Gandhi Cafe — Restaurant in New York

Ghandi Cafe has been around for at least twenty years, as it was about that long ago I first ate there. Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, and NYC at large have, of course, evolved a lot during that time. Ghandi Cafe has changed too.

I revisited the old haunt recently to find the interior entirely redone since the last time I was there. While an upgrade was warranted, the choice to go with a minimal and white design scheme—the total opposite of the previously dark and busy interior—is questionable. The surfaces, particularly the chairs, look dingy, which is not a good look. An all-white color palette needs to be well maintained and kept clean and crisp, particularly when brightly colored pop art-style images grace the walls. Though the old interior was a bit shabby and dated, at least it had character. Gone is the arched ceiling finish that made the long, slender space feel like a train car. The ceiling has now been squared off with fancy recessed lighting that, unfortunately, seems out of place when compared to the food.

Ah, the food. It was also a letdown on my most recent visit. The flavors are a bit bland compared to what I remember, though the rice was quite pleasant. They still bring a complimentary rice pudding dessert, as they always did in the past, which is delicious and a highlight of the meal. But they no longer provide the very satisfying warm chai to accompany it that I recall getting in years past, though perhaps that is seasonal, as it was during the heat of summer when I visited.

One thing that has not changed is the all-caps INDIAN CUISINE decals spelled out across the front door. It's a vestige of the long history of this restaurant—and Bleecker Street—that warms my heart. I wish the inside of the restaurant, even if renovated, felt more connected to that heritage too.

If I did not have a twenty-year history, both dining in and ordering takeout, with the restaurant, I would likely not return based on my most recent visit alone. I will probably give it another try the next time I crave Indian flavors. But if Ghandi Cafe doesn't improve some of their current shortcomings, I don't think they'll be around in another...

We used a Pulsd deal to try this place out, but we were sadly disappointed. Several things, sadly, because I really was expecting a great experience based on the previous reviews I read.

They had Tandoori chicken wings on the menu that we wanted to try since we were curious, having never seen that at an Indianrestaurant before. We ordered them. But a few minutes later we're told that the chicken was no good, so we can't have it. We also ordered Lamb vindiloo, and then a few minutes after ordering, they tell us they just ran out of lamb (at 2pm)....but someone ordered it after us and got it.

Then Naan tasted bland and like raw flour... even though it was garlic naan.

My chicken Tikka masala was sooooo sweet. Like almost borderline desert sweet. I like sweetness in my chicken Tikka masala, but it was beyond acceptable levels of sweet.

I do recommend the meat samosas, those were great and very fresh!!

We also ordered the masala fries and they were not what we expected, but they were seasoned well.

The service was ok. Our server could have been more friendly but not a major complaint. When we used the pulsd deal for the 2 entrees and bottle of wine (great deal by the way) the deal specifics up to a $20 entree item can be selected but upon going to the restaurant they told us the limit was $15.. so the inconsistency was annoying. Probably won't return but I'm not...

Overall: 11/10 dining experience. I've grown up eating Indian food all my life, whether at home or at the wide array of high end restaurants in NYC, and to say that Ghandi Cafe trumps all the others would be an understatement. Ghandi far exceeded my already high expectations. Everything we ordered, from the butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, and down to the mango lassi was rupturing with flavor-- simply put, immaculate. The chicken tikka masala especially was truly incomparable. I tasted all of the elements I look for in the perfect chicken tikka masala. The garlic naan was fresh, hot, and fluffy. The mango lassi was the perfect amount of sweet and viscous. The dimly lit ambience with lights adorning the ceilings, with Indian music in the background truly make you feel so cozy and like you're transported in a restaurant in India. It would be ideal to bring a group of friends, or even for a romantic date night. The impeccable service here matched the incredibly high quality of the food. Staff was super accommodating. Our server would keep coming to make sure we were doing ok and she was an absolute sweetheart. She made the experience so memorable. I cannot wait to try even more dishes on the menu the next time I come back! Cannot recommend this...