Chaat and chat

[Sandra Levine]

Thank you Suvir, for guiding us through Dimple's chaat.  Our little group had a wonderful introduction to this intriguing restaurant and I know that I will be returning again and again.

Six people shared the following, as described on the menu: Delhi chat (lentil dumpling in yogurt with chick peas, sauces topped with vermicelli), Kachori chat (special Kachoris stuffed with chick peas & topped with sauces, yoghurt & vermicelli, Ragda patties (special patties dipped in whole beans & tossed with onions, sauces & vermicelli), pakoda (lentil, chili, paneer, spinach, malthi)[usually spelled pakora?] bhel puri (puffed crisps served with potatoes, beans, pulses, sauce and mint wafer) ,chole bhatura (chick peas and fluffy white bread).  The "fluffy white bread" turned out to be two huge pooris!.

Some of us tasted  the small green peppers both raw and sauteed with cumin.  Degustibus didn't even break a sweat from her taste of the chili, but my husband Alan's eyes popped with his.  (He ate all the seeds.)  Suvir pointed out that peppers, even of the same variety, vary widely in heat and the pepper itself, rather than a person's tolerance may, indeed be the critical factor in one's reaction.

The menu descriptions do not do justice to the food, but I'm afraid I paid as much attention to the chat as I did to the chaat and because I did not take notes, and there were so many dishes, I can convey only my general impressions.   There were layers of flavor and a complexity to each dish in both taste and texture that I would not normally expect to find in the offerings of such a decptively simple place.  None of the dishes was particularly hot.  Chilis, when used, were a component like any other flavor note that contribute to the dish without dominating it.  This was subtle and even sophisticated spicing.

For dessert, we each had a small royal falooda, a primarily rose-flavored milkshake-like extravaganza that Alan described as "a vist to paradise."  Paradise seems to be violently pink.

Each dish was small enough -- the size of a large appetizer or small entree -- so that it was possible to taste quite a few.  Ten dollars apiece, including tax and tip for the six of us.

I think this would be a wonderful place for a larger eGullet New York dinner.

[Damian]

I agree, Sandra, it would make a great place for an inexpensive yet delicious gathering.  Thanks also for dutifully (and very accurately!) reporting on our convocation.  It was a genuine pleasure meeting everyone there and to put some faces with the names seen on the boards.  Thanks Suvir for being a cheerful guide and to Chuck for making comments about fish eyeballs and bait while I was trying to work my through the rose flavored falooda and to Suvir again for his helpful comparisons between the flavor of rose water and the scent of grandmother's boudoir.    I hope our distinguished guest from Toronto (aka Degustation) will tell us how she enjoyed her weekend of premier dining and theater in NYC.  That is if she is not curled up in a chile-induced coma after trying to keep a straight face in our presence for so long.

[Suvir Saran]

Damian, you are sooo good.  I have nothing more to say.

Well it was great meeting the gang.  Thanks Sandra for reporting on our convocation.  Damian thanks for sharing the deep conversations.

Degustation, please tell us how the rest of your weekend was.

Thanks for taking the time to meet with us at Dimple.

[Degustation]

It was a pleasure to meet with everyone and the meal was a delightful start to my weekend dining adventures in NYC (to be posted in detail soon).

Suvir - thank you for doing the ordering and providing an interesting running commentary to guide the experience.

Sandra – many thanks for posting about the experience. You did a wonderful job as I was so busy chatting and eating rather than making chaat notes. I’m glad to have that list, as I want to use that as a basis of finding similar dishes in chaat places in Toronto.

Damian – I enjoyed your entertaining comments (still looking forward to the post about the anniversary dinner!!). I think you were the first to admit that you are an egulletaholic…. Hi my name is -----…and I have been online for the last 18 hours. … but then I chimed in and confessed to being online all day and just hitting Refresh to get updates as I am working.  

“Chile-induced coma?!” – Damian  - are you insinuating that I am actually a chili-wuss and was putting on an act!? Harrumph.

Actually I have sampled that type of chili quite a few times. A friend of mine usually ordered them on the side whenever we were in Indian restaurants. Of course, the raised eyebrow look was always given when they would see that we had devoured all of them with the meal. I have never had them sauteed with the spices so that was quite tasty.

I consider items like chilis, horseradish, wasabi, mustards, harrissa, etc. to be very nice accents to a meal. Though I do enjoy fiery dishes, I do not order everything spicy hot just for the capsaicin high – I just like that extra hit now and then.