Dhamaka — Restaurant in New York

I’ve been to Dhamaka on three occasions now so I’ll summarize my most recent visit, as well as others that I enjoyed during my previous visits. Not mentioned below (due to character limit) are the grilled paneer and the Ragda Pattice (both great). I’ve had most of the grilled menu at this point and it’s all delicious.

Papdi chaat - A beautiful medley of yogurt, chili-cilantro hari chutney, tamarind, and chaat masala with a pop of pomegranate to mix things up a bit. And, of course, that signature dhamaka spice. Every bite is a flavor explosion. If you haven’t had chaat before, I’d recommend this dish over any other. My favorite and they do it perfectly!

Gurda kapoora - Testicles and kidneys! And chilies! Spicccyyyyy. And buttery. All in a rich, fragrant, fiery tomato gravy. Not for the faint of heart and not for the average eater. But get past your reticence, soak all that up in some crispy and buttery pav (bread roll), and you have yourself a wonderful concoction reminiscent of your favorite hearty chili. If you’re lucky enough to come on a night when this isn’t sold out (seriously), I highly recommend adding this to your order.

Paplet Fry - if you hadn’t guessed yet, I’m Indian. But My household did not do seafood outside of a tilapia fillet fry every so often. So when I get a chance to experience the way that my people do seafood, I’m always appreciative of the experience. The seasoning on this dish is perfect…granting a tangy and flavorful playfulness that bounces off the crispness of the fish wonderfully. Add to that some pickled red onions and cilantro-chili chutney if you must, I honestly felt it didn’t need anything else. (Probably my Atlanta side telling me that I miss fried fish in the south).

Goat Belly Seekh - I’ve had plenty of seekh kabobs but this one is truly unique. Their means of grilling this spicy concoction? Wrapping it in wood to create a convection oven effect and letting it soak in the juices that would otherwise fall out if baked in such a manner. Genius. We also had a brief conversation with Chef Pandya before our dinner, who recommended this as his favorite item. So we ordered 3.

Fresh roti! They asked so I will never turn it down. Not the best roti I ever had but happy to have it all the same.

Lamb Shank Nihari - Y’all. So many amazing plates during this visit, and so many things that I’d absolutely get again, but this was tonight’s standout. I make a damn good nihari at home, so my standards are high, and of course, I’m always looking to compare. There are components that you need to get correct in order to do this dish right…I’ve never had lamb in a nihari so I was curious how the changeup would sit with me. It sat just fine. Right off the bat (bone), the lamb melted into the gravy. Meat, check. Thickness and consistency, check. Spice, check check check (Chef Pandya never disappoints in spice). And it all comes together beautifully. You can have nihari at home 2/3x a week and still come here and feel like you’re getting something different. But something that really holds true to the essence of what a nihari should be. A+ dish.

Goat Neck Dum Biryani. We had some Hyderabadis in our party so we tend to be particular when it comes to a good biryani. Personally, I felt it held up, but it didn’t wow me. But others in our party loved it, and one even said it’s as good as any Hyderabadi biryani that he’s had. One unique component: there is a layer of spice (because of course there is) on the dum lid. I recommend using this as your carb-vessel with all other dishes. You’re welcome.

Champaran meat - this was a new dish for me, I’d never heard of it or tried it. If you love garlic (let’s be honest, who doesn’t), this is the dish for you. A full head of garlic was the first thing I caught in my roti - didn’t realize that until my second bite but I wasn’t at all mad about it. The meat is tender and altogether this is a tasty dish, recommended by Chef Pandya as well. My thoughts? Too many things I love on this menu, and too many things I’ve yet to try for me to come back...

I have been to many Indian restaurants around the world, and this is easily one of the best and most unique. It truly lives up to the name: it's an explosion of flavor in your mouth. Eating here makes me feel like I am in someones house in India, being transported around from region to region. If I could somehow give this restaurant six stars, I would.

Word of warning: these dishes are all niche, regional dishes that would be best for foodies; dont come in expecting your standard chicken tikka masala with garlic naan. Appetizers: The paneer tikka and bohri chicken cutlet were out of this world. The paneer was soft and had a fantastic texture. Perhaps the best paneer I have ever had in my life. The chicken cutlet had a spectacular balance of spice, and also had a great texture. They put Amul cheese in it, which is a nice touch. Before the appetizers came, I had lower expectations of the place because it looked just like many other casual Indian eateries. But after the first bite of appetizers, I was swept clean off my feet and I realized what kind of meal this would be.

