Kalustyan's Café (Closed)

[Pan]

Am I a salesman? No, and I don't have to be. While I was eating dinner, I read raves from the Times, Time Out New York, and the Post that were up on the wall. But if I'm not the first to discover the mujadara at Kalustyan's, I'm not the less appreciative because of that. As I told the counter man, that mujadara is easily 10 times better than any I've had anywhere else. If you've gotten mujadara in some felafel place and found it dry and uninteresting, get it at Kalustyan's. It'll be a revelation to you. I also got a Syrian-style dish with eggplant and chickpeas which was somewhat spicy in a pleasant way. That dish was also great, and the chickpeas were so fresh and high-quality! (But of course, you say, what other quality would they be at the premiere source for Middle-Eastern specialty goods in Manhattan if not the whole city?) I also ordered string beans in a tomatoey sauce that were just OK. The counter man included a salad with tahini on it, several olives, a couple of slices of pickled turnip (potent - don't bite a large quantity at once unless you know what you're doing) and some large cornichons on my tray. He later gave me some samples: A cup of delicious lentil soup; a great grape leaf - so fresh; and a piece of concentrated, aromatic felafel. The whole thing cost me $6.95, plus the two dollars I insisted the counter man take as thanks for those samples.

Of course, I also spent $47 more on groceries. My normal approach to Kalustyan's is to enter without a clear idea of what I might buy and buy whatever strikes my fancy. The first thing I looked for were unsalted Iranian pistachios, which turned out to be in bags toward the back. I then got some masala cashews, which eventually turned out to cost more than I expected, and some Iranian sour plums. All the way in the back, I looked at the fresh goods and cheeses and bought some Armenian string cheese with hot pepper flakes and parsley. I then went upstairs and decided to buy the food I mentioned before and eat it there. I then asked the women at the counter what tasty bread they'd recommend and bought some methi roti. I have not tried any of the things I took home, but I look forward to it.

One note about Kalustyan's as a place to eat: There are only three small tables. It ain't no restaurant. But the food is good and cheap - if you don't do a big shopping at the same time.

Edited November 17, 2003 by Pan (log)

[jogoode]

I worked in the area for a bit and got addicted to their bastarma with lebne sandwich. And the muj sandwich is damn good, too. The two sandwiches are the exact opposite -- the first aggressively spiced, the second pretty bland (but that subtly complex kind of bland). I wasn't that impressed with the prepared stuff I've tried, tho.

[Harry Covére]

here, here. ditto on the muj and the falafel is great, too. i'm there at least once a week for lunch.

[Pan]

A day later, I found out that one can pay for eating too much mujadara, or at least I figured that was what caused the excess of wind in my bowels.

Of the foodstuffs I took home, I've enjoyed them all so far, except that the bagged Iranian pistachios have been a bit disappointing. I think the ones in bins up front are probably fresher and include fewer bad ones. Pity they don't have unsalted raw ones up there anymore. Last time, I got those and simply roasted them in my oven.

Oh, FYI, those Iranian sour prunes are very good laxatives.

[jogoode]

Sahadi's sells killer Iranian pistachios

[Pan]

I'll have to go there after work one of these days.

Do they sell them loose or/and in bags? Any unsalted ones?

[ned]

Kalustyan's Cafe has re-opened with a fabulous chef, Mohan Ismail formerly of Spice Market, and a strange but wonderful menu that is inspired by spices sold at Kalustyan's just across the street. I've been only once so far. Ate some grilled shrimp and a veal vindaloo. The vindaloo, served on top of rice cakes was very vindaloo and was excellent. Anyone else been there? My early impression is that this has the potential to be a very special restaurant.

Edited July 22, 2004 by ned (log)

[Pan]

Thanks for the report, Ned. I just checked their online menu on menupages.com, which shows this place to be a bit upscale for the neighborhood, particularly for dinner (starters $5-13, mains $14-24).

One question: What is "very vindaloo"?

Also, their dessert menu doesn't seem to be online. Do you remember any desserts?

