Khan Vindaloo w/Lamb from Panna II

Item Purchased: Khan Vindaloo w/Lamb
Location Purchased: Panna II Garden Indian Restaurant / 93 1st Ave. Ste. 5 / New York, NY
Price: $6.95 + tax
Purchased on: 02/01/07

Review: Take one look at this East Village Indian restaurant and you might think that they have nothing more to offer than a surrealist mise-en-scene. When I was younger, I used to think that my mother went a bit overboard with Christmas decorations around the house. Sorry Mom, you've got nothing on this place. Panna II prides itself on its colorful display of strung lights, chili pepper light bulbs and overall weirdness. If it weren't for the tables, napkins and silverware, I would have been tempted to think that I wandered into a Coney Island fun house. The narrow dining room is so laden with lights and ornaments hanging down from the ceiling, that it is nearly impossible to stand up straight and a minor challenge to maneuver into your seat.

Beyond all of the colorful glee, however, is a restaurant that offers affordable Indian Cuisine that could put some of the more elegant eateries on Manhattan's Curry Row to shame. For only seven dollars, I received a healthy serving of tenderly cooked lamb meat and potato chunks swimming in a spicy vinegar curry mixture that will have you drinking the complimentary lentil soup that comes with it like it was a glass of soothing milk. Though spicy enough to have you breathing digestive fire, all of the complex flavors required for any lamb dish are present. Served atop the generous serving of rice I received, this lunch filled me up and sent me on my way, ready for whatever hurdles a whirlwind walk through Manhattan had in store for me.

In addition to the quality of the food, Panna II's service is impeccable. Though the typical tourist may be easily discomforted by the stone-faced servers here, they are attentive and concerned with your dining experience. It may have been due to the fact that I was taking pictures of everything on the table, but my waiter responded to my compliments on the food with a complimentary cup of tea at the end of my meal. Appetizer and meal in New York's East Village for under $10.00? You can't beat that. Even if you paid double the price elsewhere, I doubt the dining experience, atmosphere or taste of your meal would come close to equaling Panna II's output.

Mark this oddity as a regular stop for me when I visit New York in the future!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

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