WHERE FLAVOURS CURRY FAVOUR

WITH DOLLOPS OF AUTHENTICITY, SMEARED WITH REAL FLAVOURS AND OLD WORLD INDIAN HOSPITALITY, BUNGALOW, IN NEW YORK CITY, STIRS UP PASSIONS WITHOUT THE HOOPLA AND HISTRIONICS.

- Rashmi Uday Singh

It's an "Aha" moment for Indian restaurants in the world capital of food.

It's the first time this century that an Indian restaurant has received a three-star rating from the New York Times. Take a bow Vikas Khanna for your recently opened "Bungalow". It's also nonstop "wah wah" as Indian restaurants in New York are breaking records and setting records, with ease and alacrity. Be it Dhamaka, Semma or, more recently Jezba, among many others, but it is Khanna's Bungalow that is leagues ahead of all others Ever since it opened, Resy has been recording it as the hardest reservation to secure in NYC. Is it fancy schmancy, "Modern Indian"? No. Is it ethnic whitewashed for the American palate? No. Thankfully, it is honest, unpretentious, comforting, delicious and self-assured version of food from all the states of India. Khanna weds nostalgia with many a cheeky tweak, marrying emotional connectivity and story-telling through social media and tasty dishes. He distils Indian flavours and textures; culture and tradition in a rather unique ambiance.

Full disclosure: I've not only known Vikas Khanna for over a decade, launched two of his books, dined in the Michelin-starred Junoon NYC (before he left it), and in Kinara, his Dubai outpost. He combines good looks with brains, wears his celebrity with endearing down-to-earthness.