Inday's Manhattan-Based Fast Casual Chain Takes It Slow In Brooklyn

Forbes

6 days ago

Imagine Shake Shack having one location that, in addition to serving burgers and shakes, also features steaks and martinis, or a Panera with waiter service and proper flatware. That should give you some idea of the vibe of Inday's (also known as Inday All Day) in Williamsburg, the offbeat and more upscale offshoot of the Inday fast-casual chain that's helped to bring Indian food out of the culinary ghettos of East 6th St. and Curry Hill and into the mainstream of NYC office lunchery.
Founder/owner Basu Ratnam launched Inday in Manhattan in 2015 as 'basically, an office canteen,' he says. At the time, it was a conscious gamble: 'A lot of people still thought of [Indian food] as too spicy, too heavy, or just something you only eat at dinner or on a special occasion.' The gamble paid off, and Inday now has eight locations scattered throughout Manhattan. 'Especially here in New York, there's a real openness now,' Ratnam says. 'There's still work to do. But the energy right now feels different. People are ready. And we're proud to be a part of this shift.'
Fast-casual chains tailored to office workers hit a speed bump with the pandemic. Inday was no exception: as Ratnam notes, 'It was a good business model up until 2020.' The opportunity to pivot soon arose on Driggs Ave. in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. 'The landlord who owned this building said, 'There's no good Indian food in Williamsburg. Everyone's at home. They want the craveability and comfort of what you guys do. Why don't you take a swing at like, more of a sit down restaurant?''
The interior of Inday's, also known as Inday All Day. Photo courtesy Inday's
In 2022, while work-from-home was still the default mode for many NYC office workers, Inday All Day was born. The Williamsburg iteration isn't quite the polar opposite of its fast-casual sibling — Inday standards like samosas and naan are, of course, available, as are bowls of protein over rice — but the vibe is very different, and the menu is more expansive and creative, mixing traditional Indian classics with witty and delicious Indian-Western hybrids.
It's those hybrids that first got me in the door, specifically the Lamb Smash Burger, with creamy, melty Cooper sharp cheese, turmeric pickles, and cumin aioli on a sesame seed bun with masala spiced fries. It's a dense, bold, flavorful, mildly spicy masterpiece that was one of the most distinctive – and filling — burgers I've ever eaten. The Butter Chicken Parm sandwich is almost as good. Lemon yogurt-marinated tandoori-style chicken filets are 'crisped' (read: lightly fried) and topped with mozzarella and (I think) a touch of soft paneer, with tikka masala sauce subbing for marinara.
The Lamb Smash Burger with masala-spiced fries at Inday All Day. As delicious as it is filling (it's very filling, FYI) Photo by Tony Sachs
Classic Indian dishes like Chicken Biryani and Shrimp Moilee, the latter in a coconut-based curry with ginger, chilis and curry leaves, are expertly prepared, as are the selection of kebabs and breads. If you're in the mood for a less hipster, more traditional Indian meal, very satisfying in their own right.
Indian-influenced cocktails have largely flown under the radar in NYC, though they're not unheard of — Hemant Pathak of Junoon and Jazba in particular is making some of the best cocktails in the city with Indian spirits and spices. But the drinks at Inday's, curated by GM Colly Whelan, acquit themselves very well. The Rum Thandai, which utilizes 100-proof unaged J.M rhum agricole, has a gentle, boozy-milkshake vibe, while the Dirty Chai Martini, with vodka and cold brew liqueur, is an espresso martini with an Indian accent.
Ratnam's favorite drink on the menu is the Spicy Mango Margarita, featuring tequila, mezcal, cinnamon, and mango juice: 'Tequila and mezcal are my go-to spirits, and the mango brings me right back to summer,' he says, adding, 'But it's not just a warm-weather drink.' My pick of the several drinks I sampled is the Himalayan Negroni, with Jin Jiji Indian gin, vanilla-infused Campari, and pink peppercorn — a beautifully balanced blend of sweet, bitter, and spicy.
The Himalayan Negroni, an Indian-accented take on the classic. Photo by Tony Sachs
The vibe at Inday's is the opposite of its fast-casual compatriots. The bright, airy room has a relaxed vibe, not casual but not stuffy — informal is the right word for it. Prices are quite reasonable for food and drink, with cocktails in the $15-16 range and most dishes around $20. The service is efficient and friendly, attentive but not rushed, just right for a long, lazy lunch when you don't have an office to get back to, or a cocktail-filled date night. And sure, you could grab a quick bite in between work meetings, but that's not the point of the place.
One thing Williamsburg lacks that Manhattan does have, at least for now, is Ratnam's Indian-flavored take on the chicken over rice that's become a citywide classic thanks to the proliferation of halal carts throughout the five boroughs. Priced at a food cart-comparable $12, Ratnam will be donating a portion of every sale of Inday's Chicken Over Rice in the month of August to the Street Vendor Project, an organization that provides legal representation and advocacy for better working conditions for food cart and other vendors. It's a dish, and a cause, close to his heart 'I was born and raised in New York,' Ratnam says, 'and like a lot of New Yorkers, I grew up on halal cart food. Chicken over rice was the dish I turned to during some of my best moments and some of the hardest ones too.'
I was skeptical about his ability to 'reinvent,' as he puts it, such a simple but seminal dish, but he's done an excellent job of it, with tandoori chicken and coconut rice topped with a Kashmiri chili hot sauce. Its tang and spice is balanced out by a cool house-made raita. Whether or not you get the homage, it's a delicious dish — and the one item on the fast-casual menu that I hope crosses over to the slower version of Inday. (658 Driggs Ave., Brooklyn)