Devi
(212) 691-1300
8 E 18th St
New York,
NY
10003
40.7382
-73.9913
Neighborhoods: Midtown, Flatiron District
What People Are Saying About Devi
The Editor
Erin Behan
Citysearch
The Scene
An intricately carved wooden door, curtains of soft orange and red, and colorful hanging lanterns dress up an interior that's reminiscent of an average Indian restaurant, only much nicer. The same can be said of the exotic cocktails enjoyed by the wildly diverse but astutely cosmopolitan crowd. The real buzz at the bi-level space, however, comes from chefs Suvir Saran and Hemant Mathur's accomplished menu.
The Food
The freshness and essence of ingredients shines through in dishes, enhanced by complex spices. The crackling of crispy rice and bean cakes, mixed with curry, mustard seed, tomato and mint makes the Idly Umpa a superb starting point. Seafood lovers can't go wrong with the Parsi halibut, topped with a cool mint chutney, or the tandoor-grilled prawns, perfectly cooked specimens. Vegetarians can exercise a myriad of options, from to hearty yam dumplings to stuffed eggplant aided by a spicy peanut sauce.
User Reviews
jakey33
April 06, 2009
the ambiance is a excellent and romantic. Great lighting and service. I found this place to be everything that I wanted in a cozy romantic restuarant. We sat in a private booth where it seemed that the place was completely ours. The food was mouthwatering. I loved the lamb. There is really nothing bad I can say. Service was perfect and attentive but not intrusive. 5 stars all the way+++
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chieffoodtaster
February 07, 2009
My boyfriend and I had a very poor experience at Devi. The food was fine -- not exceptional, but creative and ably executed -- but when the bill came, the manager acted as rudely and unprofessionally as I've seen a restaurant manager in New York act. I'll explain: My boyfriend had been given a $100 giftcard to Devi as a present for Christmas. When the bill, for $85, arrived, my boyfriend presented the $100 giftcard, plus $3, to make for a 20% tip. But when the waitress returned with the bill, it only noted an $86 withdrawal from the giftcard. My boyfriend asked the waitress if the tip could also be placed on the card. (How else were we going to spend $14 at Devi?) The waitress -- who, while very nice overall, became a bit foggy here -- said she didn't think so, and that she didn't think the manager allowed it. My boyfriend then asked politely, but firmly -- he knew it was an awkward situation, but not one of the waitress's making -- if he might speak with the manager. A few seconds later, the manager came thundering over and asked, in a hugely sarcastic tone, what seemed to be the problem. My boyfriend explained the issue, and the manager said, with unbridled pissiness, that the giftcard could not be used to tip: the computer wouldn't allow it. My boyfriend said that this didn't make much sense -- still politely, but slightly more firmly -- and the manager said, reverting to the sarcastic tone, that he would be sure to take it up with someone. Then he walked away. My boyfriend and I both felt embarrassed and silly. (We used the extra $14 on the card on a tasty double order of garlic naan for the road and paid the tip in cash.) The whole incident was handled so unprofessionally, I thought I'd put this out as a warning. I'm sure almost most any visit to Devi will go well, but if its an evening where you want to make absolute sure that everything goes well -- big date, client dinner, parents in town for one night -- you might want to try somewhere else.
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Avious
January 28, 2009
Went last night, Jan 27 2009, for my bday dinner with family. Had reservations for 8 o'clock, wasnt seated until 8:35. Then we were seated at a broken table which nearly fell over. The Maitre'd /Mgr was a big help over all. Fianlly a waitress came over and took our drink orders at 8:45 by 9:10 the drinks had still not arrived. Again the Maitre'd / Mgr , whose name I did not catch, was very apologetic. I have to say they more than made up for the very rocky start. From that point on all of our drinks were covered by the mgmt and they kept coming one after another the moment each one was finished. Btwn the 5 ppl at our table we had a combined 17 drinks all of which were free. In addition they brought out 2 free appetizers aside from what was ordered and brought one of each of the 6 desserts they offer as well. The biggest redeeming quality though was the food. All of the appetizers were out of this world, I strongly recommend the bhel purhi, the seared scallop, and the tandoor chicken stuffed with lamb, they each left us begging for more. The real Knockout of the night though was the tandoori grilled lambchops, they were cooked to absolute perfection and errupting with wonderful flavor. Try and get there during restaurant because the $35 dinner deal is awesome. If not its a bit on the pricey side but the food is definately worth it. If u like indian food definately check this place out.
read full reviewThe Details on Devi
What to Drink:
The Orange Blossom martini mixes Mandarin Blossom vodka, Cointreau and a touch of blood orange juice for a just-sweet-enough opening.
The Extras:
The tasting menus are a superb introduction to a range of dishes. But come hungry--the five-course menu is generously sized (regular or vegetarian, $55, with wine pairings $95) and fast-paced.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard, Debit Card
Restaurant Special Features:
Special Occasion Dining, Lunch Spot, Online Reservations, Group Dining, Prix Fixe Menu
