Shuls & Shpayz: Curry

Central Synagogue

652 Lexington Avenue, Midtown

Brick Lane Curry House Too

235 East 53rd Street, Midtown

By the middle of December, we were becoming seasoned veterans in these escapades. Last week, I asked everyone if they wanted to try a curry house, and got all sorts of responses about not liking spicy, blah blah blah. So that is why we went with the Upper West Side, Bnai Jeshurun, and El Malecon II. Mostly one person was the obstacle for not liking Indian food so since he could not make it this week I thought it prime to try the Brick Lane Curry House. Fortunately, I hit upon one of the restaurants that Alisa has been to and loved so we finally had a guide at our reach. The restaurant is so named because Brick Lane in London is well known for its variety of Indian and Pakistani eateries, existing because of significant immigration after the years of British colonial rule in the region of South Asia. The world-famous Chicken Tikka Masala has recently been called a national dish in the UK, and is such a part of British identity due in part to the fact that despite many believing it is part of Indian cuisine when in fact the dish is supposed to have been invented in Britain. And such a sort of sub-style of Indian cuisine was born that is unique and much a part of British culture. So Brick Lane Curry House, with a few different locations around the New York area is where we decided to descend upon. The temple I chose this week is the Central Synagogue in Midtown. It has the notoriety of being the oldest congregation in the city continuously using the same building. The Moorish Revival structure on Lexington and 55th was built in 1872. So whereas Temple Emanuel is just a big, dark cave, the Central Synagogue, with its membership wait list of over 300 families, is much more inviting. I told Meryl I would meet her in the service and made it just as they were about to start Kabbalat Shabbat. I raced down Lexington out of the subway saw the entrance people still going inside, and this time no security check. A long middle aisle up to the bima, looking around for Meryl where is she sitting I have no idea and I look like a crazy person spinning around in circles. Just as I ascended the stairs, some usher put up a velvet rope blocking off the entrance, much like the lines in a bank. Finally located her and the service began. We were seated right in the center not too far back, and the place which has almost 3000 seats had a good-sized crowd, by no means demanding the use of the balconies. While a Reform temple, it seemed more familiar as not as stuffy as Emanuel just 10 blocks north. I believe the siddurim used are produced by the synagogue itself, it is quite an institution after all. After the service, I remember thinking to myself, if I had to belong to a Reform synagogue, this is where I'd go. The 7th night night of Hannukkah 5773! Our next stop would be at Brick Lane Curry House Too on 53rd between 3rd and 2nd Avenues. We would be meeting Alisa and her friend Emily there. Now although Meryl had originally concurred with Neal about not liking the Indian food in general and of course I was on thin ice especially for my choice of the Lao place a few weeks back that was crazy spicy, she conceded to go to Brick Lane. And Alisa was very excited to go because she had been before and loved it. I had made a reservation for the 4 of us just to be sure. When we got there, I could not believe how tiny the place was. It may as well be someone's duplex living room, perhaps 6 tables in all. There is no place to stand inside and there was no one inside when we arrived. When she got there, Alisa said she didn't know about this one because she had been to the larger location in the East Village. In any case, it's still the same restaurant. What makes this place significantly well-known is that it was featured on Man Vs. Food for its Phaal curry challenge. Thought to be the hottest (spiciest) food available in Indian restaurants, originating of course in British Indian restaurants, I found this review on grubstreet from a customer: "The Phaal is essentially a slightly curried meat of your choice with an assload of chili peppers to the magnitude of...12? Burns. Hurts. Kills tastebuds. Brings on gastrointestinal hyperactivity - I would think even for the most accustomed/stalwart." What do you get for taking on this curry? A lousy free beer. No thank you. Instead, I opted for a delicious Jalfrezi curry with tofu. I thought since everyone always says that tofu just tastes like what you cook it with, I'd give it a shot, and it was quite good. The Jalfrezi had just the right amount of kick, probably medium. Unfortunately, Emily was not too pleased by her meal choice because of how spicy it was; I think Meryl took a stance of "I could take or leave it" and Alisa has been a sold customer. To each their own, yes? In any case, I found it good, it is definitely different than the Indian restaurants in Queens, since the curry is such a staple of the special British take on the cuisine. I would come again, and maybe next time venture downtown to East 6th Street in order to have a meal in more spacious accommodations.