The last time we spoke to NYC restaurateur and Dhaba NYC owner Shiva Natarajan, the fella was blabbing on and on about his Bollywood connections, his Bollywood roles in movies like Halla Bol and Khakee, his Bollywood celebrity acquaintances like Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai, blah blah blah blah.
And Shiva’s main restaurant Web site boasts of the fella’s connections to Bollywood celebrities with photos of Shiva alongside filmi personalities like Akshay Kumar, A.R.Rahman, Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha et al.
Well, after a visit to Shiva’s latest Indian restaurant in New York City Dhaba, our advice to the bloke is to stop all that Bollywood yakking and fix the crappy food and crappier service. Pronto.
Located on Lexington Ave in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan, Dhaba’s sole claim to fame is that it marks a new low even by the lowly standards of Manhattan Indian restaurants.
After an unendurably bad meal at Dhaba NYC, we strongly recommend that if you love fine Indian dining and if passion for Indian food runs through your veins, run from this dumpster. As Kollywood comedian Vivek does in some of his movies, scream escape and run for your life.
Shiva, you told us you were the second villain in Halla Bol but at Dhaba NYC you are definitely the first villain for your ignominious failure to uphold the most basic standards of food and service.
As it is, the New York City Department of Health has said your Dhaba is not vermin proof and has evidence of mice or live mice, rats or live rats and flying insects or live flying insects present in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
Dhaba NYC – Serves Crappy Indian Food
Dhaba NYC – The Big Lie
To describe what Dhaba NYC offers as Indian cuisine is a Big Goebbelsian Lie.
Maybe, it’s Mongolian cuisine or Ethiopian cuisine or Icelandic cuisine but what we encountered during our unpleasant dining experience was most definitely not Indian cuisine.
Saag Do Piaza was an ugly monstrosity, the likes of which are unlikely to be served even in the worst Indian prisons. Tasteless beyond water, this bland green mass was awful to behold, awful to ingest and awful to endure.
Alu Mutter with large potato chunks was a bland mess that had us recoiling in horror at the chutzpah of the chef for daring to subject diners to such cruelties.
Garlic Naan was a clear instance of wrong labelling because it had too strong a flavor of cilantro but too little of garlic. Hot and soft, the Plain Naan was far better.
Vegetarian or non-vegetarian, Dhaba’s joke of a kitchen was unrelenting in its assault on our tastebuds. This wannabe Indian restaurant’s wannabe chefs expelled a fusillade of unappetizing food into the dining room that had us running for cover. Alas, there are no safe havens here.
The lukewarm Chicken Tikka Masala was just about edible while Lamb Madras was a flavorless insult that arrived in a thin sauce. If any chillies had gone into the Lamb Madras it must have been only in the chef’s imagination because we found no evidence of it.
Even as staple an Indian fixture as Tandoori Chicken turned into a mishap at the inept hands of Dhabha’s chefs (are they really chefs?). Cold, dry and unflavorful, it was perhaps the most untender Tandoori Chicken that ever touched our lips. Was the chicken marinated at all?
In several decades of eating Dal Makhani, we’ve never encountered such an ignoble version of this vegetarian delight. For sure, there were the lentils but as for the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic they were most conspicuous by their absence.
With any relief eluding us, in total bafflement as to how this dump can even call itself an Indian restaurant and in utter desperation over our plight, we tried the Jheera Rice and the Naan with the sweet mango chutney. Some sweet relief, indeed.
We reckon the folks in Dhaba’s kitchen to be ardent acolytes of Marquis de Sade and whose sole mission was to spare no effort in making our dining experience as hellishly miserable as possible.
Not even desserts and beverages escaped their sadistic attention.
Our Soji ki Halwa suffered from a shortage of ghee, a shortage of sugar and a surfeit of rose essence. Pitiful.
As for the Masala Tea, all that we can say in its favor was that it was hot (by this time we were in such gloomy despair that we were willing to give credit for anything that was not a disaster). You see, the Masala Tea tasted like the regular tea and had none of the delectable flavor of the Masala Tea so beloved of Indians.
We were not the only ones to be displeased with the food at Dhaba NYC. Our neighbor to the right, a young man from Banashankari area in Bangalore, was most unhappy with the food and repeatedly told us that the food at Pongal was far superior. His companion, a young lady from Mumbai with a striped T-shirt and a nose-ring (really), wasn’t happy with the Dhaba food either and told us she preferred Rasoi in Jersey City any day.
