Passage to India ... All of It

Many countries are home to a wide range of regional cuisines: Southern Italian food, for instance, is quite different from that of the north, and even the northwest regions of Italy differ from the northeast in terms of local cooking. India also has a great number of regional cuisines, but here in New York one may not realize what the variety of Indian cooking that exists. Dishes like tandoori chicken, chicken tikka masala, and saag paneer are all familiar to anyone fond of Indian takeout in Manhattan, but these dishes are typical of northern Indian cuisine, and are not at all representative of the cooking of other regions, such as the southern states of Tamil Nadu or Kerala. There has not been a restaurant that specializes in the intricacies of regional Indian cooking until now. Hemant Mathur, of the popular restaurants Diwan Grill and Tamarind, and Suvir Saran, a chef, caterer, and cooking instructor, have opened their joint venture, Amma, in Midtown East.

William Grimes of The New York Times called Amma "a modest little restaurant on a charmless block," and stated that it is "easy to pass by without noticing." Admittedly, my dinner companion and I were slightly confused about the location of the entrance, but we didn't miss the narrow banner demarcating the restaurant. Amma is a little restaurant, but the spacing of the tables does not encourage crowding, and the color scheme--soft peaches and yellows--is comforting to those who may feel claustrophobic. We settled into a quiet corner, away from any potential hustle and bustle.

The best way to eat at Amma is to try one of its two seven-course tasting menus highlighting the variances of regional Indian cooking: One includes meat, while another is vegetarian, and both come with optional wine pairings ($50 without wine, $85 with pairings). Although dishes on the meat-based menu (which both my companion and I chose) are unusually but pleasantly paired with vegetables, diners choosing this menu will miss the opportunity to try vegetarian goodies like the idly, a steamed rice dumpling flavored with mustard seeds, or the bhindi ka raita, an okra and yogurt dish.

Our meal began with the Bombay bhel puri, a salad of crunchy chickpea flour noodles mixed with tomatoes, coriander, and mint and tamarind chutneys. The noodles, which are in the popular Indian snack Hot Mix, take on a new character when paired with juicy tomatoes, and the combination makes this snack much more appealing for the health-conscious diner. The second appetizer was named "Crispy Fried Spinach" on the menu, but described as spinach chaat by our waiter. The cool dish, popular in Delhi, consisted of bean sprouts mixed with potatoes, onions, and chutney, all served on a fried piece of spinach. As in the bhel puri, the soft and juicy vegetables worked wonders against the crunchy spinach, and the bean sprouts served as another crunchy texture, lightening a dish that can seem heavy with spiced beans in other restaurants.

After two fried fritters--a pea samosa and a cheese-stuffed mushroom, both served with mint and tamarind chutneys--a double dose of tandoori meats was presented. A kebab-sized piece of chicken was stuffed with even more chicken, while a single prawn was served opposite a fried okra salad. The menu makes a point of indicating that the prawns are from Sri Lanka, and they should be lauded as much as possible; my friend and I relished the prawn's generous size and buttery interior.

Diners can decide between halibut or salmon for the fifth course. Both are served with Tangra, a Manchurian cauliflower dish native to Calcutta's Chinatown. The cauliflower was served with a mildly spiced sweet-and-sour sauce, balancing Chinese flavors with Indian spicing. While the salmon was served somewhat in the same sweet-and-sour fashion--topped with tomato chutney and served alongside dosa potatoes, a tumeric-colored dish that is native to south India--the halibut was mild but extremely tender and buttery. The calm coconut chutney that it was served with completely enhanced the creamy texture of the fish. Both dishes demonstrated Amma's goal of experimenting with regional cuisine, and the presence of dosa potatoes alongside Manchurian cauliflower indicates Amma's progressive take on accepting all regional Indian cuisines as equal.

The last main entrée was a lamb chop served with pear chutney and jackfruit biryani, a spiced and dry rice dish. At the end of this long meal, the lamb chop seemed like a mountain of meat, but it was nicely grilled, tender with a crunchy exterior. The fruits in the chutney and the rice served as delicious palate-cleansers, and also as a reminder that dessert was coming. There were two desserts offered: kulfi--a stiff ice cream served in a citrus and spice soup--and mango cheesecake. I was corrected by Saran when I guessed that the soup was ginger-based; instead, spices such as cloves and peppercorns make their appearance in the sweet soup. The mango cheesecake tasted as good as it sounds: light, refreshing, and compelling in its fruit flavor.

Amma is a great place to expand one's views on Indian cuisine. Saran and Mathur's scope of culinary vision goes beyond the rigmarole of typical curries. Fresh vegetables and unlikely regional combinations define the cuisine of Amma, and experimentation is taken in stride in this small but powerful restaurant.

Amma is located at 246 East 51st Street, between Second and Third Avenues.