Was in Manhattan. Decided to visit celebrated chef Madhur Jeffrey’s restaurant which was nearby. Checked the net, think it was called Dawat Haute Indian Cuisine, and according to Google it is permanently closed now.
I am a vegetarian, but there were good food – albeit at higher prices, and uniqueness of cuisine was questionable. There will be small changes – for example instead of aloo paratha, we will be served aloo paratha with hint of macadamia nuts. Tasted slightly different but not to justify huge cost difference from Paharganj dhabas. Of course, real estate was expensive in Manhattan and the service staff. Aloo parathas were rs 10 or 20 each in Paharganj, and one got extra onion, chilli, pickle if one asked nicely. And tip of rs 10 ensured that next time I went there, the waiter will leave everything and some jumping to me. They remember the tipsters. I guess nobody tips in India especially in Paharganj. They will talk about me there, I think I might have become a legend there – the 10 rupee tipster.
And in Manhattan, the waiter offered wines. Normally I might take a glass or so, but that evening was tired, didn’t want to drink, and said no.
Not to give up, the waiter came to me and whispered,” If you have money problem we have a nice wine “Shutter Wine” or something for just $6 a glass. It was a kind gesture but I had to refuse.
When I came back to Kansas City, checked for that wine at local liquor stores. Surprisingly it was available everywhere for $2.99 a bottle, one of the cheapest, good for 4 glasses or so.
Average meal, and overpriced cheap wine is my verdict. Since people come to my site to be consoled after they have failed JEE, to hear “stupid” about IIT professors to calm their hearts, restaurants is not on their list. Moreover, it is permanently closed cow..