Florence Fabricant

“At some of the newest Indian restaurants, regional fare is the focus. The same is true at Passerine. The chef Chetan Shetty is from Pune, near Mumbai, and he relies on spice blends his mother concocts and sends over. Chile-fueled kolhapuri ignites lamb tartare, ajwain masala adds pungency to baked oysters, and malwani spices dancing with vadouvan season fish. Greenmarket maitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, collards, broccoli rabe and cabbage figure as well. There are surprising touches, too, like Comté and Hollandaise. The restaurant’s lounge, called the Drawing Room, has its own brief menu and leads to the well-upholstered dining room.”

The New York Times