Delivery, Dining Out, Dinner, Lunch, TakeoutKerry Alaric CheeseboroNovember 20, 2009all-you-can-eat, basmati, buffet, chicken, chutney, curry, Dining Out, Indian, lamb, local, Lunch, mango, masala, native, Neighborhood, rice, special, tikka, ues, Upper East Side, vindaloo, YorkvilleComment

A Little Curry Hill in Yorkville

Dakshin | 1713 1st Ave. (bet. 88th & 89st Sts.) | 212.987.9839 | www.dakshintogo.com

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AS I HAVE BEEN (RE)DISCOVERING Yorkville as a PHUDE-ie, I have been remiss to realize that I've been missing not only a quality of food better than I ever assumed, but a variety of cuisines available—in this otherwise demographically homogenous neighborhood—as well.

So it was with a bit of skepticism that I heeded the advice of my friend, Tommy, when he recommended that we and our mutual friend, Danny, go to an Indian bistro called Dakshin for their $7 All-You-Can-Eat lunch buffet that included such culinary staples as Tandoori Chicken, Tikka Masala, Lentils, Basmati Rice, Lamb Curry, Fresh Naan, Mango Chutney, Raita, etc.

We did not make it on this particular day since Danny defended he was no fan of Indian food and I explained that I had leftovers from the night before that I had preferred to finish. But the following week I did, and was glad to do so.

I've been back at least once a week since then and have yet to be disappointed, being able to make a least two heaping platefuls per visit, of fresh, exotically spiced, wonderfully executed dishes. Earlier today, Tommy and I went there for lunch together and finally noticed the sign of an authentic Indian restaurant: the abundance of India-native patrons summarily chowing down ever-loving spoonfuls of nostalgia. Tommy and I followed suit....