|
Manhattan Notes -
Restaurants
|
|
Monday, 02 February 2009 21:43 |
Hampton Chutney Co.
68 Prince St.
212-226-9996
www.hamptonchutney.com
The plaque to your right as you enter the restaurant states:
“While the food is served, everyone chants God’s name. In this way, good impressions enter the food and when people eat it, they imbibe those good impressions.”
And this is exactly what the intelligent cashier behind the counter explained occurs for all the food. He told me the story of how the founder of the Amagansett-based eatery, Gary MacGunn, had lived for a number of years on an ashram in Indian and it was there that he learned how to make what the Chutney Co. has now become known for, its sourdough crepe made from rice and lentils called dosas. These dosas are filled with one of fourteen different tasty chutneys from the classic masala dosa (spiced Indian potato filling) to the wonderful avocado, fresh tomatoes, arugula, and jack cheese.
In addition to the dosas, the Hampton Chutney Co. has become well known for changing “America’s perception of chutney” traditionally considered “a spicy condiment made of fruits or vegetables with vinegar, spices, and sugar” by creating a new combination. Two that stand off the menu are the seasonal roasted butternut squash, roasted beets and goat cheese, as well as the calamata olives, fresh tomatoes, and roasted onions.
Even amidst the lunch rush of ambitious Soho-ites, the chefs retained their attentive focus to the food at hand and while I could not hear any chanting of God, the constantly glowing candles in the kitchen were a good sign.
We received our dosas and sandwiches so quickly I hardly had time to contemplate the guru images that lined the two walls of the restaurant. The cashier explained to me that the images were of meditation master and Teacher Gurumayi, founder of a Siddha yoga center in upstate New York where MacGunn regularly practices. And perhaps this is the most interesting aspect of the restaurant, fast food that is wonderfully affordable, healthy, and allows you to contemplate the inner mysteries of the self. MacDonald's could learn a thing or two from this place, where efficiency does not negate quality.
And just to give you a little taste of who else thought this eatery was a winner, here are the recent awards won:
- "Best Meal Deal" - Food & Wine Magazine - April 2005
- "Best Fast Food" - New York Magazine 2002
- "Best Cheap Eats" - Time Out Magazine 2001
- "Where to eat in 2002" - New York Magazine's "Hot List"
- "Best Fast Food" - New York Press 2001
As I headed out the door with my delicious chai, the cashier called after me and gave me a card with more info on the thoughts behind the restaurant. You can find out more at www.siddhayoga.org. I am very much hoping that this is a new beginning to the future of fast food. (Meal prices from $7-12).
|
