From Mumbai to Summit: Home-style Indian at Dabbawalla

Nothing about Dabbawalla is reminiscent of an ordinary Indian curry house—not the bright, turquoise, orange, and purple canopies that hang from the ceiling, not the white-tiled, open kitchen lined with silver lunchbox dabbas at the back, and certainly not the menu which features salads, wraps, “naanwiches,” and unusual twists on Northern and Southern Indian favorites.

The restaurant, whose name is a translation for “lunchbox man,” is inspired by the 125-year-old lunch delivery system in Mumbai. Every day, a network of 5,000 mostly illiterate men deliver 200,000 dabbas (lunch boxes) from suburban kitchens to trains to downtown offices. Each dabba travels an average of 60-70 kilometers and changes hands eight times. The service costs customers about $5 per month and boasts an incredible 99.9% accuracy rate.

Dabbawalla’s tribute to the trade focuses on bringing a taste of healthy, homemade Indian food to downtown Summit—rather than trying to replicate the logistics of the delivery system. Dishes are served in traditional, stackable metal dabbas containers, and the menu is dotted with a few specials from Celine, the chef’s mother.

Having never traveled to Mumbai and with no plans to do so in the near future, the closest I was going to get to see a dabba up close was to head over to Dabbawalla and try it for myself. The Indian eatery offers a moderately-sized lunch buffet ($9.99) that features more than 10 daily dishes (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian). The affordable buffet price draws a fairly steady lunch crowd. However what sets the restaurant apart is definitely Dabbawalla’s spin on the sandwich ($9.75), their weekday “Express Lunch” dabbas ($9.95-$11.95, a choice of six entrees that are served with rice, naan, and dal), and their weekend lunch dosas ($9.75-$13.50), which are huge Indian crepes stuffed with an assortment of meat, shrimp, or vegetarian fillings.

My meal began with two Punjabi Samosas ($6). The crisp pastries were filled with diced potatoes, golden raisins, and peas and were accompanied by two condiments: a traditional, sweet red tamarind chutney and a delicious fruit/two-bean salsa not usually found on an Indian plate. The salsa’s fresh citrus flavors brightened up the samosas and added a unique spin on what would have otherwise been a beautifully presented but fairly standard dish.

In Indian culture, food is generally best enjoyed without utensils. One uses pieces of naan (bread) to scoop up the basmati rice and other dishes. I followed suit with an order of Kulcha ($3.25), a thin, white flour bread that is similar to naan and even pita but is seasoned with cilantro and kalonji seeds. The light, airy kulcha proved to be an excellent base for all that was to come.

Next up was Celine’s Chicken Curry ($17.25), a recipe of the chef’s mother. The rich, mahogany-colored curry included bite-sized pieces of chicken, caramelized onions, chilis, and cashews. Our server had warned us the dish would be spicy, but the curry turned out to have a pleasant kick without being overpoweringly hot. The accompanying basmati rice cut some of the heat index down as well.

Also interesting was the Paneer Tikka Masala ($12.50), a vegetarian riff on the chicken version of the dish. The paneer (cheese) was homemade, cut into thick triangles (as opposed to the niblets found in other restaurants’ paneer dishes), and cooked in a fenugreek-flavored tomato sauce. The chunky sauce was reminiscent in taste to traditional masalas, but the texture was rustic and not as creamy or smooth. The point of difference added an interesting layer of complexity to the dish.

Dinner at Dabbawalla is a feast as well, with many intriguing appetizers such as Tandoori Shrimp ($14.00), spring rolls ($5.75), and Bombay Okra ($5.75)—none of which I’ve ever seen before on an Indian menu. Favorites such as Palak Paneer ($14.50), Gal Ghosht ($17.75), and Lamb Rogan Josh ($19.25) abound, as do more unusual entrees such as a Kadai Subzi vegetable stir fry ($11.50) and East Indian Beef Lonvas ($17.50). The restaurant also offers dinner dabbas specials which include four courses and bread ($24-$27 per person).

While it’s certainly a matter of personal taste, I have never really come across an Indian dessert to write home about. That is, until I tried Dabbawalla’s Warm Bibinca ($7.75). The traditional Goan dessert consists of nine, thin pancake or heavy crepe-like layers infused with coconut, stacked, and cut in slices like a cake (see photo). While the accompanying vanilla ice cream was iced-over in the middle and the grayish color of the dish was not the most appealing, taste-wise, the dessert hit the top of the charts. There is only one word for bibinca: yum. Wash it down with a masala ginger chai tea ($3.25), and you’re good to go.

The décor at Dabbawalla is funky and casual, and there are two different seating options: individual tables or long, communal tables broken up with padded, sofa-type benches. Small flower arrangements adorn the tables, and cloth napkins add a slightly upscale feel.

As delicious as the dabbas are, they are certainly not cheap when compared to fare at other Indian restaurants. However, pushing price aside, I would not hesitate to make a repeat visit. The food is fresh, intelligently constructed, and not at all what you’d find elsewhere. There are very few Indian establishments in New York City that offer dosas, naanwiches, and innovative twists on classics—and it’s a thrill to find one here, right in the heart of Summit. I’ve just begun to scratch the surface of Dabbawalla, and I can’t wait to dig deeper.

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Dabbawalla

427 Springfield Ave., Summit

(908) 918-0330

Hours of Operation:

Lunch, Tuesday through Sunday,11:30 am-3 pm

Dinner, Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 5-9 pm

Dinner, Friday and Saturday, 5-10 pm

BYO. Catering available. All major credit cards accepted.

Lunch buffet Tuesday through Saturday.