Utsav — a Sanskrit word meaning festival — is a Theatre-district Indian restaurant located in a skywalk between 46th and 47th Streets, right above Roundabout Theatre. The restaurant — led by owner Nandita Khanna – recently 
updated their menu and their interior. I like that the noise level is conducive to conversation.
I had been invited to sample the new menu, and with Nandita helping us select what to try, it was a real treat.
We started with their new Bombay-style blue crab with a light garlicky peppered butter sauce. This dish is practically all crab ($16). Don’t miss the Tandoori roasted boneless chicken (kali mirch) with a spicy cracked black pepper orange chutney sauce 
($12) or six piece crispy cauliflower pieces (lasuni gobi) sitting in a sriracha garlic sauce ($7).
Also good is the unusual crispy quinoa aloo tikki, a red quinoa-potato patty with chutney and yogurt ($10).
Do try the shakarkandi kaffir lime chaat ($8), an interesting refreshing salad of julienned tomatoes, peppers, mango and crispy fried sweet potato in a light kaffir lime vinaigrette.
One of my dining partners mentioned that the hot food we were served, wasn’t hot enough for his palate. Nandita challenged him to eat a small green Indian pepper that she described a much hot
ter than any Mexican chili. I’d suggest you not to ask for that challenge.
The duck seekh kabab ($23), minced duck sausages flavored with star anise, came served with the same spicy orange chili ($23) sauce from the chicken kali mirch. I found the texture and flavor of the sausage a bit odd.
As their guests, we were able to sample a number of entrees. I’d recommend them all from the spicy bhuna mutton (goat meat on the bone in a rich gravy, $23), to the sea bass rasa (a delicately fried fillet of sea bass in a Kerela coconut curry flavored with kaffir line, $28), the spicy chicken vindaloo ($23) and the most unusual chilli relleno ($18). The latter is Utsav’s take on the Mexican version; theirs is stuffed with a housemade paneer cheese and served in a light tomato cre
am sauce.
Unusual is the word for the crispy okra raita ($4) of fried thinly sliced okra in a sweet and sour yogurt. I’d recommend sticking to the more traditional chopped cucumber or other veggie ones.
We had a side of basmati rice to soak up the flavorful sauces and a serving of each of their varieties of warm naan, which are not to be missed. That included the garlicky ($4), green olive and pepper ($4) and the unusual jalapeño and cheese ($5). And were luc
ky to enjoy the crisp, spicy masala poppadom — a lentil cracker that’s usually a bar snack — sprinkled with diced tomatoes and onions.
Nandita wanted us to indulge in some of their desserts ($8 each); we tried the sharabi kheer, a rice pudding spiked with rum-infused raisins and topped with coconut sorbet; the quite unusual homemade Indian ice cream in the form of a popsicle – made with sweet vermicelli, tapioca pearls and basil seeds; and our favorite the crème brulee with sweet milk dumplings (gulab jamun) in it.
– bonnie
Utsav
Theater District
1185 Avenue Of The Americas
New York, NY 10036
(212) 575-2525
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