An Indian restaurant that showcases how delicious coastal Indian cuisine can be!
Last week we attended a special tasting at one of New York City’s most popular Indian restaurants, Chola. Chola opened its doors in Midtown Manhattan in 1998 and since then has focused on bringing classic Indian flavors and dishes into a fine dining setting. Having been featured on the Michelin Guide, Eatery, and The New York Times, it is no surprise why Chola has become a staple Indian eatery in the city.
Walking into Chola we were greeted by the warm smiles from the staff who showed us to our table within seconds of arriving. The interior of Chola has a beautiful fine dining feel with the polished wood floors, elegant booth upholstery, and beautiful overhead lamps.
Chola’s drink menu is fairly straightforward where they offer classic cocktails like a Manhattans, martinis, and more but with the addition of Indian ingredients to add a little more flare to these drinks. We started with the East of Manhattan which featured Rye Whiskey, La Copa Sweet Vermouth, and Saffron Syrup. This drink is spirit forward and with the addition of the saffron syrup there is a subtle sweetness that helps cut through the weight of the whiskey. All the ingredients mix well and leave you with a light and refreshing take on the classic Manhattan.
As for the dinner menu, we noticed how extensive the menu was, having what seemed like over 100 options to choose from. It was with the help from the Chola staff, who provided some of their personal favorites, that we were able to narrow down our meal to just a few items. For a starter, we opted for the Chicken Hariyali which is grilled chicken tenders served in a creamy green marinade. This dish was incredibly flavorful. The chicken was juicy and so tender that it practically melts in your mouth. The chicken also had a perfect amount of spice to it which heats up your palate and keeps you coming back for more. We recommend layering the chicken with the side of lime provided for an added brightness which plays well with the cooling mint flavors in the marinade. 
For our main course we ordered the Martha Stewart’s Fav Murgh Malai, the Kori Gassi, and the Nihari along with some classic garlic naan on the side. The Murgh Malai was prepared beautifully where the chicken was fork tender and packed with so much juice and flavor in it. The dish leans into the natural flavors of the chicken and is accentuated by the cheese marinade that makes the dish creamy and sumptuous.
The Lata Shetty’s Kori Gassi was next and we opted to try this to experience the coastal cuisine that helped put Chola on the map. This dish is made with Manglorean coconut chicken curry and red masala and was hands down our favorite dish of the night. The curry broth was creamy and had a beautiful coconut sweetness to it. This sweetness helped balance the moist chicken which was packed with spice and heat from the red masala. And we used the side of garlic naan to soak up all the rich gravy from this dish and experience the spicy sweet sensation after we devoured the chicken.
The last dish we had was the Nihari which is a goat stew dish that is a staple in Pakistan. The goat was juicy and had incredible bursts of savory and umami flavors with each bite. And the gravy that the goat was simmered in was rich and had so many layers of spicy flavor to it. As we kept digging into this dish, we noticed that there was a lot of spice and heat used for this dish which made our mouths water after each bite. Fair warning that this dish is not for those that cannot handle a healthy amount of spice and heat. But for those that can, this dish is worth it.
Our lasting impression of Chola is that this is an Indian restaurant that has put a lot of thought, love, and skill into each dish on the menu. We loved to see an Indian restaurant feature dishes that highlight the Indian coastline instead of focusing solely on the classics that you would find in any other Indian restaurant.
From the flavors in each dish to the friendly and helpful service, we will definitely be back to try more of Chola’s menu (and to have the Kori Gassi again).
