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Forbes
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
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.'
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
This 'secret' East Side restaurant offers an authentic taste of Peru
Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi's favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Come back every Tuesday for more. Inkazteka in Deer Park's Dillonvale Shopping Center is a family-owned restaurant that serves excellent versions of Peruvian and Mexican cuisines, though it's the Peruvian dishes that really shine. Given the importance of potatoes in Peru (they grow more than 4,000 varieties), I suggest starting with the papa a la huancaina ($9.99), a cold appetizer of sliced boiled potatoes drenched in creamy, spicy huancaina sauce, which is a mixture of aji amarillo peppers, queso and evaporated milk. Set on a bed of lettuce and garnished with black olives and hard-boiled egg slices, the dish might look like it's straight out of a 1960s issue of Gourmet magazine, but it's far more timeless than that. One of the most classic examples of Peruvian cuisine is lomo saltado, a stir fry of beef or chicken, red onions (cut into wedges) and tomatoes sauteed in soy sauce and wine vinegar and served with french fries and rice. According to my former co-worker Daniel Gritzer at Serious Eats, lomo saltado is an example of chifa cooking, "a term that describes the Chinese-Peruvian hybrid cuisine created by Chinese immigrants who moved to South America more than a century ago." Here, the indigenous American ingredients of potatoes, peppers and tomatoes are seasoned with soy sauce and then stir-fried. Instead of ordering my lomo saltado the traditional way, I enjoyed it in the form of the Burrito Inkazteka ($16.99). Here, lomo saltado (complete with the french fries and jasmine rice) is stuffed and rolled into a flour tortilla and served on a festive yellow platter. The enormous burrito is burnished with shimmering chipotle sauce that adds a layer of smoky flavor. If you'd like a little more spice with your meal, ask for a side of the restaurant's green hot sauce – which should satisfy even the most ardent heat freak – then wash it all down with a refreshing pineapple soda. My guess is that you'll be revisiting this shopping center secret sooner than later. 3920 E. Galbraith Road, inside the Dillonvale Shopping Center, Deer Park; 513-921-5663. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Looking for authentic Peruvian food? Head to this Deer Park restaurant
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sonoma Valley Authors Festival Returns with World-Class Lineup for 2025
8th Annual Event to Feature 20+ Renowned Authors & Speakers in Sonoma This May Jeffrey Brown & Isabel Allende Hampton Sides Speaking in the Main Pavilion Sonoma, California, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Sonoma Valley Authors Festival (SVAF) is proud to announce its world-class lineup of authors and speakers for the eighth annual event, taking place May 2-4, 2025, at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. This highly curated, three-day festival is designed to 'stimulate the minds and nurture the souls of readers.' This year's distinguished speakers include:Isabel Allende: A literary powerhouse and master storyteller, Allende will discuss her forthcoming novel, My Name, Emilia del Valle, set to be released on May 6, 2025. Michael Connelly: A master crime fiction author of over 40 novels, Connelly will discuss his new book, The Waiting, and his journey from journalist to bestselling novelist. Percival Everett: Critically acclaimed and fresh off a National Book Award win for James, Everett offers a provocative retelling of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, tackling race and history in bold new ways. Patrick Radden Keefe: Award-winning journalist and best-selling author, whose powerhouse novel, Say Nothing is a new Hulu series Anna Quindlen: Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and bestselling novelist, Quindlen returns with After Annie, a deeply moving novel about love, loss, and resilience. Ruth Reichl: Legendary food writer and former Gourmet magazine editor-in-chief, Reichl explores the intersection of food, culture, and memoir in her latest work, The Paris Novel. See the full line-up of 20+ authors and speakers. About the FestivalFounded in 2018 by Ginny and David Freeman, the Sonoma Valley Authors Festival has become a must-attend event for those passionate about literature, science, technology, medicine and life-long learning. The festival features TED Talk-style presentations and engaging breakout sessions, where more than 20 renowned authors share their stories as well as insights on their latest works. "The intimacy of the Sonoma Valley Authors Festival creates amazing synergies, where the audience is as interesting as the speakers!" says Ginny Freeman, co-founder of the festival. "The festival audience is well-educated, well-traveled, and dedicated to lifelong learning and life enrichment. The atmosphere engages speakers and audiences alike, forming connections among audience members that are as equally magical as that of the audience and speakers." The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa provides an intimate environment for attendees to connect with authors and speakers–whether over breakfast and lunch or at one of the many book signings. Return moderator Jeffrey Brown, Senior Correspondent and Chief Arts Correspondent for PBS News-Hour, captures the experience: "One of the nice things for the people who attend the festival is they get to talk to the authors. Not only hear them speak, but actually ask the authors their own questions – they can share what they like about the book, and in turn get to know the authors.' While the festival pavilion is limited to 400 seats, the generous donations from attending sponsors help fund other free events—Students Day, Authors on the Plaza and the Virtual Festival, reaching thousands of community members. Expanding Literary Access to the CommunityStudents Day, a cornerstone of the festival since its inception, aims to inspire intellectual curiosity in the next generation. This May, 1,400 students from Sonoma Valley High School and other local schools will engage with speakers and receive free books by presenting authors. Each year, private donations fund the distribution of 3,000 to 4,000 books to students. Due to campus safety protocols, Students Day is not open to the public. Authors on the Plaza, is a free, open-to-the-public event on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., under the trees in historic Sonoma Plaza. This year's event will feature Michael Connelly, Sal Khan, Wright Thompson, and Dr. Eric Topol. While tickets are not required, attendees are encouraged to register. Attend the FestivalVIP Festival Passes start at $3,000 and include access to all presentations, two on-site breakfasts and lunches, an exclusive dinner with the authors, and complimentary access to the Virtual Festival. More than 50% of each VIP pass is a tax-deductible donation. For more information about the 2025 Sonoma Valley Authors Festival and to purchase passes, please visit the festival website. The Sonoma Valley Authors Festival thrives thanks to the generous support of individual donors, corporate sponsors, and dedicated volunteers. Co-founders Ginny and David Freeman have invested their time and personal resources to ensure the continued success of this nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization About Sonoma Valley Authors Festival: The Sonoma Valley Authors Festival (SVAF) was founded in 2018 by Ginny and David Freeman as a 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity focused on education and community involvement. This annual event brings together literature enthusiasts and lifelong learners to engage with world-class authors of all genres and speakers in science, technology, and medicine. SVAF is supported by individual donors, corporate sponsors, and dedicated local volunteers. Past authors have included: Isabel Allende, Dave Barry, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Bonnie Garmus, Amor Towles, Billy Collins, Amy Tan and Abraham Verghese. WEBSITE & SOCIAL HANDLES | Press Kit - Photos, Headshots, Logos #SVAF25FB @svauthorsfestival | IG @svauthorsfest | TW @svauthorsfestival | LI @svauthorsfestivalPhoto Gallery CONTACTDiana Silvestri | 415.627.8229 | diana@ Schnitzer | 917.287.7064 | beth@ Attachments Jeffrey Brown & Isabel Allende Hampton Sides Speaking in the Main Pavilion CONTACT: Diana Silvestri Sonoma Valley Authors Festival 4156278229 diana@