[Moopheus]

One question: What is "very vindaloo"?

"The walls are melting!"

[emsny]

Fat Guy being a lawyer, I don't know whether hearsay is allowed on E-Gullet, but a couple of friends ate at Kalustyan's a few days ago and were wildly enthusiastic. He's English; she's Indian; they live in Paris: in balance, a reliable mix.

[rozrapp]

Thanks for the report, Ned. I just checked their online menu on menupages.com, which shows this place to be a bit upscale for the neighborhood, particularly for dinner (starters $5-13, mains $14-24).

One question: What is "very vindaloo"?

Also, their dessert menu doesn't seem to be online. Do you remember any desserts?

Pan,

Re: the menu on menupages. "Kalustyan's Masala Cafe" is the previous (first) incarnation of the restaurant. We had one dinner there -- quite good -- and the menu shown on menupages is the Masala Cafe menu. As Ned indicated, the restaurant was closed for a while and has re-opened as simply "Kalustyan's Cafe" with this new chef and a totally new menu.

[Pan]

Oh, I see. Thanks for clarifying that.

Ned, is the pricing of the current menu similar to what I posted?

[ned]

Pan,

Very vindaloo is very spicy.

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember the prices. I seem to remember initially being surprised at how much it was because of its location geographically but when it came time to pay the bill it looked like a very good value.

The restaurant is a bit of an anomaly on curry hill. I expected highfalutin Indian but that's not really what it is. Mohan Ismail was chef de cuisine at Tabla before Spice Market, but wasn't creating the dishes at either location. At KC he's set out to carve his own niche as exec chef etc and with Kalustyan's as backers. As we unearthed in the thread on Spice Market, Mr. Ismail is a very multi-culti fellow. Add that to the rest and it becomes clear he's pulling from a wide variety of influences. The menu isn't highfalutin Indian, but it is highfalutin. You shouldn't go there expecting to have a curry hill experience.

I don't think the menu on menupages very accurately represents what was there last week. Likely as they are so new the menu changes often.

Edited July 23, 2004 by ned (log)

[Pan]

Thanks, Ned.

I'm definitely intrigued, as I've loved the Kalustyan's store for a really long time.

[bpearis]

And Bruni visits for a Diner's Journal report.

[Pan]

Thanks for the link. I'm not going to comment on the review for now, and perhaps not in this thread. I just want to ask Ned and anyone else who's been to this place whether the review seemed accurate to you.

[emsny]

Interesting that, per Bruni's Diner's Journal, the vindaloo is veal, not pork. Presumably to broaden its appeal in a neighborhood where many people don't eat pork. I remember visiting a kosher Chinese-style restaurant, oh, 25 years ago at which veal was the meat of choice as a pork stand-in.

Edited July 23, 2004 by emsny (log)

[ned]

The owners of Kalustyan's are muslim. They won't allow pork in the restaurant.

[ned]

Just read the review. Man it's fast for a review, even a diner's journal. I kind of wish Ismail had been given more time to pull things together. Now's the time to forgive small inconsistencies, pecadillos like over-steamed halibut or the occasional cacophony of seasonings. That said, based on my limited experience, Bruni gave a faithful review. I forgot about those chicken samosas. No adjustments needed there.

[emsny]

The owners of Kalustyan's are muslim. They won't allow pork in the restaurant.

I'm guessing that, pork apart, the vindaloo is similar to the one at Spice Market, yes? Perhaps, though, from Ned's description, hotter. As he said: very vindaloo - vinegary and almost smoky. I look forward to trying Kalustyan's, though I doubt that I'd be able to order a pork-free vindaloo.

[Pan]

The owners of Kalustyan's are muslim. They won't allow pork in the restaurant.

What about alcohol?

[ned]

They appear to be selective on the matter. They have beer and wine and I'd bet there's a liquor license pending.

