Honest Restaurant, a renowned chain of Indian street food restaurants across the country, just opened up a brand new location in the West Village.
We stopped by on Monday evening to sample a few of their delicious menu items, and find out what makes their newest spot unique.
Honest is an all vegetarian restaurant with humble beginnings: started by Ramesh Gupta in 1960s Ahmedabad, India, the company began as a food truck and later expanded to serve Bhaji Pav, what would come to be known as their signature dish. Their Bhaji Pav contains a special spice blend developed by Vimla Gupta, Ramesh’s wife. Their name stems from a commitment to “the purity of the product and the customer transparency” they provide.
With 60 locations in Gujrat, India, 31 in the United States, and 3 in the New York metro area, the West Village location is the first in Manhattan and is introducing a number of exciting features. This location will be the first to offer cocktails and wine, and will soon open an outdoor dining patio space just in time for spring in the city. The sleek downtown location will cater to NYU students, young people enjoying the area’s nightlife, and health-conscious individuals such as those with a vegetarian or plant-based diet.
Obviously, we ordered their famed Bhaji Pav, and we also tried out their Pani Puri, Dry Manchurian, Schezwan Noodles, and Mango Falooda. The Bhaji Pav, a thick vegetable curry (Bhaji) topped with diced red onions, freshly squeezed lime, and eaten with airy buttered bread (Pav), was spicy and delicious. The dense, hot curry paired with the fluffy rolls perfectly evoked the Indian street food experience, and I felt like I was back in Mumbai eating my grandfather’s favorite snack with him. Next, the Pani Puri came with crispy fried hollow bread stuffed with potato and diced onion, and the spiced Pani had the signature sweet and spicy flavor this dish is known for. Each puri pops in your mouth with an explosion of flavor and freshness. Next, their Dry Manuchurian, (veggie balls drenched in a savory sauce) captured the indo-chinese fusion flavor perfectly and delivered a tangy, spicy bite anyone would love. Topped with green onions, this dish is the perfect late night snack. The schezwan noodles were a spicy, delicious comfort food, and the falooda was a combination of sweet textures and bright, fresh flavor. These were only a few of the items on Honest’s extensive menu, which varies by location based on what best fits the audience they’re catering to.
We loved our experience at Honest and can’t wait to go back and try the rest of their menu! Check out more on the restaurant and find their closest location to you, here: https://nychonest.com/
