DISH OF THE WEEK: Dahi Batata Puri at ADDÃ INDIAN CANTEEN

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

Before the world turned upside down, I was lucky enough to eat at Addã on three separate occasions. It’s a surprising restaurant on the outskirts of Long Island City that has won all sorts of acclaim, including as a James Beard semifinalist.

It’s a bustling restaurant that takes both Indian classics (like Saag Paneer) and lesser known delicacies (like Fried Goat Brains) and re-creates them in a casual but refined restaurant environment.

To be honest, the first two visits, I found the food slightly overhyped. Nothing overly wowed me (although I did quite like the kale pakoda). It was all adequate but not as impressive as their sister restaurant (Rahi) or as the critics promised.

However the third time was the charm. I stopped by on a weekday lunch and was shocked to see a line out the door. Since I was solo, it wasn’t too long before I found a seat at the bar.

I got some good deals, including the spicy and gamey Keema Pao, which was a rich tomato-y stew with ground lamb, tons of spices, and buttery pao (buns) for dipping. However the intriguing Masala Fried Chicken (which is only available for lunch) was already sold out for the day. Bummer.

For the Dish of the Week, I’ve settled on some crunchy things, which Addâ does quite well. Dahi Batata Puri is not a name many casual Indian food eaters might recognize. They originate from Mumbai and are served as a snack or appetizer.

Light and crispy puffed puri shells are stuffed with a range of flavors and textures.Think of a flavor: it’s inside this bite sized volcano. Rich creamy spicy potatoes provide the backbone, but mint chutney adds a bit of herbal quality, tamarind brings the sweet sourness, and yogurt tames the entire thing. Flavors are bold and some sev (crunchy fried chickpea noodles) put the crunch factor over the edge.

It took me a little time to fully get on the Addâ bandwagon, but I went three times and finally found something worth writing about. When this pandemic situation blows over, I plan to return for a fourth visit and hope to write about some more dishes. Price: $6