A Taste of Utsav, Theatre District, NYC

Currently, with all the scaffolding surrounding the building, finding the entrance to Utsav isn’t easy. The bi-level Theatre District restaurant, located in a skywalk between 46th and 47th Streets, serves authentic Indian, Indo-Chinese and Bengali cuisine. Recently, owner Nandita Khanna invited me to sample the menu as Utsav began its 26th year in business. (Utsav is a Sanskrit word meaning “festival.”)

As guests of the restaurant, we began with cocktails. I chose the Old Fashioned with a green chili infusion, served with a wooden stopper to retain the added smoke ($18), while my dining partner enjoyed the refreshing Saffron Sunrise, made with vodka, saffron liqueur, Aperol and ginger beer ($18).

I especially enjoyed the appetizers, many of which are inspired by popular street foods. Favorites included the butter chicken-filled kulcha ($12 for two) and the Bengali Kolkata fish fry ($20), in which tender seabass is marinated with cilantro and chile, then fried and served with cucumber salad and Kasundi mustard sauce. Both dishes are highly recommended. We also sampled the Jhal Muri ($12), a fun mix of puffed rice, peanuts and vegetables tossed with mustard oil and served in a paper cone.

The most unusual street food was the puchka, a hollow, crisp sphere of fried puri filled with seasoned mashed potatoes and tangy tamarind water. The combination of crunchy shell and bright, sour flavors makes it a memorable snack.

Nandita also sent over Salt & Pepper Prawns ($20) and Chili Chicken Dry ($18) from the restaurant’s Indo-Chinese menu. While both dishes were flavorful, I found them a bit salt-forward.

For our main courses, we shared the Daab Chingri ($30), a signature prawn curry cooked and served in a green coconut. We also tried the Bhetki Macher Paturi ($32), barramundi marinated with mustard, green chilies and turmeric, then steamed in a banana leaf. The tender, flavorful fish comes with steamed rice and the Bengali Alur Dum ($22), potatoes simmered in a rich onion, tomato, yogurt and mustard oil gravy, paired with luchi ($10 for three), Bengali-style deep-fried puffed bread.

Before we left, Nandita encouraged us to sample some desserts ($14 each). We tried the rasmalai, cheese dumplings poached in sweetened milk and topped with pistachios, and the gulab jamun crème brûlée, which incorporates the traditional sweet milk dumplings into the custard.