Amma
(347) 901-4964
246 E 51st St
(at Between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue)
New York,
NY
10022
40.7559
-73.9694
Neighborhoods: Midtown, Midtown East (Turtle Bay)
Hours:
Daily 12pm-2:45pm
5pm-10:30pm
Last updated 6.24.09
What People Are Saying About Amma
The Owner
Amma
Owner
"I wanted to try Indian food I've never tasted" - Ask Gael, New York Magazine October 6th 2003
"Amma, an Indian restaurant with a difference" - Eric Asimov, N.Y. Times Sep 27th 2002
"Clean your plates anyway" - New York Magazine, May 13th 2002
"Amma tastefully fills the gap between Curry Row-style cheap eats and pricey Indian fusion" - Time Out New York? 2003 Eating and Drinking Guide
"Eat to make your Mother Proud" - Arthur J Pais? India Abroad, October 18th 2002
"Mama's food never had it so good" - J. Walman? Our Town, October 24th 2002
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
A discerning crowd of mostly families comes here expecting--and receiving--food that's a cut above. The small, peaceful dining room is peach-colored with handsome fabric art and a general air of spotlessness. The hovering service staff describe everything in detail. Dishes are served individually, rather than family-style.
The Food
The clean-flavored, delicate version of Indian cuisine served here is impressively tasty; several discrete notches above the average decent neighborhood establishment. Spinach chaat--peppery, batter-fried leaves topped with zingy mung sprouts--makes a terrific starter; so does a trio of small, subtle samosas. Tandoor-grilled lamb chops are incredibly juicy and savory, and a pear chutney sets them off terrifically. Kararee bhindi--crisp, tangy okra and onion salad--is memorably pungent. Madras chicken and the tomatoey Malabar salmon are standard, while desserts are a must-try, particularly the fluffy housemade mango cheesecake and kulfi in citrus soup.
User Reviews
kutchi
April 01, 2009
I've never been to amma, as a matter of fact, I live in Minneapolis and am tempted to visit it on my next visit to NYC, but from my observations and what looks like a trend in all of the reviews I've read, it looks as if though indians are not the target market; hence indians are treated rudely, and other bad experiences. I notice this every time I see an indian sounding name, email address, or even a clear statement that reads that "I'm an indian." (Reverse racism maybe?) If this is the case then "fusion indian" amma is trying its level best to attract non-indian patrons and get them to accept their types of "indian foods." After all whoever heard of the crazy dishes in authentic indian foods that use exotic fruits in in an entree without the heat. How many indian homes make a "Kachumber" (salad) utilizing apples and pears? We even like our salads hot as hell! Anyway, you indians know what I'm talking about, unfortunately for the non-indians you are being deceived to believe that us indians concoct such dishes in our homes or restaurants in India and call them " authentic indian food." There is no such thing. Either it is indian or it is not. At best, this amma seems to portray itself as an upscale european/american restaurant with a flair by adding indian spices. I wouldn't call that very "authentic Indian." Would you agree?
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hubriis
February 07, 2009
We made a reservation at Amma during Restaurant Week. That said, we knew going into it not to have high expectations....boy, were we blown away by not only the food but the stellar, attentive service! We started with the Tomato Rasam and Mughlai Chicken Shorba soups. The tomato soup had a wonderful afterburn and a terrific layering of flavors. The chicken soup was good, but lacked any real flavor other than chicken. We chose the Cochin Crab Cakes (chef spices and ginger infused golden crusted patties) and Kesari Malai Tikka (chicken breast in saffron yogurt marination) appetizers and both were just wonderful. The crab cakes were light and packed with crab flavor and the malai chicken had a nice delicate flavor. For our main course, we chose Stuffed Chicken Breast (garam masala, paneer onion tomato sauce) and Tandoori Lamb Chops (ginger garlic yogurt marination); both were served with naan, raita, Manchurian cauliflower and jackfruit biryani. The raita was fantastic! I really enjoyed the subtle spicing of the chicken and while I did not prefer the lamb (I just don't really like the flavor of some of the gamier meats) my beau declared it delicious. The other standout was the Manchurian cauliflower...we are always trying to come up with new and interesting preparations for cauliflower and this one was amazing! We finished our meal with a trio of Kulfi and the mango cheesecake. I am a self-declared cheesecake connoisseur and the mango cheesecake was divine. The Kulfis were good as well, there was a trio of original (pistachio) flavor, strawberry and mango. While the fruit flavors were nice, I really loved the pistachio best. We paired our meal with the optional wine flight which included a white, a red and a dessert wine. The staff was unfailingly gracious and attentive, and we truly felt as though we were their top priority. I would highly recommend Amma for great upscale Indian food.
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catheyk
January 27, 2009
went there today for lunch for restaurant week and the food was seriously AMAZING! I don't usually write reviews but the food was just that good. Me and the bf decided to take full advantage of restaurant week and this was the 3rd restaurant we tried and it was undoubtedly the best. Whoever posted saying that the food wasn't outstanding must've ordered the wrong thing or caught them on an off day b/c the food was soo flavorful...not to mention they didn't skimp on the portions like most restaurants do for restaurant week. Everything from the soup to the dessert was wonderful and its a steal at 24.07 for 4 course meal. If you're going to try any restaurant for restaurant week--go here!! btw, you must try the chili shrimp appetizer, sea bass main course, and chicken soup! sooo goood
read full reviewThe Details on Amma
Know Before You Go:
Two tasting menus are available, one vegetarian and one not. Both are on the threshold of being excessive, with 8 or so medium-sized courses. But at $50, this is a great chance to sample the kitchen's range; an additional $35 secures a wine pairing for each course.
Category:
Restaurants, Ethnic Food Markets
Payment Methods:
American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Business Dining, Romantic Dining
Cuisine:
Message from Amma
- Romantic
- Bargain lunch Specials
- Outdoor Catering
"I wanted to try Indian food I've never tasted" - Ask Gael, New York Magazine October 6th 2003
"Amma, an Indian restaurant with a difference" - Eric Asimov, N.Y. Times Sep 27th 2002
"Clean your plates anyway" - New York Magazine, May 13th 2002
"Amma tastefully fills the gap between Curry Row-style cheap eats and pricey Indian fusion" - Time Out New York? 2003 Eating and Drinking Guide
"Eat to make your Mother Proud" - Arthur J Pais? India Abroad, October 18th 2002
"Mama's food never had it so good" - J. Walman? Our Town, October 24th 2002
