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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: June 29th, 2006 under 39th btw. 5+6th, Indian, Kati Roll.
Comments: 53
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Comments
Comment from Pete
Time: July 5, 2006, 8:45 pm
I tried the chicken tikka today. Never had tried one before and it’s ridiculously good…….
Comment from Inane
Time: July 6, 2006, 1:03 pm
GREAT food. But sooooo slow, more people left than stayed.
Comment from Inane
Time: July 6, 2006, 1:03 pm
( I went today on your recommendation)
Comment from pinknest
Time: July 6, 2006, 3:17 pm
mmm…i’m a sucker for paratha. however people want to call it. stumbled across your blog! fun stuff.
cheers
Comment from jomynow
Time: July 6, 2006, 3:56 pm
Sounds really tasty! Can’t wait to try it out sometime, wait all i have to do is go back to india and or maybe at home in my hizzouse! But we indians will take ova, once ve lern how to spveel.
Comment from D
Time: July 6, 2006, 5:03 pm
Just found this blog- my coworkers and I love it…and you work in our building!
Comment from Steverino
Time: July 6, 2006, 5:17 pm
This place is good, but there’s another Indian place RIGHT NEXT DOOR that’s just as good, IMO, and you get to select a whole platter of food. You get 2 meat dishes and one vegetable, with rice and naan, for example, for about $7.
A lot of the dishes are very creamy and don’t always sit well in the stomach, but they’re tasty. They were there well before Kati Roll opened and stole some of their thunder. Really good samosas, too.
Speaking of Indian, I used to work in East 50s and there’s an amazing place on E51st, AMMA, just west of 2nd Ave. Much more upscale and expensive, with gourmet homestyle food, but you can get some good lunch deals. Zach, it’s worth a separate post if you get a chance to try it out.
Comment from zhan
Time: July 6, 2006, 6:27 pm
If Steverino is talking about Rangole on 46th st, I would agree.
Rangole has a really exceptional Indian lunch buffet - it may look like a pretty standard cheap buffet set up but once you taste the food that it is unusually flavourful for a buffet of this type. Really, I have not tasted more flavourful indian lunch buffet dishes anywhere else. The Indian (not just born in US, but really from India) guys in the office really like this place for its authenticity and good cooking. They also love the dinner menu, but I find that many of the dishes on that were too spicy for me (lunch was fine though)
NYTIMES review:
http://events.nytimes.com/2005/05/04/dining/reviews/04unde.html?ex=1152331200&en=7777ebf92137e2f0&ei=5070
Comment from MidtownLunch
Time: July 6, 2006, 6:36 pm
No… there’s actually another place right next door that I’ve been meaning to go to. I think it’s called Minar. Rangole is on 46th between 5th and 6th (and an excellent lunch buffet which I plan on reviewing soon as well)
Comment from Anon
Time: July 6, 2006, 6:44 pm
Another place right next to Kati sells awesome Cuban sandwiches. Very very authentic.
Comment from MidtownLunch
Time: July 6, 2006, 6:48 pm
Margon… I’ll be reviewing that place soon too!
Comment from Sandra
Time: July 6, 2006, 7:36 pm
I stumbled on your website today (while hungover) and dreamed of Indian. I went to Kati right after work. I’m at home eating my Aloo Masala and Chicken Tikka roll. OMG, I’m in heaven. One of the best things I’ve eaten. Though can do w/o the onions, esp. w/ Aloo masala. Has enough taste, but otherwise - delish! Thanks for turning me on to Kati!
Comment from dbdtron
Time: July 6, 2006, 7:55 pm
Damned cat’s outta the bag (it’s been out, natch)… I luv this place… there is another place around the corner (different)
http://www.indianbreadco.com/menu/menu.htm
IMO not as good, but hits a number of different things.. Naanini, it’s poison in a name, but not bad at all as a san’wich.
Myself, I like ordering Chicken Tikka Rolls at Kati Roll Co….. consistent and tasty…. :)
Comment from katikrazed
Time: July 7, 2006, 1:24 pm
Dude, the mutton is worthy of praise, esp. after a night of bing-drinking.
Comment from Anonymous
Time: July 7, 2006, 3:52 pm
my god that stuff is good
Comment from farrower
Time: July 17, 2006, 12:59 pm
i like the food at kati roll, but agree that the service is ridiculously slow there. i find that extremely puzzling given that this isn’t their first restaurant and what they’re turning out isn’t particularly complicated.
Comment from MidtownLunch
Time: July 19, 2006, 12:57 pm
Yeah… I said it up above in the (-) section. It’s much better to place your order ahead of time.
