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

60 Comments

  • I tried the chicken tikka today. Never had tried one before and it’s ridiculously good…….

  • GREAT food. But sooooo slow, more people left than stayed.

  • ( I went today on your recommendation)

  • mmm…i’m a sucker for paratha. however people want to call it. stumbled across your blog! fun stuff.

    cheers

  • 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.

  • Just found this blog- my coworkers and I love it…and you work in our building!

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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)

  • Another place right next to Kati sells awesome Cuban sandwiches. Very very authentic.

  • Margon… I’ll be reviewing that place soon too!

  • 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!

  • 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…. :)

  • Dude, the mutton is worthy of praise, esp. after a night of bing-drinking.

  • my god that stuff is good

  • 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.

  • Yeah… I said it up above in the (-) section. It’s much better to place your order ahead of time.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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