Main courses: We had the baingan bharta, butter crab, and Champaran meat. Everything was fantastic, but the champaran meat really stole the show. It was spicy, flavorful, gamy, hot. The mutton practically fell off of the bone. We also ordered 4 parathas and 1 rice for the three of us. All were of exceptional quality.

For drinks, I ordered the Ghee Whiz (their take on an Old Fashioned). It was smoky, sweet, and strong; it has real ghee in it, and smells like a wood fireplace back home(very nostalgic smell for me). It paired incredibly well with the champaran meat. They also serve it in a really interesting way, which i took video of.

Dessert: We had rabdi and kulfi. Both were absolutely amazing, especially if you like rabdi and haven't had a good one lately.

Our server Catherine was super helpful and knowledgeable throughout our meal. Normally waiters dont give real recommendations, they just say "oh everything is good here", but Catherine asked us good questions before making her recommendations. For example, when we were trying to decide between the Rara Gosht and the Champaran, she told us that the Champaran will be spicier and gamier. We took this information and used it to make a better choice for our tastes, so she was super helpful. She told us that the servers here go through extensive training and quizzes, which does not surprise me given their knowledge.

After dinner we asked for the chef, and he was super happy we enjoyed our meal. Young looking guy too; if he's this talented now, then I can't wait to see what else he will cook up in his career.

I know that this review is probably quite lengthy, but for a restaurant this expensive you should know exactly what to expect. Fantastic, niche, regional Indian dishes. Strong, balanced flavors. Top-notch service. This was one of the best Indian restaurants I have ever been to, and it is certainly in my top 5. A must-visit for foodies, and for enthusiasts and connoisseurs of Indian food. If you don't have the palate for this kind of thing, you will be severely disappointed with the price and with the portion sizes. I suspect the bad reviews of this place are exactly that, so I will warn you again: if you want your standard, safe Indian cuisine, go eat chicken tikka masala somewhere else. This place ain't for you.

All said, it's a 10/10. A must experience for those who want a real...

To note: this review is specifically for the Rajasthani Khargosh (rabbit dish).

I’ve been trying for some time to get the ever elusive rabbit dish so I was so excited to finally reserve it a month before my reservation for a prime weekend time. It made it hard to wait for that long but it surely didn’t disappoint.

This dish is truly a one of kind experience. Yes, not just a meal, but an entire experience. Our waitress (Lila) and the story she told about the dish and the restaurant really took this to another level. The restaurant is labeled as unapologetic Indian, which is a great way to describe how this dish came to be. You can read all about the backstory elsewhere, but it makes it feel special to understand everything that goes into this.

The rabbit itself is spectacular, cooked in a sealed pot after making a trip from upstate New York days earlier and then marinating for some time. It’s so tender and just goes perfectly with whatever sauce it’s cooked in. It’s spicy for sure - you know that going in and you start to notice that immediately. The rabbit itself is served whole, head, organs, and everything else. For those of you who are adventurous like me, I highly recommend try every piece of this animal. It’s part of what makes it so special, given that most foods we eat aren’t prepared whole like this (besides fish).

On the side, they provide some bread to dip into any of the array of options, which included an incredible lentil dish and a spicy potato side. Those lentils were maybe the best I’ve had and complement the other dishes well (mostly because they provide some relief from the spice). Don’t worry, they also give you a bit of yogurt and rice in case the lentils aren’t enough to cool your mouth.

Lila (waitress) really made this meal additionally special so I definitely want to make sure she gets the shoutout. Not only was she very attentive, but she was clearly enjoying our experience and entertained our questions, curiosity, and general wackiness of three 20-somethings out at dinner.

I’m really glad that a place like this exists to push the boundaries on cuisine by introducing truly unique dishes. I really enjoyed their other restaurant Adda (Long Island City) when I went a few years ago and consistently enjoy (read: love) my constant trips to Angel (Jackson Heights), which is helmed by a former Adda chef. The Indian food in NYC is really special because of...