Kati Roll
Oh Indian Burrito! Where have you been all my life??? I don’t really know if the owners of Kati Roll would refer to what they sell as an “Indian Burrito”, but as far as I’m concerned, if the shoe fits…
It’s Indian food. It’s a burrito. Indian Burrito. Done. Sure, there’s no rice, no beans, and instead of a tortilla, it’s a piece of fresh paratha (Indian flat bread). But it is rolled up, and it is eaten with your hands. Indian Burrito. Indian Soft Taco is also accepted.
Very rarely do I find a place that serves something I’ve *never* eaten or seen before… so Kati Roll was definetely one of my more exciting finds when looking for places to eat near work. Sure, I’ve had tons of Indian food before, but never in such a convenient, made for New York lunch kind of way.
The menu has ten options, or fillings for your fresh made piece of paratha. The fillings are Aloo Masala (spicy potato), Achari Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese in spicy pickle), Chicken Tikka, Beef Tikka, Shami Kabab (Spiced mutton mince kebab), or any one of those fillings mixed with Unda (spiced Indian Egg omelette). Or you can just get the Spicy Egg Omelette by itself.
You can order one roll for $3 to $6 (depending on the filling), or two for slightly less (they give you a discount when you order two of the same roll). I’ve had the Chicken Tikka which is fantastic. The chicken is really good, and covered in red onions with a slight lemon flavor. Really, really good. I’ve also had the spicy potato- which is really spicy… but also delicious, if you like potatoes. Very similar flavor to a samosa, just without the fried stuff around the outside. The paratha is grilled fresh on a gigantic skillet in the back, so it is really really good (albeit pretty greasy).
There are a few tips to make your visit a little bit easier… so check out the +/- after the jump
THE +
- It may not be an authentic preperation (is it? I don’t know)… but it’s authentic spicyness. If you don’t like spicy… stay away!
- Fresh made paratha is delicious
- Easy to eat with your hands
THE – (what people who don’t like it, would say)
- It’s too spicy
- It’s very greasy
- The chicken tikka roll has too many red onions
- You smell like Indian food the rest of the day (because you eat it with your hands)
- Because the paratha is made fresh, sometimes it can take a really long time. I advise getting there right at Noon (it still took 10 minutes for our food), or calling ahead your order at peak times
There are wooden tables and chairs to eat in the restaurant if you want to eat in. If you are a big eater, you could defintely put down two of these rolls (smaller then a burrito, bigger then a soft taco). Normal eaters I would recommend one and a half, light eaters, just one. Best thing to do is go with a friend and order two different kinds so you can share!
Kati Roll, 140 W. 46th St., 212-730-4280 New Location: 49 w. 39th St. (btw. 5+6th) 212-730-4280
Posted by Zach at 2:25 pm, June 29th, 2006 under 39th btw. 5+6th, Indian, Kati Roll.
60 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
60 Comments
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Sadly, for anyone getting Kati Roll this week, as of today they have no more mutton (lamb) rolls, and claim the earliest they MAY have more is next week. Hiccups in the international mutton market? Poor grazing up in Sheep’s Meadow? Who knows.
The chicken and beef are still excellent substitutes, but nothing matches the mutton…
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The kathi kabab (roll) was supposedly invented by Nizam’s restaurant in Calcutta in the 1930s. It is still there:
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060118/asp/calcutta/story_5733258.asp
In Delhi, there is a large Nizam’s (which I doubt is a real branch of the original), but at any rate has a website that describes the usual variations of the kathi kabab
In Mumbai (Bombay) the kathi kabab is called a Frankie, named after the late lamented West Indian cricketer Frank Worrell.
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The Shami Kebab (lamb) Roll is back!
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I love Kati Roll. The guy turning out the food is great, the buradi chicken is deliciously spicy, and the whole thing has a narcotic effect when enjoyed with a fizzy cold diet Coke. I love this place to death, and try to convince myself that chicken and rice is a healthier alternative to the rolls (but man that paratha is good…)
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Just went to this place for lunch. Order ahead, didn’t have a wait. Have to say, that it is the best lunch that I have had since our offices moved down here. Although it was a bit greasy, what’s a little grease..the spices were perfect! Had the paneer and the unda chicken. wonderful, wonderful. The chicken was cooked to perfection, tender, not dry at all. If I had a bottomless pit for a belly, I would have ordered at least ten more! Great value, cute little joint. Highly recommend it!
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Thanks for all the interesting stuff about Indian Restaurants. Has anyone been to Curry in a Hurry (28th & Lex)? How does it compare with Minar?
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headed here today. It looks like the wait can be pretty hench during the lunch rush..
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Went there today…it was fantastic!! Was a little concerned when I was ordering, not sure what anything was, but figures chicken and potatoes…who can go wrong. Well I was happy to find out the chicken was wonderful and so was the spicy potato! Was a little greasy…but worth the splurge!!
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Thanks for the tip – I’m now addicted to the potato roll. I don’t find it intolerably spicy (and I’m pretty heat-averse) especially as compared to other Indian food I’ve had. Just a nice kick to it.
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kati rolls are VERY tasty. They aren’t too spicy or too bland, and are good to take on-the-go. However, they are way too greasy. And this is coming from a person who LOVES fried foods. They are so greasy they make my stomach hurt. If they were just less oily, they would be 10x better!
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They have another location downtown..99 mcdoughel st
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By and large the best Kati I’ve ever tasted in NYC. My wife and I always share the Unda Beef and Unda Chicken. Ask for it spicy!
…for all the folkc complaining about onions….. you can ask for your kati rolls w/o onions…..
and you can call ahead and order, and 10 minutes or so later, they’ll be waiting for you when you arrive
and that Katie Roll place on Lex….they put LETTUCE (ewwww) in their kati rolls….nothing like wilted lettuce in a warm kati roll to spoil it