Skip to main contentIndian fare is often a delight in its simplicity: It's hard to order anything besides aloo channa and dal tarka when it's done just right. Vindalho, tucked in the same laid-back Clinton Street intersection as the Night Light lounge, takes traditional spices like nutmeg, cloves and curry and gives them a modern kick. The menu is filled with forward-thinking Indian and central Asian food that looks to the West for inspiration. Most of it is quite tasty. The starters are all light and excellent, from the melon chaat salad embellished with spicy red onion and refreshing mint leaves to a chilled avocado soup that'll make you swear off hot liquid dishes for months.
Order this: Kashmiri paneer, which trades tofu for tender bites of cheese with the slightest kick.
Best deal: Roasted corn and potato samosas, a plate of deep-fried pockety goodness.
I'll pass: The Sri Lankan chicken curry is a little bland.
WWeek 2015