Review: ROASTED MASALA Brings Delightful Indian Dining to the Upper West Side of NYC

Make time for a memorable meal. Roasted Masala on Columbus Avenue at 105th Street is a gem of a restaurant. This welcoming spot features fine Northern Indian cuisine by Chef Jawad Rehman who has incorporated treasured recipes on the menu that have been passed down from his grandfather. The BYOB option has no corkage fee so guests can pair food with their favorite wines or beers. This casually elegant venue has plenty of comfortable seating whether you are dining solo, having a date night, out with friends or gathering a family group.

We visited early on a Saturday night for dinner service. Guests will like that there are options for every taste and style from traditional Indian dishes with tender meats to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options.

Start your meal with a few savory appetizers like the Spinach Chaat, a lightly fried spinach fritter or the Recheado Shrimp, spiced with curry leaves, vinegar, and Goan chili. And of course, there are classics like Samosa or the perfectly spiced Lasooni Gobi. Move on to the main courses, all of which are artistically presented. The Tandoori dish, Basil Chicken is sure to please with wedges of chicken marinated in basil sauce and cooked to perfection. The delicious vegan dish, the Daal Saag with yellow lentils and spinach is both vegan and gluten free. There is a nice selection of Soups, Salads, Kati Rolls, Dosa plates, and Biryani.

Be sure to order breads like their Stuffed Naan, Roti, or Pori to accompany your meal. And sides like the Zebra Rice or Basmati Rice, Onion Tomato Raita, or Preserved Onion are a must.

While vegetarian options are part of the regular menu, Chef Rehman has recently introduced a new Impossible Foods Menu that features a variety of their signature Indian specialties crafted with Impossible Foods™. Dishes include Impossible Tikka Masala: fenugreek and tomato sauce; Impossible Korma: cashew and almond sauce; Impossible Vindaloo: vinegar, red chili paste, spices; Impossible Xacuti: roasted spices pureed with coconut; Impossible Cafreal: coriander, mint, tamarind and green chili sauce; and Impossible Dosa: rice flour crepe.

Add a bit of sweetness to your meal. You'll like beverages that include Mango Lassi or India's version of bubble tea, Falooda Milk, a pink and lightly sweetened strawberry milk shake with boiled basil seeds. And there are also traditional desserts that include Shahi Tukda, sweet toast fried and soaked in condensed milk and sprinkled with saffron, sugar, almonds, and cashews or Strawberry Shrikhand, light and airy hung yogurt, with saffron and cardamom.

Roasted Masala also features lunch specials and weekly rotating Indo-Chinese and tandoori menu specials. The restaurant offers area delivery, take-out and catering for special occasions.

Roasted Masala is located at 914 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10025. The restaurant is convenient to the Columbia University community and major city subway and bus lines. For more information, please visit https://www.roastedmasala.com/ or call (917) 388-3586.

Read our "Chef Spotlight" with Chef Jawad Rehman:

/bwwfood-wine/article/Chef-Spotlight-Chef-Jawad-Rehman-of-ROASTED-MASALA-on-the-Upper-West-Side-of-NYC-20190811

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Roasted Masala

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