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Raga

433 E. 6th. Street between 1st Avenue & Avenue A

A stone's throw from Curry Row, super secret Raga proffers mindblowing and complex Indian fusion cuisine for a third of the price one could charge for this sort of food. Even at nine on a friday night--prime NYC dining time--a large party could inexplicably be seated within five minutes, bizarre considering the high caliber of the restaurant's preparations and the convenient East Village location. Perhaps the low crowd density is due to this section of East 6th not being heavily trafficked, or the proximity to the projects, but I really don't mind, it just makes Raga feel more like its mine-all-mine.

So once seated, be prompt and order the appetizer / side of Naan with eggplant spread. The cool, creamy spread is a subcontinental twist on baba gannoush, with hints of mint, yogurt, and cumin that you just can't load onto the light fluffy naan in the gluttonous quantity invited by the dip. The entrees, meanwhile, are almost cerebrally complex and mystifying, but roundly and consistently delicious. The first time I ate at Raga, I ordered the pan seared chicken breast with basmati, a bone-in, skin-on piece of chicken swimming in a creatively interpreted curry masala that may have also had tamarind and coconut in it as well. My first taste invited bewilderment, the second satisfaction, and the third the conviction that what I was eating was one of the most exotic and immensely tasty meals I had ever eaten. The same sentiment applies for the mahi-mahi my companion had ordered. I don't normally go for fish, but the mahi-mahi was in an equally complex and delicious sauce, extremely fresh, and extremely well prepared.

Since that first visit, Raga has changed chefs, so I was a bit leery of the quality and complexity being diminshed by a white guy manning the helm, rather than the inventive indian guy who previously piloted the burners. Thankfully, my concerns were misplaced. The menu has changed slightly, only to incorporate more seasonal ingredients, and the eggplant spread is still there and still very good. On this occasion, the pan seared chicken came in a crimini mushroom ghee with butternut squash, a slightly smaller portion than before, but a nearly identical preparation and plating, just with a slightly less complex sauce. The braised lamb shank however, was a hearty, meaty, satisfying autumn dish perfect for a rainy november night. The shank, braised in a liquid the waiter refused to disclose, was gently perfumed and moist, with a piquant tomato-eggplant compote that amplified the mild, meaty flavor of the lamb. The lamb came with an upturned ramekin of currant-studded cous-cous, a nice accompaniment, albeit pitifully small compared to the girth of the shank. Salmon Skewers, a lighter choice on the menu, might as well be called a salmon salad, three skeweres of insanely fresh and lightly seasoned fish on a pile of dressed mixed greens. The name doesn't really matter though, the skewers display the same artful presentation and deft sense of flavor and spice consistently executed in the kitchen.

So is it obvious that I'm gushing yet? Seriously, this place is fantastic. The room is dim, cozy and romantic, the wine list lengthy and well selected, the service emphatic, and the food spectacular. So maybe I'm letting my little secret out, but I trust you won't tell, will you? Who are you anyway? I've really got to stop using silly rhetorical devices to conclude my reviews, I think they may be getting tiresome. Don't you agree?