Disservice at Dhaba NYC
Some Indian restaurants compensate for their crappy food with fine service. But not the serial sadists at the Dhaba NYC Gulag.
At Dhaba NYC, the crappy food is matched only by the utterly clumsy service.
The short fella (the one standing near the cash counter at the bar by the computer) did not care to check with us before removing our plate of Tandoori Chicken. The same clown brought us Tandoori Chicken and vegetable fritters on the same plate without caring to check if we were vegetarians or non-vegetarian. Since one person in our party was a vegetarian, we had to politely request this clown to bring back the vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes in separate plates. No apology was rendered.
When our fork fell down, our Nepali waiter picked it up and took it away but did not care to provide a replacement.
Poor service at Dhaba NYC extends to the billing too. The clowns neglected to charge us for the Garlic Naan (no, we did not remind them about their error) and ignored us as we waited for the bill.
The sole silver lining of our Dhaba NYC ordeal was the smiling young waitress (Rajini), who was helpful. She was also the only one who noticed that we were waiting to pay the bill.
We’ve enjoyed many a happy meal at many an Indian Dhabha (eating joints alongside the major highways that serve delicious, hot and spicy food).
But the Manhattan Dhaba casts a dark stain not just on the thousands of Indian Dhabas but also on the name of Indian cuisine in New York City.
Compared to Shiva’s fine Chola Indian restaurant in midtown Manhattan, Dhaba NYC comes across as a disgraceful dilettante, a curry-nary abomination.
Related Stories:
Unhygienic Conditions Persist at Dhaba NYC
NYC Health Dept. Pisses on Shiva Natarajan’s Dhaba
Rats, Mice, Flying Insects Mar Dhaba Restaurant in NYC
New York Indian Restaurant Reviews
Dhaba NYC Review – Shiva, Screw Bollywood; Fix Your Crappy Food & Crappier Service added by SearchIndia.com on
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dhaba guy is gonna suicide once he reads ur review… 🙂
Heh, u’ve met him, and written this about him? I hope he doesnt recognize u, SI! I enjoyed the review too much 😀
SearchIndia.com Responds:
No, we didn’t meet him.
After we did a story on Chola, Shiva sent us an e-mail with his phone number. We spoke to him over the phone.
Now, if Shiva sees us, he’ll surely get his .303 (the kind you use to shoot elephants) out.
I HAVE EATEN IN DHABA SEVERAL TIMES AND FIND IT ONE OF THE BEST IN NY CITY. YOUR REVIEW IS BIASED AND LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A PERSONAL ENIMITY WITH THIS GUY. I CAN SMELL JEALOUSY. GET A LIFE AND START DOING SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Vandatangapa comedy pasanga (here come the clowns).
1. Schmuck, use lower case in your comments. Makes for easier reading.
2. You write: YOUR REVIEW IS BIASED AND LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE A PERSONAL ENIMITY WITH THIS GUY.
Nonsense. Your above stale argument is what idiots unfailingly exgurgitate when they can’t counter the facts.
Dickhead, many years before you knew that the hanging thing in your jocks was not merely for piddling, we wrote a positive review of Shiva Natarajan’s Chola.
We don’t have a biased cell in our body. It’s hard to find a blog as fair and balanced as SearchIndia.com.
3. The New York City Department of Health has said Dhaba is not vermin proof and has evidence of mice or live mice, rats or live rats and flying insects or live flying insects present in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
By your asinine argument, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg must be having enmity with Dhaba’s owner.
4. Dummkopf, there is no word as ‘ENIMITY’ as you write.
The correct word – enmity.
Your head surely needs an enema to cleanse it of all the shit you’ve accumulated there for decades.
5. You write: GET A LIFE AND START DOING SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE
That’s exactly what we are doing. But how would a dodo like you recognize that?
6. Bottomline, as we wrote in our review Dhaba is a crappy Indian restaurant in NYC.
Want to enjoy good Indian food in NYC? Go to Shiva’s Chola in midtown Manhattan.
Hey Mr Vocab!!(the perfect name )
Seems like you have nothing else to do in life you seem to sound lost in life ,for not being an achiever . Stop crappin around and find a positive way in life.By going through the words in your blog against this newly born Dhaba (which is rockin with its great reviews )i can visualise your character and looks, which would be best compared to an “ABORIGINE”
[Deleted because the above commenter has reproduced a review from another source verbatim. Excerpts are fine but you cannot copy the entire review from another source and post it here. When you copy the full review from another site and post it here, you are engaging in stealing.]
