Going out to eat is pretty much my favorite social activity. Heck, let’s be honest…one of my favorite solo activities, too! But dining out on the regular can wreck havoc on trying to maintain a healthy(ish) diet (after all, I’m sure you all saw Anthony Bourdain claim that restaurants sauté everything in butter.
It’s always exciting to stumble across a delicious restaurant that serves dishes with a healthy touch. Ya know, so you can enjoy your evening out without feeling guilty the next day. And that, my friends, is why I was so happy to come across Surya, colonial Indian cuisine featuring the deep flavors of India with a lighter touch.
Located on Bleecker Street in the West Village, the décor of the restaurant is casual and inviting—with warm hues of espresso wood, gold walls covered with vintage photographs, and a granite bar surrounded by military-style bar stools, lit with Edison bulbs.
Though the menu looks to the past for inspiration, Chef Lala and his team look to the future for their cooking methods, techniques and ingredients. The food is delicately seasoned and beautifully spiced with exciting flavor profiles, while still being homey and comforting.
An ideal meal at Surya begins with a crispy, savory treat: Colonial Street Chaats, inspired by popular street food, elevated with lighter, healthier ingredients. For example, Spinach Palak Moong Chaat, designed to be eaten out of hand, are crisp crackers made from batter-dipped flash-fried spinach, layered with sprouted lentils, lemon, onion, and tomatoes—a single bite includes crunch, tang, freshness, leaving an exciting tingle on the palate.
Continue with signature dishes the restaurant is famous for. Daal Surya is a unique, bright and zesty take on black lentils, punctuated with red kidney beans, cumin and ginger. There are also plenty of vegan options—Roasted Bhartha (eggplant, onion, tomatoes and spices); Aloo Gobi Mutter (cauliflower, potatoes, green peas and cumin seed); and Chana Masala (chickpeas, onion, tomato).
Freshly baked breads come to the table crisp, piping hot—and irresistible. We devoured the Rosemary Naan…sensational!
There’s also a rotating selection of six beers on tap including Indian favorites such as Kingfisher and Taj, and local, seasonal beers. The wine list includes 10 reds, 10 whites by the bottle and glass.
Stop into Surya and enjoy a meal that won’t require an extra trip to the gym. Pure epicure pleasure without the guilt…a divine way to eat out, indeed.
Details:
Surya is located at 154 Bleecker Street
New York, NY
212-875-1405
It is open Mon-Fri for lunch from 12-3 and dinner Mon-Thurs from 5pm-11pm and 5pm-11:30pm on Friday.
Sat from noon-11:30pm, Sun from noon to 11pm.
Delivery and catering available.
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
