Benares

Benares Restaurant Review:

Named after a holy city in northern India, this TriBeCa restaurant doesn’t serve the cuisine of the city of Benares (also known as Varanasi). Instead, it focuses on fare originating from the top to the bottom of the subcontinent. There’s much to enjoy on a menu loaded with refreshingly unfamiliar dishes. Start with scallops accompanied by cilantro, chili and ginger, or the thukpa, a spicy Tibetan lamb-laced soup. Winning entrées include tender lamb chops; goat cooked in tomatoes, ginger and garlic; and a bold-tasting crab curry. Rogan Josh comprises pieces of lamb in a cardamom and anise scented sauce. There are even some good reasons to save room for dessert, one of which is the Atom Bomb: chocolate lava with rose petal ice cream. Alternatively, order another house cocktail --- the Becherovka and bourbon-laced Lonesome Hero is particularly good. The wine list includes selections from New Zealand, California and Argentina.