Mint NYC

Although I eat a fair portion of Indian food, it’s not often that I’m fortunate enough to review an Indian restaurant.  When I received the invite to Mint, I was thrilled.  I reviewed the menu at home and was quite overwhelmed by the number of tasty treats.  I was not sure what to expect but had high hopes.  The first course certainly did not disappoint.  We received quite the spread.

My favorite was the Aloo Tikki. 

The mashed potato patties were flavorful.  The blend of herbs and spices in the patties was incredible.  The dish was further enhanced by the chickpea blend that served as a sauce.  I will definitely do my best to recreate the chickpea blend at home.  When the Spicy Shrimp Balchao arrived I knew I would be happy.

The shrimp was cooked in a fiery pepper sauce.  It had a powerful kick at the end of each bite.   The Malai Chicken was amazing!

The chicken must have been marinated for hours.  It was light and flavorful and melted in my mouth.  The Vegetable Masala Samosa was also delightful.

It was a little less exciting than the Aloo Tikki, but jam packed with potatoes and peas and no less flavorful.  My least favorite was the Chicken Seekh Kabab.

The ground chicken skewers just didn’t do it for me.  They were a little dry looked like odd little sausages.   After all those appetizers, you would think we had enough to eat, but that was just the beginning.  Our entrées started to arrive.  The table was packed in no time.  My favorite dish was the last to arrive.  The Tomato Fish was phenomenal.

Each bite was fully seasoned, the fish was moist and completely enveloped in the sauce.  I don’t know the last time I ate fish that was so tender and flavorful.  The Lamb Pasanda was a pleasant surprise.

The lamb was mild and tender.  The cashew sauce was different than the typical curry that I expected.  The Chicken Tikka Masala was a bit disappointing.

I was looking forward to it because the chicken appetizer was so spectacular, but it fell flat.  The chicken was not as moist and overall the sauce didn’t live up to expectations.  The vegetarian entrées we sampled, Saag Paneer (spinach and cheese) and Yellow Tadka Dal (lentils and spinach) were among my favorites even though they didn't photograph too well. 

I especially enjoyed the Yellow Tadka Dal because I did not expect the lentils to have the depth in flavor.  I always underestimate vegetables and this time I was happy to be wrong. 

Mint is a beautifully designed space with a captivating front lounge and a middle dining room.  The “private dining” in the back is poorly placed because it is right in front of the restroom.  The restaurant was near full while we were in there including the bar and lounge area.   The food is best-enjoyed family style.  I recommend going with an empty stomach otherwise you’ll be sorry about the food you leave on the table.

Hungry yet?