvir--entirely through conversations on the india forum--i'd guess that nothing that is not meant to be robustly spicy would be robustly spicy. i am looking forward to whenever my next nyc trip will be. i've tried many a ballyhooed indian restaurant in the u.s and rarely found it to be up to the hype or it price points. i get the feeling amma will be the exception.

Yes Mongo, Amma is definitely the exception. I'm still savoring the wonderful meal I had there in October. It will be great to get your impressions when you visit.

Cheers.

Matthew in Minnesota

[Pan]

I guess it would depend on your definition of "robust".

Mmm-hmmm, I'm not quite sure any of the dishes fit that bill -- at least none of what we had. Certainly not on the level of a vindaloo. Other views may vary.

I think a more accurate descriptor would be "subtle yet complex". Make sense?

Yeah, it does. Thank you.

[tanabutler]

I have been so inspired by all this Amma talk that two nights in a row I made tomato soup with Indian spices and coconut (toasted then soaked in boiling water and strained). That will have to do until I get back to New York.

[Suzanne F]

Re: the artwork. From where I sat, the pictures mostly looked like cut-paper collages, all in deep earth tones (very nice against the deep orange-y walls). Very little representational; the only two pieces that really seemed like something were a very delicate (painted) monotone portrait of a woman, and a Michelangelo-style small-hand-touching-larger-hand, that had the inscription "my Amma" near the bottom. Really very sweet.

Let me put it this way: the art is the antithesis of what's up on the walls at Alain Ducasse NY.

[dumpling]

What's the wait look like to get a reservation? I'm gonna call and make an attempt for a friend's birthday. We could be flexible for a lunch or dinner.

Places to park?

Good review Suzanne. Regards to HWOE

Thanks.