In the mood for something spicy but not too filling, I went down to the Village to try Lassi, a tiny Indian restaurant. There’s only small red neon sign with the restaurant’s name on the front window and the place is only six feet wide, as if someone decided to set up shop in a hallway. On one side is a narrow ledge and five stools, which I’m told get crowded during lunch, and on the facing wall, chalkboards promoting the day’s menu specials. I took a seat, listening to the Arcade Fire CD being played over the sound system, and noticed while waiting for my order that the place does a rousing takeout business.
With its small-sized servings of Indian street food at the inflated prices typical of the neighborhood, the place recalls a condensed version of Bombay Talkie. It’s tasty, but I’m sure frowned upon by “true;” Indian food fanatics.
Of course Lassi specializes in its namesake yogurt beverage, so I ordered the cardamom variety and it was cool and refreshing. Other intriguing flavors are mango, coconut, rose, coffee, lemon with roohafza (a rose syrup), “salty” and plain ol’ vanilla.
Lassi’s other regular menu specialty is six varieties of paratha, a flatbread that’s basted with oil and fried on a griddle. It reminded me much of Parisian crepes and it’s even served folded over in foil-backed paper so you can eat it on-the-go. I got the keema goat variety, which was served with fresh, bile-green mint chutney and it was delicious.
Each day, Lassi features a different off-menu entree, salad and dessert, each of which I’d like to try sometime, particularly the dessert, as Lassi’s owner was previously a pastry chef and I’ve read of the divinity in her pumpkin halwa, a creamy, spiced pudding topped with pistachios and golden raisins.
Lassi
- 28 Greenwich Ave.
- (212) 675-2688
- Meal 24/52: large lassi ($4.75) and goat paratha ($4.95).