Red Chilli — Restaurant in New York

Went here on a whim on a Friday night and boy am I pleased this was the spot I chose.

As you walk in, you will be taken aback by the well manicured atmosphere, very uncharacteristic of most restaurants in this three block radius. The decor is beautiful and the place is well kept.

My best friend and I did have to wait a few minutes to be attended to at the front door, but I understand the reasoning behind it, as there were few waiters and a nearly full restaurant. The waiters did make their best effort to help everyone in a timely and respectful manner, but they were indeed overwhelmed.

We began our meal with a bottle of red wine, and I was pleased by their selection as well as temperature of the wine. Perfectly chilled.

Our starter was the paneer kati roll. First, this starter could technically serve as an entire meal for a person. Even split between the two of us, it was still very generous in portion. I didn't finish the roti part of the roll, but I couldn't help but scarf down the entire filling. It was expertly crafted with well seasoned and cooked paneer, nestled between fresh, flash cooked and raw vegetables. Definitely give this one 10/10.

Our main courses were the Chicken Korma and Lamb Biryani. The chicken korma claimed to have a cashew based sauce but tasted very dal like? As strange as that was, it was still masterfully pulled together in terms of flavor and taste. I would give this one 9/10, once eaten with their super fresh garlic naan.

As for the lamb biryani, I kid you not, it is possibly the best lamb biryani I have had in my life. It was presented with the naan baked on the top of the serving dish, so it retained its freshness and heat until we broke open the naan, to see it still steaming about 10 minutes after it arrived on the table. Unlike what happens at most Desi restaurants, this lamb was actually spiced and seasoned for the biryani, and not an array of other dishes. It tasted heavenly. Expert note: you know the biryani is elite when there are plum seeds in there! Astronomical flavor! Definitely 10/10.

I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone that wants desi food with an actual flair and a setting with beautiful ambiance. This would make a perfect date night! I can't wait...

Happened to come across Red Chili by chance as we were looking for a spot to satisfy our craving for Indian food. Inside the restaurant is beautiful, appropriately lit, and elegant. We enjoyed the decor and ambiance before we even decided what to order. For drinks, we got the blue lagoon and the lime refresher. Both were great. My husband ended up getting the chicken kali mirch, while I chose the lobster dish (I forgot the name, but it came in a gravy that contained white wine, which I asked our server AJ if it could be made without it and he confirmed it could). We also ordered a butter chicken to share and the chili garlic naan. I really appreciated that you can customize the spice to your preference, as a lot of Indian places cater to the “western” palate of more mild seasonings. I really enjoyed the lobster dish; it was flavored and spiced perfectly. It came with mushrooms, and although seemed out of place for this dish, it actually was a great side; seasoned nicely and had great texture. My husband loved the chicken kali mirch; we ended up taking the remaining gravy home so he could eat it with the leftover naan/rice. The butter chicken (not pictured) was the only thing that fell short of my expectations. It had an unpleasant sweetness to it and the gravy was not velvety or creamy. It was the only thing that was a disappointment, especially since it’s such a mainstream and popular dish. Service was perfect; our server was knowledgeable on the menu items, very polite and amicable, and you can tell he truly cares about providing his guests with an outstanding experience. We would definitely return to try the other...

My family and I visited Red Chilli in Jackson Heights last Sunday for a late lunch/early dinner, and we had an amazing experience!

The atmosphere of the restaurant was incredible—modern, cozy, and vibrant—and the food and drinks were beautifully presented. The service was excellent, with our waiter going above and beyond to ensure we were happy. He was attentive, checked in regularly, and even encouraged us to share honest feedback about the food, which we really appreciated.

For appetizers, we had the samosa chaat and gobi Manchurian. My family loved the samosa chaat, though I personally found it a tad too sweet for my taste. However, the gobi Manchurian was a standout—it was so delicious! As someone who’s usually a picky eater and not a big fan of vegetables, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

For the main courses, we ordered naan and butter chicken, which was good but leaned a bit on the sweeter side; the chicken parda biryani, which was flavorful and tasty; and the chicken malai kebab, which was tender and cooked well.

The drinks, though, stole the show for us. The mojitos were fantastic—our favorites were the strawberry mojito and especially the guava mojito, which was so refreshing and light.

Overall, Red Chilli was a great dining experience. While the food could use a little fine-tuning to balance some flavors, the amazing service, stunning ambiance, and delicious drinks made it worth the visit. We’ll definitely be back for those mojitos and to try more...