A Toddy Shop By An Indian Chef Adds To NYC's Cuisine
Chef Regi Matthew thought New York was the perfect city to introduce an Indian restaurant Chatti in ... More the Garment Center, known for specializing in toddy's, a dish native to India.
New York City foodies are always in search of new cuisine to find unique flavors and tastes that stretch their palate. And since 38% of its population consists of immigrants, New Yorkers have a wide-ranging palette.
Drawn to New York City because of its international cuisine, India-born chef Regi Mathew opened Chatti on West 37th Street on Feb. 12, 2025 in the Garment Center area in proximity to Times Square and Penn Station. Mathew hails from Kerala on India's southwestern coast, and is known for launching the restaurant chain Kappa Chakka Kandhari in Chenni and Bangalore India, but this is his first international venture.
Mathew suggests that Indian food in New York City is becoming increasingly regionalized, reflecting different areas of India, rather than offering the same old-time favorites like chicken curry. He calls Kerala the 'land of spices' since it has traditionally attracted traders and travelers from different areas overseas.
He chose New York City, over London or Paris, because 'New York is definitely the best place when it comes to gourmet audiences. They are well-traveled and appreciate good food. I want to present my food on the best possible stage.'
Introducing a Toddy Eatery to NYC
He describes Chatti as a toddy shop, which leads to dishes called 'touchings' that are slow-cooked and often eaten with one's hands. To develop his personal recipes, Matthew traversed India and stopped at over 70 toddy shops, where he learned that the food 'changes from village to village, shaped by what's available and who's cooking it.'
Toddy's are best compared to tapas and function as appetizers, and they combine well with 'great conversation and good drinks,' he explains. Chatti's food, he says, is 'not heavy, not too many allergens, no nuts.' The word 'chatti' refers to the classic container used in curry shops.
Pawn Pouches Are One Example
Some of his signature toddy's include prawn pouches, consisting of prawns with coconut masala, beef fry, tapioca patties, and clay pot fish curry. He says the prawn pouches are 'delicate and aromatic, steamed in banana leaves,' the clay pot fish curry 'is bold and slow-cooked with pieces' and the tapioca patties are 'crispy, golden and comforting.'
Two of the most popular entrées ordered are halibut grilled with gooseberry masala and rice dumplings in coconut milk with chicken curry.
He adds that social media has been a useful tool for its guests to send photos of toddy's to friends to get the word out.
Yet, he admits that most mainstays of Indian cuisine in the New York City area aren't on the menu so you don't find samosas or chicken curry. 'The food we are preparing is from Indian cuisine,' not Americanized, he suggests.
The average dinner check at Chatti's is $60 to $70 per person for lunch and $80 to $100 per person at dinner, excluding liquor. It seats 90 guests in the main dining rooms and up to 70 guests in a mezzanine, used for private events including birthdays, anniversaries, reunions and corporate gatherings.
Capitalizing an eatery in NYC is an expensive endeavor. Mathew says he received investments from a select few U.S.-based investors, who were aligned with his culinary vision.
Targeting the Curious Diner
Bungalow, the well-respected East Village eatery started by chef Vikas Khanna, often attracts a clientele that is 75% Indian people, but Mathew says Chatti appeals to 'the curious, open-minded diner who's ready to explore Indian food beyond the familiar.'
Yet he acknowledges that many Indian people are discovering it and bringing their Indian friends with them. For example, a friend of mine who is an Indian Google engineer has already dined there.
When this reporter dined at Chatti early on a Sunday evening, he and a friend ordered the prawn pouches and a chicken pouch, then a seafood and coriander chicken dish ending with cloud pudding, a coconut dessert, for a delicious meal.
Most diners on Yelp were pleased about their Chatti meal. Beth from White Plains, N.Y. said 'If you're craving bold, authentic Kerala flavors, Chatti is the place to be.' She enjoyed the beef fry appetizer, Trivandrum chicken fry, and calamari and shrimp, and the cloud pudding dessert.
And Chripa from New Hyde Park, N.Y. enjoyed her beef curry, the duck curry with the roasted coconut and black pepper, which she scooped up and ate like soup. She liked the touchings, reporting that her table of 4 people ordered 5 of them as appetizers.
Mathew says he's only concentrating on making Chatti successful, and not delving into the future and exploring opening a second location. Asked the keys to the future success, he replied, #1 Staying true to the cuisine, #2 The right ingredients, #3 The right cooking style. So in essence, he said the regional Indian cooking will determine its success.
Lastly, he adds, most Americans view Indian cuisine as spicy, but he emphasizes that Chatti's food is 'flavorful, not pungent.'
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