Always Informed: Tabla’s Frankie Cart is Back

Arthur Bovino — May 25, 2010

A Frankie being made at Tabla’s Frankie Cart.

Good news for Flatiron frankies fanatics: Tabla’s Frankie Cart is back. The folks at the cart said they started up again last Thursday. If you haven’t had a frankie, it’s an Indian wrap whose construction is similar to a Kati Roll, save for the thin, egg-washed wrap. You can read more about frankies, and their origin in last year’s announcement of the cart’s arrival.

There are apparently a few menu changes this year. The Pao are gone, so too the Sprouted Bean Chaat, but the Chicken Tikka Frankie has been joined by an excellent version with lamb. The Pombupani (Sparkling Limeade with Pomegranate Juice) are still on the offer— they’re refreshing and not-too-sweet. It looks like the cart’s Kulfi Pops have been joined by another Indian dessert: the Chocolate Chip Cookie Kulfi Sandwich.

Location: Outside Tabla at 11 Madison Park.
Notes: Takeaway only.

AlwaysPartying: Epicurious’ Ultimate Lunch Break

The Gluttoness — September 30, 2009

From Hill Country BBQ Beef Sandwich with Cole Slaw and Sweet Pickles.

Epicurious Entertains NYC (view) began today, and the mega-event (calendar) featuring celebrity chef demos and tastings, with portions of the proceeds going to Feeding America and the NYC Food Bank, kicked off in Union Square with The Ultimate NYC Lunch Break. The sold-out affair lived up to its lofty moniker. The afternoon’s plentiful spread featured some of AlwaysHungryNY.com’s neighborhood lunchtime favorites, namely Tabla’s Chicken Tikka Frankie and Hill Country’s BBQ Beef Sandwich.

Celebrated chefs like Julian Medina and Seamus Mullen were on-hand to dish out their respective Pork and Pineapple Tacos and Lamb Bacon BLTs. Following Mermaid Inn’s Lobster Roll and Cafe Habana’s Cubano, the Treats Truck came through with an impressive array of sweets, the Pecan Butterscotch Bars being the best of the bunch. For twenty bucks, it won’t be easy to find lunch from this many great diverse restaurants in Manhattan.

Click Here for "The Ultimate Lunch Break's" Dish-by-Dish of >>

FirstLook: Aamchi Pao

Arthur Bovino — June 17, 2009

“There’s always a right time to reinvent yourself,” Chef Surbhi Sahni, told us recently at Aamchi Pao.

No, Chef Sahni isn’t leaving her post as Devi’s pastry chef. But she has joined Nandini Mukherjee as co-owner at the reincarnation of Mukherjee’s West Village restaurant of almost six years, the Indian Bread Co. As previously reported, the Stuffed Parathas and Naanwhichs (grilled Indian “panini”) are gone. There are still Kathi Rolls, but the Naan sandwiches have been replaced by “Pao,” renditions of Pav Bhaji, a Mumbai street food that is essentially an Indian Slider. The word “Pav,” in Marathi (the language of southwestern India), is said to come from Pão, the Portuguese word for bread.

Click here to read more about Aamchi Pao's Mumbai Sliders >>

AlwaysPartying: Top 5 Sweet & Savory at Street & Savory

The Gluttoness — June 10, 2009

“Street and Savory— A Global Street Food Festival for the Benefit of Citymeals-on-Wheels” was one of the most successful tasting events I’ve ever attended, and not because Kelly Choi was hosting. Rather than trying to outdo the next guy with fancier foie gras, the mission at Street & Savory was much simpler: a legion of legendary chefs set out to creatively interpret their favorite street foods. While the dishes weren’t necessarily low-brow, the majority of them kept with the theme, and the most delicious bites were those which could easily be served on the street.

Street cart veterans, like Roy Choi of the famed Los Angeles Kogi BBQ Truck, served Kimchi Quesadillas alongside Jean Georges, Daniel Boulud and Charlie Palmer, who took on the format with impressive results. With a little under forty booths, there was much to be eaten. Our award for creativity goes to Park Avenue Summer’s “3-Minute Picnic.” Of course, this wasn’t a contest, and ultimately, the real winner was Citymeals-on-Wheels, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help feed the homeless, but of course we had our favorites among the many stands.

A quick round-up of the best of the bunch follows.

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AlwaysInvestigating: Tabla’s Frankie Cart

The Gluttoness — April 22, 2009

Left to right: a Frankie being made at Tabla’s Frankie Cart, and a composed Frankie.

