Looking to taste some really delicious and authentic Indian food in New York? With its top-notch quality and service, Kurry Qulture located in Astoria, New York is the perfect way to enjoy a sumptuous meal with your friends and family.

This meal was part of a press dinner meet and as always, all opinions are mine.

About Kurry Qulture

The owner Sonny Solomon is one of the most humble persons you’ll come across and is originally from Punjab, India. He came to the US about 20 years back and began his climb to the top of the food industry by working in renowned restaurants. He was previously a managing partner at the restaurants Devi and Tulsi in New York City and decided to open Kurry Qulture in 2015.

The restaurant has been featured on ABC News “Neighborhood Eats” and has also won the 2017 and 2018 Diners Choice Award from Open Table. 

When asked what inspired him to start his own restaurant, he replied that having worked under some of the best chefs in the US is what inspired him to bring the Indian cuisine to the forefront. 

 

Sonny along with the very talented Chef Binder Singh have created a fun regional Indian cuisine menu from various parts of India, which in my opinion, truly stands out from the rest of the Indian restaurants in New York. 

No wonder the restaurant has been given top ratings by The Queens Courier, Boro Magazine, and Famed Michelin Guide.

Hospitality & Decor

Sonny believes in paying attention to detail and his restaurant focuses equal importance on food as well as to the ambiance and music by playing new age Bollywood songs and providing a casual yet professional service.

When it comes to decor, they have truly stayed true to their roots. India has a diverse culture and it can be reflected proudly in every aspect of the restaurant. Right from the wall decor to even the ceilings, you can find a taste of India that is rich, modern and elegant.

They also have a lovely patio area which they open during the warmer months.

Here’s a glimpse of the delicious food served at Kurry Qulture –

Drinks:

See land through Djin & Strawberry Peach Mocktail

 

The hubs chose to have their ‘See land through djin’ which had cilantro-infused gin, cucumber, and tonic. While he thoroughly enjoyed his drink, I preferred not to have alcohol and they were more than happy to make a Strawberry peach mocktail especially for me (which is not on the menu).

This truly showed their warmth and hospitality towards making sure that their customers are happy.

 

 

Appetizers:

Amritsari Fish 

Fresh tilapia filets dipped in a chickpea batter with carrom seeds and fried to perfection. The moment we saw this on the menu, we were eager to try it out since we had never tried fried tilapia served like this before. The fish tasted so amazingly delicious and fresh and is definitely a must-try dish. Honestly, I could easily have more of these.

 

Chicken Bukhni Kabab 

Tender chicken pieces with a three chili marinade served with a mildly sweet pineapple chutney. However, don’t let the words ‘three chili marinade’ scare you. The spice factor of this dish is definitely not sky high and something that everyone can enjoy. The pineapple chutney goes really well with the juicy and flavorful chicken.

Both the appetizers were delicious and you can see the thought and effort behind each dish. I’m highly confident that all the other appetizers would be just as delicious and mouthwatering as the ones we tried.

Entrees:

Teekhn Murg 

Chicken curry with Jamaican peppers, black and red pepper. We were told that this dish is really spicy. But since we are always eager to try new dishes and flavors, we definitely couldn’t say no to this dish.

If you eat this dish on its own, yes, you can definitely feel the heat in your mouth. However, traditionally a dish like this is supposed to be eaten with naan or rice which kind of helps to bring down the spice level a little bit. But, I will be honest and say that if you cannot handle spicy food, you can opt some of their other dishes that are less spicy.

 

Salmon Kalvaan 

Tandoor grilled salmon served with a coconut tamarind sauce. 

This was by far one of the best seafood dishes I have tasted in a long time and was my personal favorite. I’m very picky when it comes to seafood. I mean I will happily eat other meat dishes even if they lack a little flavor but when it comes to seafood, for some reason, I’m really choosy.

The tamarind in the sauce gives a subtle yet distinct flavor which truly elevates the taste of this dish and takes it to the next level. Highly recommend this dish!

 

 

Phool Makhane ki Subzi (Lotus Puffs/ Fox nuts Curry) 

Lotus puffs tossed in a creamy ricotta cheese and peas gravy. Lotus puffs are made using lotus seeds or fox nuts as they are called and are said to have many health benefits. We have tried them before in their roasted form but never had we tried them this way.

This dish was a pleasant surprise and was mildly sweet with hints of spices. It went really well alongside the spicy Teekhn Murg and is a great option for someone who is looking for a Vegetarian dish with a twist.

Spinach Goat Cheese Kulcha and Olive & Garlic Naan

No Indian meal is complete without an assortment of bread – be it naan, kulcha, roti or paratha. We were recommended their Olive & Garlic Naan (which is one of their specialties) and the Spinach Goat Cheese Kulcha which is basically flatbread stuffed with spinach & goat cheese and is pretty filling in itself.

Since Astoria is primarily a Greek neighborhood, Sonny and Chef Binder Singh have brought a touch of the Greek culture by creating the Olive and Garlic Naan.

Both the naan as well as the kulcha were piping hot when served and complimented the Lotus Kurry and Teekhn Murg really well. 

The Garlic & Olive Naan was a personal favorite amongst the two and you should definitely try it out.

Tomato Rice

Tomato Rice is a dish that is more famous in the Southern parts of India and is made using tomatoes and a few mild spices. It tastes great as is or can be eaten with vegetarian or non-vegetarian curries.

All the dishes had a distinct flavor of its own and left us truly satisfied. I mean, for real, doesn’t this entire meal look absolutely tempting?

Desserts:

Ras Malai 

After a sumptuous meal, there was practically no room for dessert. But you can’t really say no to dessert now, can you?

Ras Malai is one of the most popular desserts in India. It can best be described as sweet balls made out of milk and dunked inside a rich sweet creamy sauce. A perfect way to end an Indian meal.

Final Verdict?

With its elegant yet exotic ambiance and perfectly crafted dishes paired with an attention to detail, Kurry Qulture definitely stands out from the rest of the Indian restaurants.

So if you’re looking for some really amazing Indian food and have a fabulous time in New York, you should definitely head to Kurry Qulture. I am sure you’ll love it as much as we did. As for us, we are definitely visiting this place again!

*Special thanks to Sonny Solomon and Chef Binder Singh for such a fabulous meal.

 

Website: kurryqulture.com

Address:36-05 30th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103

Street parking is available but can be a little difficult to find as the area is pretty busy. There’s a paid parking spot just minutes away from the restaurant.

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