By Gus Saltonstall
In some neighborhood pride, an Upper West Side Indian restaurant was just named among the best in New York City.
Eater New York recently published “The Best Indian Restaurants in NYC,” which included 15 eateries across the five boroughs.
The Upper West Side restaurant featured on the list?
Baazi at 2588 Broadway, between West 97th and 98th streets.
Here’s what Eater NY had to say about it.
“This two-story, bright-blue space emphasizes hard-to-find regional recipes from North and South, as well as Goa,” Eater wrote. “Dishes include chicken cafreal, a cornish hen flavored with mint and cilantro; chicken sirka pyaaz laced with pickled onions; and paneer ke sholey, fresh cheese stuffed with raisins, arriving aflame over a brazier.”
Baazi describes its menu as an “homage to traditional Indian cuisine.”
For those who recognize the address but possibly not the name Baazi, there is a reason for that.
Gaurav Anand, the chef and owner of Baazi, opened the popular Indian restaurant Awadh in 2014 within the same location that Baazi now resides. However, the pandemic had a heavy toll on Awadh’s business, and on the verge of closing, Anand decided to switch tactics.
Awadh still operates out of the same kitchen at 2588 Broadway, but it is only available for delivery.
Anand then chose to open Baazi within the space, with no option for delivery and a different style to Awadh.
Baazi puts a particular emphasis on quality, only serving 90 dinners a night and using fish and shrimp delivered that day. It also has a lauded cocktail menu and looks to create a high-energy environment within the restaurant.
The meaning of Baazi is “to bet.”
“We thank you for betting on Baazi every time you choose to dine with us,” Baazi wrote on its website. “In return, our promise is to always bet on you by pushing the bar and elevating our craft to give you 110 percent every single time.”
You can find out more about Baazi — HERE.
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