LOOK WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SING ABOUT DHABA
[Deleted because the above commenter has reproduced a review from another source verbatim. Excerpts are fine but you cannot copy the entire review from another source and post it here. When you copy the full review from another site and post it here, you are engaging in stealing.]
EAT THIS !!!!!!
[Deleted because the above commenter has reproduced a review from another source verbatim. Excerpts are fine but you cannot copy the entire review from another source and post it here. When you copy the full review from another site and post it here, you are engaging in stealing.]
I hope this would get you the message ……….better live up to the present and not the past ,(i meant learn to live with VERMINS………if you wanna live in NY.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. The e-mail address used by the above commenter to register on this blog has also been used in a Help Wanted Ad for a new Indian restaurant on New York Craigslist.
2. The New York Times says Dhaba opened on September 30, 2008. Around the same time, the e-mail address used by the above commenter to register on this blog has been used in a Help Wanted Ad for a brand new Indian restaurant on New York Craigslist.
Dude, there you go. You just proved my point. Were you born from the wrong end. So much negativity.Your colorful response says it all. You really need urgent counselling.Look for a mental asylum. It will give you a chance to reflect. Maybe you can review the food there. Internet is not the place for LOOSERS like you. May god give you the courage to seek help
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Cut the Crap and Focus on the Dhaba NYC review.
Since you are unable to respond to any of the points in our earlier response to your first inane comment, you are forced to go off on a tangent and talk gibberish.
As the investigative reports jingle for CBS 2 in the NYC area goes, we should all sing to the avatar known as register, “Shame, shame, shame… SHAME ON YOU!”
yess , you are right i too do own a restaurant ….and am a bigg fan of the chola group.
FAME ON Mr Natarajan …….and SHAME on you ….
I hope you are earning a fortune by doing this …..well if you are as smart as Him ….you would and SHOULD.
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL ……WHO IS THE NASTIEST OF US ALL…………..??????????????????
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Let’s see…
You own a restaurant (in NYC? Indian restaurant?), you advertise for staff on Craigslist for a brand new Indian restaurant around the same time as Dhaba’s opening, you are a big fan of the Chola group and you get agitated about our Dhaba review.
Strange indeed.
Here’s an e-mail we received today from Shiva Natarajan, owner of Dhaba Indian restaurant on Lexington Ave in NYC.
—————
Dear Sir,
I have read your blog and i do respect your views and opinions.
We strive as a restaurant to make each and every customer happy.
It is unfortunate that your experience fell short.
Now I have two restaurants in New York, Dhaba and Chola, please visit us again and we will make sure you have a better culinary experience.
We have taken your suggestions into account and we will rectify your grievances.
If you have further questions or comments please feel free to contact me.
Regards,
Shiva Natarajan
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: Now I have two restaurants in New York, Dhaba and Chola.
What happened to Tadka?
I have a question: As someone who cherishes and respects all things Australian, what does register have against aborigines? register should take a page out of PM Kevin Rudd’s book and say sorry.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
We doubt it even registered on register that he/she/it was hurling gratuitous insults at a group that had nothing to do with the Dhaba review.
Did you tip the waiter\waitress that day?
Of late people see tipping waiters at restaurants as an obligation irrespective of the quality of service.
The other day my friends were adamant about tipping a coffee shop waiter even after we had to wait a full 5 minutes after entering an almost deserted place before someone showed any interest in us and that too only after we beckoned one of the waiters.
When i questioned my friends of their extravagance their reasoning was beside the point, “when we spend so much on food, whats in a little tip?”.
Strange.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write above: Did you tip the waiter\waitress that day?
Although the service at Dhaba restaurant in NYC was mostly pathetic, we still left a tip of 19% of the bill (out of pity for the Dhaba waiters although we think it’s the duty of the restaurant owner to pay his/her staff living wages).
But the waiters at Dhaba definitely need to go in for basic training. Right now.
2. Unfortunately, in the U.S., minimum wage laws don’t apply to waiters/waitresses who get paid ridiculous wages like $1 or $2 per hour.
We don’t know about Dhaba. But many Indian restaurants in the U.S. have a unique problem – the cheapo owners take all the tip money. We’ve been told this by waiters themelves.
3. While Dhaba is a pathetic NYC restaurant with crappy food and crappier service, most Indian restaurants that we’ve been to in NYC are no better. They are mostly shameful impostors of Indian cuisine.