CUISINE
Fancy an okra ... in New York?
NEELAM MATHEWS
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When a friend spoke about the newest sensation in New York — the recently opened Devi — an Indian eatery, where he did not get a reservation, it naturally piqued the senses to find out more ... .
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DEVI: Making its mark in the Big Apple. PHOTO: BEN FINK
I HEARD about "Devi" from an American friend on a recent visit to New York. This is a city where food rules and top restauranteurs have celebrity status as class cuisine is revered and respected and must be tried and re-tried.
Discussions among New Yorkers often revolve around how they got a reservation or did not at the most talked about restaurants in town. So, when my friend spoke about the newest sensation in town — the recently opened "Devi" — an Indian eatery, where he did not get a reservation, it naturally piqued my senses to find out more.
What were North Indian chefs Suvir Saran and Hemant Mathur doing right to satisfy American and Indian palates alike?
I found "Devi" in mid-Manhattan on what seemed a side-street. It did not have the usual proclamations of loud garish signs claiming its persona. A restrained sign on the side of the door that one was likely to miss just said "Devi". How much humbler could it get I wondered? Either everybody knew about this place or I was going to find it all empty and return home a very hungry customer.
Striking décor, a `tasting' menu
I walk into a very crowded room and it is a Monday I remind myself. Before I have time to soak in the décor that blends aspects of home and temple using clusters of brightly coloured lanterns, rich textiles, beautifully carved wooden architectural elements and a white marble staircase, I am ushered into a comfortable corner by manager Sunny, from where I try to make sense of the walls draped with vibrant orange and gold gauze fabric. There certainly is a goddess at work here.
I opt for a "tasting menu" which means I get to sample all the signature dishes of Chef Suvir. I am given bhel puri delicately served in a small portion followed by the best version of the humble green sprouted moong dal served on a one-inch dia papad. It melts in my mouth as the delectable flavour of the tamarind begins to take charge of my senses. Wow, there must be a genius around here.
WANT TO TRY THE DESSERT?: The Mango Chessecake.
He joins me soon enough. Chef Suvir is inspired, energetic and imbibes the energy of the restaurant he has created and loves. He goes through every dish and explains its origin, his childhood and how he picked up recipes from his mom in her kitchen in Delhi. Every dish is like a child he has nurtured. The Mangalorean prawns are delicately flavoured and served on a bed of sweet and sour brinjal — an unlikely combination — but try it and you'll savour my story for life! Oh yes — and don't forget the Patra-ni machii — Parsi Halibut — that melts in your mouth.
Media accolades
Course by course I am introduced to a delectable menu and reintroduced to vegetables whose tastes were forgotten. Who would have thought I would be eating parwal, karela and kaddu and even relishing it? Time Out New York even voted "Devi's" Okra dish the "Best Vegetarian Dish" in town.
Suvir tells me that Americans are ready to experiment and dig into veggies like Okra, Karelas, Kamal Kakri (bhein/lotusroot), phool makhanas, zimikand (yam), tindas, kathal (jackfruit), arbi (colocasia) etc. "Americans by nature are very adventurous and curious — more so than many other people from around the globe. So, it is not difficult to get them to try something new and in our case at `Devi', it has been easy to get them hooked onto what we have grown up eating.
"Vegetarianism is a growing trend and its popularity is rising. It is an easy cuisine to adhere to. It has all the flavours, textures, tastes and complexity that any cuisine or meat could ever offer and perhaps even more so."
Suvir says he is working now on curry leaf potatoes that are "truly wonderful".
One is soon joined by Rakesh Aggarwal, owner of Devi and the popular Indian restaurant chain of "17 Baluchi's" in New York City. Each week, his restaurants serve over 21,000 meals.
"`Dévi' is unlike any project I have been involved with. These dishes you would not find anywhere else.When I first began in this business, every restaurant was serving the same food. Now, people are ready to experience the true taste of Indian home cooking." Idly Upma might be an unconventional thing to have in New York, but digging into the crispy rice-lentil cakes and curry leaves, mustard seeds, coconut chutney and chilli-tomato chutney, seems the most natural thing for me to do here.
Aggarwal plans to open a restaurant with a similar concept as "Dévi" in Connaught Circle in New Delhi. He is also working on new projects in London and Dubai.
The food gets better as the hospitality gets warmer and I am getting fuller with every additional course and morsel. Suvir is not letting me go without his finale. With a flourish I am served nine desserts — each of which he insists I try. From the soft mango-laced kulfi, to western Pineapple 3 Ways — 9 pineapple gello with wine poached pineapple, mascarpone mousse, black pepper-pineapple slaw, genoise, pineapple cilantro granita, toasted coconut — I have savoured it all — and will not forget it easily.
For a man who has been around the White House and cooked for American politicos and celebrities including Bill Clinton and the rock group, "U2", Suvir says his biggest happiness lies in "honest reactions of joy that come from regular customers that come to `Devi'."
Little wonder for a man with such humble thinking, his best creations and successes come from the unassuming and unpretentious vegetables, that most chefs never thought could be such torchbearers of Indian cuisine.
I leave "Devi" with a new understanding that innovation comes for those that seek it. Suvir and his team seem to have perfected the adage.
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