KAILASH PARBAT NYC Indian Vegetarian Restaurant Announces Special Snacklet Menu

The owners of Kailash Parbat have kept Sindhi traditions alive for over 60 years through their world-famous restaurants. Now that the first U.S. outpost of their beloved concept has had time to become a favorite of the Curry Hill neighborhood, they've decided to broaden the restaurant's appeal by going completely kosher. And the restaurant's new beverage program features a variety of kosher wines, Indian beers, premium spirits, mixed drinks and specialty house cocktails perfect for pairing with the flavorful food. For those interested in non-alcoholic refreshment, there's a list of thirst quenchers ranging from sweet or savory lassi (yogurt drinks) to jaljeera (a chilled and tart lime-based drink) to masala chaas (buttermilk flavored with cumin and fresh coriander), as well as flavored ice teas (lemon or peach) and masala chai.

And now, for a limited time only through 1/3/16, their new "snacklet" menu will feature unique dishes found only on the hidden streets of various regions of India. The menu presents dishes such as the Samosa Pao (a homemade samosa stuffed with potatoes, green peas, nuts and spices served in buttered pao bun) a fast food dish native to the Indian state of Maharashtra and extremely popular with school and college students. Also featured is the Mr Aloo Toasty (potatoes mashed and mixed with grated cheddar cheese and light spices, sandwiched between white breads, and topped with butter and chickpea flower noodles) which originated from the streets of Mumbai and is traditionally served anywhere from train stations to college canteens. The menu offers several other new items as well, all priced under $10.

The history of Kailash Parbat (named after the sacred Himalayan mountain) began in the 1940s on the streets of Karachi, where the Mulchandani brothers sold their popular pani puri, crispy bite-sized breads (puri) stuffed with a mixture of spiced water (pani), sweet-sour tamarind sauce and signature fillings. But in 1947, because of the partition, they were forced to flee to India with very few possessions. They choose to take with them the utensils they used to make their Sindhi street food-while leaving their valuables behind. In 1952, the brothers opened Kailash Parbat in Bombay. Since then, 28 additional locations have opened in Chennai, Kochi, Surat, Bangalore, Hyderbabad, Singapore, and London, continuing the original vision of the Mulchandani brothers thanks to the hands-on attention of the family, with a continuing emphasis on quality, consistency and service.

When India was partitioned, the Sindhi population was scattered around the world, and their cuisine primarily preserved by home cooks. But Kailash Parbat is one of the few restaurants that brings Sindhi specialties to the public with traditional dishes such as koki, a spiced and griddled Indian flat bread laced with onions, herbs and chilis; papad, flavorful crispy thin cracker-like bread; and sai bhaji, a delectable combination of spinach and lentils.

With the goal of ensuring that the food tastes exactly as it does in their restaurants in India, Amit and Gary Mulchandani, third-generation descendants of the original owners, have diligently trained the chefs in New York.

Every single morsel is made in house daily, using only the freshest ingredients-fresh spinach, garlic and ginger. The chefs grind and mix the garam masala spice blends fresh every morning, staying true to recipes that have been used and refined over the course of the restaurant's 65-year history. Every morning, a dizzying array of colors and flavors are coaxed from simple ingredients. The base of every dish is different, so every dish has its own unique flavor profile. And when the flavor profile and authenticity demands it, they import ingredients-such as the fresh tomatoes used in their sauces-directly from India.

The tone is set by the custom-designed chaat bar where guests can build their own crunchy crispy spicy saucy fried snacks. Continuing from the street food tradition, guests can adjust and vary the intensity of spice, the amount of crunch, the level of chutney sweet-tanginess, and the cooling power of yogurt. From the crunchy bite-size corn baskets filled with fresh corn and drizzled with spicy sauce, to bhel puri, puffed rice mixed with chickpeas and tamarind and cilantro chutneys, to dahi wada, soft savory cake mixed with sauces and yogurt, all are meant to be delicious, fun and casual.

Entrees include vegetarian dishes inspired by the Punjab: diwani handi, mixed vegetables and paneer combined with mint and spinach, bright green and punctuated with the fresh taste of ginger and the individual flavors of carrots, cauliflower and spinach; paneer makhanwala, house made Indian cheese in rich tomato sauce; kofta-e-dilbar, a tender, lightly sweet round of soft paneer and vegetables in a thick cashew and onion gravy; and lasooni dal tadka, yellow lentils cooked until just on the verge of falling apart, delicately flavored with cumin seeds, garlic and curry leaves; as well as Indo-Chinese, traditional Sindhi and tandoor dishes.

The desserts have also helped make Kailash Parbat popular since 1952; In particular, gulab jamun, balls of sweetened condensed milk, lightly fried until golden brown, and soaked in rose-flavored sugar syrup, served warm, and kulfi falooda, a smooth rich ice cream made with the best quality milk, accompanied by sweet vermicelli noodles.

Kailash Parbat is located at 99 Lexington Avenue, between 27th and 28th Streets, 212-679-4232, and is open Mon-Sun from Noon - 11pm. Happy hour Mon-Fri from 4pm - 7pm. Takeout, delivery and catering are all available. For more information, visit http://www.kailashparbatny.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Kailash Parbat