A Michelin-starred celebrity chef and accomplished restaurateur have opened a gem of an Indian restaurant that has transformed a rough-and-tumble area of the East Village into a slice of Mumbai’s sophistication.
The Bungalow, which opened last month in a new luxury building on the site of the original Lucky Chains, is tucked between a pizzeria and a funeral parlor on a quiet stretch of East Second Street.
The neighborhood’s unpretentious business district is a stark contrast to the elegant atmosphere you encounter when you step through the bungalow’s flower-covered doors.
The restaurant begins with a staircase descending like a Golden Temple, leading to an Indian-style country club reminiscent of British rule in the subcontinent. It features a library, wicker furniture and a bar that opens onto a stunning skylit space with lush greenery.
“These mansions are part of our grandparents’ time,” says Vikas Khanna, the Michelin-starred Indian chef who has achieved a cult following at Junoon in the Flatiron district. told Dish.
“Big houses, big families, feasts and celebrations all year round. They were the unifying force of the culture.”
Khanna collaborated with Jimmy Rizvi of Bombay House Hospitality, known for Gup Shap in Gramercy, and opened the bungalow on March 23, the birthday of Khanna’s beloved sister Radhika, who passed away in 2022.
“We want this to be a calming energy, like coming home,” says the MasterChef India author, who has 4.8 million followers on Instagram. said Khanna, who is also a filmmaker and judge.
However, experiencing that nostalgia is not easy. On a recent weekend night, there were reportedly 2,000 names on the waiting list for the 125-capacity venue. When I checked Resy, her table for two was not available even in May.
An average of about 225 people dine at the bungalow a night, Khanna said.
Khanna’s fans include star chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin and cookbook author and model Chrissy Teigen, who said, “Indians eat very late, but I was lining up at 5 p.m.” There were several people,” he said.
At this month’s City Harvest Gala, Teigen paid $125,000 to win an auction for Khanna to cook for 20 people.
For Khanna, Bungalow is about creating culture and community through food. This is evident as he walks around the restaurant greeting guests.
Those lucky enough to snag a table will be treated to a refined take on regional Indian cuisine, with many of the dishes’ ingredients imported, from unique mangoes to Kashmiri saffron.
The meal begins with crispy papadums and includes subtle twists on familiar dishes such as pan-seared lamb chops and tandoori salmon, followed by purple yam chaat with ashwagandha pearls, green mango sauce and spices. Moving on to such sublime dishes. roasted pineapple.
“One of our biggest missions is to attract young customers who want to come back and be with their grandparents,” Khanna said.
The attention to detail extends to the décor, which was overseen by Rizvi’s sister Shaila, who is the creative director of Bombay House Hospitality.
Four shipping containers imported from the Indian state of Maharashtra are filled with “custom-made wooden furniture, partitions, frames, wall lights, chandeliers, tableware made of teak and mango wood” and other handmade furniture. It was being done.“ said the proud brother.
“Everything in the bungalow is custom-built by our business partners in India. It took a lot of work and coordination, and from start to finish, from concept to construction, it took 15 months,” says Jimmy Rizvi. said over cocktails at the bar.
The signature drinks list includes Holimori’s spicy mezcal margarita, named after the Hindu festival of colors, and Coco the Elephant, which mixes rum and coconut water with coconut cream and mint.
Even the selection of bouquets from the Chelsea Flower District is intentional. Khanna, who used to live nearby, said many Indians work in the Flower District.
“They help us grow flowers and other things on our private farms, which is unique. In India, many celebrations are filled with flowers.”
These include tuberose, known in India as Rajnigandha, which is often offered as a sacred offering to the gods.
“They are huge symbols of the community,” Khanna said, noting that the restaurant currently has branches of green almonds, a symbol of spring, and “Kashmiri, a type of highly fragrant daffodil, a symbol of purity.” Branches of ‘Nargis’ have also been planted, he added. And poetry. “
“We don’t cook the food. We pass on the celebrations, festivals, and even the flowers we grow,” Khanna said.
“We feel like we can build a huge community by making this restaurant a symbol of our community and diaspora.”
