Archive for 'Indus Express'

Lunch’er Copyboy Reports: Indus Express is Now Masala Junction

Earlier this month we reported that Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th) had been shut down by the marshalls and put up for rent. Today Lunch’er Copyboy checked in with this update…

Monday the former Indus Express, 48 W. 48th St. reopened as Masala Junction. It’s pretty much the same restaurant but with a new owner, new lease, and new signage. The prices are basically the same – $8.99 for a vegetable box, $9.99 for meat, $6.99 for a samosa chaat, the only thing I order here. Gone is the misguided sub sandwich kiosk, restored is the plastic cutlery self-service stand. The cashier told me that they fixed a lot of kitchen issues, changed some recipes. She’s a holdover from Indus Express as are most of the other employees.

My chaat was somehow different – I think the samosa recipe has changed subtly. But it’s still tangy and delicious, heavy on the chana masala.

Check out the photo after the jump…

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Indus Express Seized by Marshall, Up For Rent

Yesterday Bian Dang tricked some of us into thinking that they were closing down, but this sadly is no April Fool’s joke. We got multiple reports yesterday that Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th) has been shut down by the Marshalls. This isn’t the first time that For Rent sign has been in the window of Indus Express, but it looks like this time it might be permanently gone.  Thanks to @nafmij for the photo.

Friday Kati Roll Special at Indus Express

Indus Express $5 Kati Roll

Thanks to Lunch’er “Adam” for tipping us off to the new Friday Kati Roll special at Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th). The guy behind the counter said you can get any Kati Roll for $5 (normally they’re $5.95 to $7.95 depending on the filling) and though I didn’t see it listed on the menu, he also confirmed that the special also comes with the usual small salad and fries (like the one Zach initially tried). Not bad for $5. My experiences at Indus Express have always been a hit or miss. They have a solid chaat bar, but their steam table curries are pretty lacking and the nearby Minar schools them in Tikka Masala. That said, we’re always willing to give a good lunch special a try. I think I know what I’m having for lunch today…

Related:
Indus Express is Like an Indian Version of a Midtown Deli

Get Indus Express Chaat for 8 Cents

8 cent Pop Burgers are fine, but this is kind of more exciting if you ask us!  A week from today 8 Coupons will be having another one of their Ocho Loco events, and the participating restaurant is Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th).  On April 28th, from 2-6pm you can get a plate of their formidable chaat for just 8 cents.  If you’ve never had chaat before, it’s Indian street food made from some kind of fried item (samosas, cracker looking things, and/or rice crispy looking things) tossed with onions, tomatoes sometimes potatoes, yogurt, and chutney.  It’s the perfect summertime snack/lunch and all you have to do to score it for 8 cents is text yourself the coupon from the 8coupons site. Freeloaders engage.  (Because, quite frankly at 8 cents it might as well be free, right?)

Related:
Midtown is the Chaat Corridor of New York City
Snapshots: For Those About to Chaat…

Indus Express No Longer on the Chopping Block?

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The “For Rent” sign in the window of Indus Express has been taken down… so I’m guessing they worked things out with their landlord.  That’s good news.

Related:
Indus Express Might Be On the Move

Indus Express Might Be On the Move

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Rockluncher pointed it out in the forums yesterday, and it’s confirmed by this photo… everybody’s favorite generic Midtown deli turned Indian take out joint Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th) has a for rent sign in their window.  They’re still open for now, but Lunch’er “dmax” posted this info (which I confirmed with somebody over at Indus): “They told me it was an issue with high rent and they may or may not be moving to a different location nearby within the next couple of weeks.”  There is still a chance they might work something out with the landlord, but they said they won’t know until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week at the earliest.  In the meantime, if you’re as much of a fan of their bhel puri as Fork in the Road you might want to hit the place up soon, just in case they close or move somewhere farther away.

Related:
Indus Express is Like an Indian Version of a Midtown Deli

TONY is Officially Obsessed With Midtown Lunch

DSC04995For the second time in three weeks Time Out New York’s “Officially Obsessed” column has been dedicated to pretty well known Midtown Lunch’ing spots. Two weeks ago it the braised crispy tofu with chili and sliced pork from the new Szechuan Gourmet (on 56th btw. B’way+8th), and this week it’s the papri chaat from Indus Express.  (This actually marks the second time TONY has called out the latter… it was named one of the Top 100 Bites of 2008.)

Can’t argue with either recommendation (although if push comes to shove I’m still sticking with the twice cooked pork belly with chili and leeks.)

Related:
Snapshots: For Those About to Chaat…
Pork Belly w/ Chili Leeks Still Good at the New Szechuan Gourmet

Is the DOH Going After Our Chaat?

A few weeks ago it was the former newsstand on 6th Ave., and now (according to a post in the forums by Lunch’er “copyboy”)  Indus Express is the latest Indian joint to be closed by the Department of Health (on 48th btw. 5+6th). If you want to find them on the DOH website, they’re still listed as City Market Cafe, and to me their violations don’t really look too serious.  (No rats.  No roaches. Who cares about lightbulbs?)

Frankies and Kati Rolls Are Not the Same Thing

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Always Hungry has a write up on Tabla’s Indian street food “cart”, which is set up in front of the restaurant located next to Madison Square Park. It’s a little pricey, and way out of the Midtown Lunch boundaries- but the piece distinguishes between the kati roll (which we all know very well) and the “Frankie”, a term you are seeing more and more in NYC.

A Frankie is an Indian wrap best described as a Mumbai burrito. The construction of a frankie sounds very similar to a Kati (Roti) roll, but among the Indian community they could not be more different.

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Midtown is the Chaat Corridor of New York City

Taj Delhi Chat
Rupa’s Special bhelpuri from Taj Delhi Chat

Today’s Village Voice features a piece on where to find the best chaat in New York, and three of the four choices are Midtown Lunch mainstays: Indus Express (on 48th btw. 5+6th), Sukhadia’s Gokul (on 45th btw. 5+6th), and of course, Khodiar Express (aka Taj Delhi Chat), the Indian food in the former newsstand on 6th Ave. btw. 37+38th.  I knew it was only a matter of time before that last one got discovered by the “real” NYC food media… if you haven’t been, you really need to hit it up.

Related
A Guide to the Best Indian Street Food in Midtown: Translating the Menu at Taj Delhi Chat
Snapshots: For Those About to Chaat…