[rozrapp]

Last Thursday afternoon, my husband and I were trying to decide where to go for dinner. On our short list was Kalustyan's Cafe. Actually, it was a very short list, there being only one other "nominee." Since we had eaten once at Masala Café, we had been interested in seeing how things had changed. I then happened to log on to eGullet and -- what a coincidence! There was the Kalustyan’s thread right at the top of this board. (Of course, another big coincidence was Bruni’s Diner’s Journal entry the very next day.) When I read what Ned wrote about his positive experience, I mentioned it to my husband, and the decision was made. We called for an 8:30 reservation. No problem.

The sign during the restaurant's temporary closure had read, "Closed for Renovations." When we arrived, we expected to find a refurbished interior; however, we couldn’t detect any changes in the decor. There is banquette seating along the walls, free standing tables in the front area, and bar in the middle of the room just to the left of which is the kitchen, where chefs in action were partially visible from where I sat.

We were greeted warmly by the receptionist and shown to our table. The restaurant was about half full, and the noise level was on the high side. Our server arrived with menus and the wine list. He asked us what kind of water we preferred. As always, we chose "Chateau Bloomberg," and our glasses were filled promptly. After looking over the menu, we had some questions about some of the terminology and ingredients listed. Our server, who was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the menu, provided the necessary explanations.

We began with the Curried Tamarind Chicken Puffs (aka samosas) with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce. ($8) Three medium-sized puffs lined were lined up on a rectangular plate, all perfectly deep-fried a golden brown with not a hint of greasiness. Also on the plate was a little cup holding the sauce. The filling combination of chicken and spices was delicious, and we happily dipped pieces of the puffs into that tasty sauce. No argument with Ned and Bruni here. An absolute winner and an excellent beginning!

From the breads, we chose the cheese kulcha, which arrived piping hot in an attractive black metal holder. Although this bread was o.k., I thought there was not enough cheese flavor. The cheese kulcha we recently had at Tabla Bread Bar was far and away superior. I think Kalustyan's version could use more cheese.

For the main course, my husband had the Vindaloo of Braised Veal With Lontong: Banana Leaf and Bamboo Rice Cake. ($17) He loved everything about this dish. I tasted the veal, and it was delicious. So, again, everyone is in agreement on this one. I chose Poha Crusted Wild Striped Bass With Eggplant Stew. ($18) Poha, our server informed me, is a type of rice, and it made for a very crispy crust on the top of the fairly thick, tasty fillet. It sat atop a generous portion of stew that was composed of three types of eggplant -- American, Japanese and Thai -- and mixed into the stew, along with tomatoes and various spices, was some diced Asian Pear, which added a lovely crunch. There was an element of spiciness to the stew, but it was not at all overpowering. A fabulous dish!

Looking over the dessert menu, we decided that the weird combination of ingredients didn't appeal to us. I wasn't altogether surprised about this because the consulting pasty chef at one time worked at Compass, and I didn't care for his desserts there.

The prices of appetizers range from $7-$10. Two appetizers can be had in main course size portions: the Shrimp for $19 and the Chicken Tikka for $16. Main courses range from $15-$26, the steak being the most expensive and a lobster dish @ $20. All the desserts are $7, all the breads are $3, and sides -- Raita, Chutney, Mango Papaya Salad and Basmati Rice -- are $3 each.

From the wine list, my husband ordered a glass of Chardonnay for $8 and a Merlot for $7. Our total bill with tax and tip was a well worth it to us $78.

We will definitely be going back.

Changed punctuation after word longtong.

Edited July 27, 2004 by rozrapp (log)

[Pan]

Thanks for the report, Roz!

I have to admit I didn't know what lontong was. A Google search showed that it is a Malay dish - rice steamed in banana leaves.

[rozrapp]

I have to admit I didn't know what lontong was. A Google search showed that it is a Malay dish - rice steamed in banana leaves.

Pan,

To be perfectly honest, I only asked about ingredients where they directly affected me; for example, when I couldn't figure out what the crunchy item in the eggplant dish was. Since the veal was my husband's choice, even though I had no idea what longtong was, I never asked about it. With the explanation you've provided, it now makes sense to me why the punctuation on the menu after the word longtong was actually a colon, not a comma. I'm going to correct my post.