Yesterday, Yum Sugar quoted Tom Colicchio musing about what could possibly be the post-banh mi, trendsetting ethnic sandwich. He suggested Indian street food, citing the sandwich with a “funny name,” meaning the chicken frankie. It just so happens that last week, in advance of Colicchio’s predictions, the Tabla Frankie Cart resumed outdoor business in front of the restaurant at 11 Madison.

For the uninitiated, a Frankie is an Indian wrap— liken it to the Mumbai burrito. Its construction is similar to a Kati (Roti) roll. Talking about kati rolls and frankies is kind of like an Indian version of the New York and Chicago-style pizza debate. Kati rolls are inexpensive street food first popularized in Kolkata said to have been invented by busy street vendors who didn’t have time to wash plates. Instead, they started serving their marinated and grilled kebabs wrapped in paratha or roti. Aside from the kebab, a typical kati roll includes a spicy coriander chutney, and onions.

Frankies are unique to Mumbai and are distinguished by the egg washing of their casings. They’re said to have been created by a Mr. Amarjit Singh Tibb. Supposedly, Tibb wasn’t inspired by the kati roll, but by a Lebanese preparation of stuffed pita bread similar to shawarma. After a trip to Lebanon in 1967, he worked on creating the right curried fillings, and named his creation for the famed West Indian cricketer, Frank Worrell, actually trademarking the term. The first “Tibbs Frankie” opened in Mumbai more than thirty years ago, and now the chain has franchised locations.

The specialty at Tabla’s Frankie Cart is the Chicken Tikka Frankie (above). It features Bread Bar Chicken Tikka and mint chutney wrapped in an egg-washed “roti.” The wash contains cilantro, chilis and scallion. Inside are moist pieces of chicken that have been marinated in green curry, cumin, pepper, garlic, ginger and scallion. The exterior is surprisingly eggy, the chicken is flavorful, and the green chutney exudes vibrant hints of garlic and mint. Currently, the chicken is the only variety available, but Tabla plans to offer additional vegetarian options once the Greenmarket is better stocked.

Location: Outside Tabla at 11 Madison Park.
Notes: Takeaway only.

HungryChefs: Tap & Tapas

Arthur Bovino — April 21, 2009

Last night fourteen of New York’s most popular chefs gathered in the Westside Loft for dance charity, Groove with Me’s 5th annual Tap & Tapas spring benefit event. Founded in 1996 by Abigail Rosin, Groove With Me is a nonprofit youth development organization that enlists more than 40 volunteer dance teachers to provide free dance classes to inner city girls. For $150, guests were privy to tastes that ranged from Almond Vichyssoise and Bombay “Radga,” to Crispy Pork Cheeks and Confit Lamb’s Belly. All this while watching ballet and tap performances by some of the girls who have benefitted from time volunteered by Groove With Me’s dance teachers and a performance by renowned tapper, Savion Glover (Bring in Da Noise Bring in Da Funk).

The best starter belonged to Top Chef’s Season One winner, Chef Harold Dieterle of Perilla. He brought Taylor Bay Scallops with Pickled Green Papaya Mignonette which had a slight spicy kick. There were several strong, hearty amuses. Chef Floyd Cardoz of Tabla served his version of “Ragda” a Mumbai street food consisting of Stewed Peas with Tamarind and Mint Chutney topped with Chickpea Noodles. Table 8’s Chef Govind Amstrong prepared Seared Striped Bass with Sauteéd Cauliflower and a Caper Dill Vinaigrette. And Chef Ryan Skeen of Irving Mill really brought it with a mouth-watering Crispy Lamb Belly with Chickpea Purée (shown left) accompanied by Kumquaat and Grapefruit Marmalade and Goat Cheese Purée (you can find it on his new Spring menu at the end of the week).

A light, sweet touch was added by Erin McKenna’s (Babycakes NYC) gluten-free, vegan Brownie Bites, which were delicious despite their description. But it was the “Egg” dessert (shown right) by Le Bernardin’s Michael Laiskonis which held the spotlight. The dessert was served in a hollowed, brown egg shell minus the top. Inside, the shell was filled with Chocolate Cream, Caramel Foam, several drops of Maple Syrup and sprinkled with Maldon Sea Salt—we had seconds.

During the event we had a few moments to speak with some of the chefs about some of the things they’re currently most excited about.

Click here for the Tap & Tapas Menu and to read our Chef Round-Up >>