Pingback from Plate of the Day Food Blog - Kati Roll Indian Wraps NY Reviews Info
Time: July 30, 2006, 11:17 am
[...] My friend Leah was browsing on the Midtown Lunch Blog and came across the Kati Roll restaurant in midtown. Thing is we always complain at work about not having any variety of restaurants and here’s this blog called MidTown Lunch that features all the things you can eat in Midtown. Damn, this is awesome. I’m going to have to check out more and more of her posts - I basically gave up on Midtown. (Actually I’ve been to Kati Roll once before on the upper west side but wasn’t able to actually eat what I ordered cause some homeless guy came in and started a fight with the owner - it was pretty crazy so everyone left and we never got our food) [...]
Comment from Helpdesk
Time: August 25, 2006, 12:50 pm
I had high hopes for these burritos after reading your review. I even talked a few of my co-workers into it. None the less we are sitting arround and looking at each other…the mood is mute.
Comment from hey listen
Time: September 1, 2006, 2:35 pm
The food at Kati Rolls was just ok, I would place it at a 6 out of 10, it was lunch, and tasty, but nothing worth bringing friends to or writing home about. I traveled 12 blocks by the advice of this review but left unimpressed.
For more fun and in my opinion, better food and culture, check next door at Margon, the place is great, and the price is right.
$6 will fill u with roasted pork, plantains, cuban rice, beans, and a drink — enough for 2.
Comment from Harsh from DC
Time: September 26, 2006, 12:55 pm
I am addicted to the culture of “food porn” so I read about Kati Roll when I was in Washington, DC 2 weeks ago. I happen to be in NY this week for work so I had to stop by and try Chicken Tikka myself. I liked the food but I am a big fan on sauces a.k.a. chutney. I would have liked to have that on side.
One restaurant at at time…I’m gonna try them all.
Pingback from Minar Indian Restaurant « Midtown Lunch
Time: October 11, 2006, 8:36 am
[...] Everyone who reads this blog knows how much I love Kati Roll (the “Indian Burrito” place)… but sometimes you just want the real thing. And when that urge hits, Minar is right next store to feed my Indian food fix. The one thing I’ve realized about these Indian food places is, you get what you pay for. You pay $4 for Indian food out of a cart, it’s going to taste like $4 Indian food (it’s good, but not the best). Minar costs a little more then that, and it’s a little better. Not as good as a nice Indian restaurant where you are going to pay $10+ an entree, but if you are looking for some quick and tasty Indian food for lunch- and you work in this area of Midtown, you can’t do better then Minar. [...]
Comment from dB.
Time: October 12, 2006, 6:23 pm
We went to this place today, but it wasn’t as spicy as advertised. The frankies (as they are called in Bombai) were good, and our Indian specialists approved.
Comment from Chris
Time: December 20, 2006, 1:17 pm
I had the cottage cheese roll and it was pretty decent. one roll is the right size for lunch, b/c if you’re going for size, might as well go to chipotle. I’ll try the spinach one, but they should think about expanding the menu.
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Time: December 22, 2006, 9:52 am
[...] Indian Burrito [...]
Comment from sk
Time: December 31, 2006, 2:58 am
Some of you had questioned whether kati rolls are really authentic Indian food or soemthing that has been dreamed up for the NYC fast food scene. These items have been and remain very popular as street food in both Calcutta (Kolkata) and Bombay (Mumbai) known as rolls and frankies, respectively. The name kati roll may be a misnomer since the kati (skewer) although probably used in the cooking is not part of the food when served.
In Calcutta, at least, the rolls are eaten just like as they are served here with chopped onions and lemon. Only difference is they usually use chopped green chillies to allow the eater to specify the level of spicyness. Every time I go back there, I make it a point to stop for these rolls from my favorite roll place out of the many choices.
Although the Mexican burrito has been around for a long time, I ate such a roll in Calcutta more than 25 years back, so I would hate to call this an Indian burrito, maybe the burrito should be called a “Mexican kati roll”!
Pingback from Midtown Lunch » PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Tom”
Time: January 3, 2007, 9:27 am
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Comment from HasselhoffFan6969
Time: January 30, 2007, 10:43 am
Just tried this yesterday. I had three, the spicy egg, the mutton, and a chicken. All were good, a bit oily. But, I did feel afterward that I had a brick in my stomach, and it still feels like that now, a whole night later. I may not return. Also, my favorite Cuban place is two doors down.
-Anthony K.
Comment from TomLumb
Time: February 8, 2007, 8:08 pm
After reading this post today I tried a chicken tikka roll in Curry Hill in a place called Katie Rolls and Chaat House. This is the first time I’ve ever had a light Indian meal. Nice and tasty.
