BITE OF THE MOMENT: Roasted Masala

The UPPER Upper West Side is an area I've been unfamiliar with on the food front, and we've recently discovered one of its culinary gems - Roasted Masala, an Indian restaurant tucked away just below Columbia University.  On a Thursday evening, the restaurant was buzzing, with groups of diners ranging from a ladies' night out (complete with extra bottles of wine), to a rowdier, college-age group clearly in celebration, to a few quieter couples (including us!). Roasted Masala seems to cater to anyone, and does so well, inviting patrons into its glimmering, golden dining room. The menu is separated by vegetarian, vegan, chicken, beef, goat, lamb, and seafood sections, making it easy for anyone to order, and has an extensive selection in all its categories.

Grilled food is dominant on the menu, with appetizers such as Paneer Tikka (grilled Indian cottage cheese, served here with peppers), Chicken Malai Kabab (grilled chicken in a creamy marinade), and the Boti Kabab (grilled marinated lamb) served in small plates to allow for ample sharing. Entrees are available tandoori-style as well - the Tandoori Shrimp were breaded and hefty. You'd be wise to order a side of bread - here, there's a wider selection of breads than your typical Indian restaurant, featuring traditional and creative varieties of roti, parathi, and naan. We chose the Khandari Naan, a freshly baked almond-raisin-coconut naan which was essentially like eating the softest, most pillowy raisin toast.

I can never get enough rice, so my go-to for Indian restaurants is almost always Lamb Biryani. Often dry in restaurants, the Biryani here was fluffy and fresh, with tender chunks of lamb generously dispersed throughout the bowl. To round out the meal, we opted out of dessert and instead chose a classic Masala Dosa - a crispy, thin rice crepe filled with tender spiced potatoes, so large it was practically hanging off the plate.

Though there is a grand, opulent bar, there's no alcohol, but you're more than welcome to BYOB (with no corkage fee!) and there's a liquor store across the street. There's a good selection of non-alcoholic drinks too, and you'd be doing yourself a favor by snapping up a Mango Lassi to sip on.

Delivery people were regularly popping in and out of the restaurant, tipping us off to the restaurant's popularity in the neighborhood. If you ever happen to be in the area and are looking for a bite to eat, do as the locals do and hop into Roasted Masala.

This meal was provided by Roasted Masala, however all opinions are our own.