Love the site, BTW.
Comment from ellie
Time: March 15, 2007, 11:45 am
Just shared 4 rolls: Chicken Tikka Roll, Aloo Masala Roll (spicy potato), Unda Chicken Roll, Shami Kabab (Spiced mutton mince kebab). Tasty and affordable. Two was not satisfying for a big eater. All were spicy but the mutton. The mutton would be my favorite if it were more spicy. It’s samosa filling in paratha. Not much added with the egg in the Unda roll. Forget about the unda and save a dollar. Definately a good deal to get two of the same. Save a dollar! Listed price includes tax! Good deal! Thanks Midtown Lunch for the recommendation!
Comment from lynn
Time: March 21, 2007, 12:02 pm
the BEST indian rolls are at Roomali in “curry hill” 27th and lexington…on 28th. it has a way orange awning. my friend will walk all the way over from the east village, he travels in rain, sleet and snow…they are that good! chicken tikka, and the bihari…YUMMM! many others “roll” houses have opened up around there, but nothing compares!
Comment from battlestations!! battlestations!!
Time: March 21, 2007, 3:28 pm
i have died and gone to heaven. the 11 blocks i have to walk to this place is the only negative i can think of. had two of the aloo masala. could have easily had a third (and maybe a fourth!) spicy and hearty and cheap (unless you are a pig like me).
Comment from susan
Time: April 3, 2007, 5:16 pm
tried chicken tikka and aloo masala. Awesome! I adore the aloo masala and could scarf 2 down anytime. Next time I will ask for no onions. Too many onions on both. Great find. Thanks!!!
Comment from Josh!
Time: April 5, 2007, 4:45 pm
Took me forever, but I finally made it to Kati Roll. My mistake was only getting one, which only left me hungry, wanting a second. So I had to go back for dinner to get two more (but I went to the downtown location, not as good as the Midtown one).
Comment from foodcrazynyorker
Time: April 9, 2007, 2:41 pm
The Kathi rolls were extremely greasy and quantity wise were not adequate. I ordered the chicken tikka and the shami kabab and the shami was the best of the two. The lamb was tender and fresh, however the overall experience was greasy. Not a great place for the health conscious.
Pingback from Midtown Lunch » PROFILE: Midtown Lunch’er “Grace”
Time: April 10, 2007, 7:24 am
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Comment from Blair
Time: May 14, 2007, 12:27 pm
Just walked 9 blocks to Kati roll.
I had Shami Kebab and Chicken Tikka: very delicious, extremely greasy.
So greasy, that the paper adhered to the wrap.
Lots of onions=bad for co-workers. Not sure if I’d return but definitely worth a try.
Comment from drew
Time: May 30, 2007, 11:23 am
Just tried it now, and sorry, this one doesn’t live up to the hype. $8 gets you a lot more food at Minar (e.g., 2 beef Tikka rolls versus a meat platter), and the beef in my Tikka was unquestionably dry and, IMO, not especially tasty with regard to spices or marinade. I know it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but for my money, the Kwik Meal food cart at 45th/Sixth does ‘meat-wrapped-in-a-flour-product’ (e.g., chicken pita, lamb pita) much better.
Comment from MW
Time: June 21, 2007, 12:46 am
Walked by Kati Roll today, and inside is a giant banner saying their last day is June 28th, and they are moving to West 39th between 5th & 6th.
Pingback from Midtown Lunch » With Kati Roll leaving, the Roti Wars are Heating Up on 46th St.
Time: June 28, 2007, 10:05 am
[...] Indian Burrito [...]
Comment from Yeah but
Time: July 24, 2007, 7:08 pm
…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
Comment from chukstik
Time: August 7, 2007, 12:27 pm
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…
Comment from skchai
Time: August 27, 2007, 6:55 pm
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.
Comment from Vishal
Time: September 11, 2007, 12:45 pm
The Shami Kebab (lamb) Roll is back!
Comment from ori
Time: October 4, 2007, 11:59 am
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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Time: October 12, 2007, 9:33 am
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Comment from Piggywiggy
Time: October 19, 2007, 5:03 pm
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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Time: October 23, 2007, 8:33 am
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Time: November 12, 2007, 11:43 am
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Comment from nursenyc
Time: December 9, 2007, 1:16 am
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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Time: January 9, 2008, 8:46 am
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Comment from DubbininBklyn
Time: May 22, 2008, 11:23 am
headed here today. It looks like the wait can be pretty hench during the lunch rush..
Comment from jenamichellel
Time: July 22, 2008, 12:22 pm
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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