Tulsi

Reviews 5

LA

Lady Ace

Lapin and I came here after we saw a Groupon deal advertising a Michelin star dinner for a fraction of the cost. Typically, we try to avoid Groupon deals as we end up paying more than the deal was worth. This one of those "Oh, I am glad we had Groupon, otherwise I would have been annoyed at what I paid". Granted, the Groupon deal did have a special menu so they "actual" menu could have been better. We made reservation for a Friday for 6:30pm. The place was rather empty, which was nice since we were seating at a table inside this cabana looking thing. Our servers were quick, attentive, and pleasant. The space was decorated rather beautiful and the level of care that was exhibited when each dish was bought out and while we waited for our food was impeccable. Although, towards the end Lapin got a rather spicy dish and he drank all of his water and no one came to refill it. After we ordered, they have a small round cauliflower appetizer (roughly the size of a bubblegum you get from a 25cent machine) while we wait for our dishes to come. We shared an order of Shrimp Balchao, which was really succulent and delicious. Probably the highlight of the entire meal. Lapin got the Jhangazi Boti Kabab (lamb dish) and Murgh Chettinad (chicken dish), both we felt was lacking in taste. We were served a generous portion of naan and rice with our meal. I should say, that I am a bit spoiled when it comes to Indian food as I been eating it since I was a tot and my mom makes her own curry powder along with other spice mixes she cooks with. Now, the great disappointment. We could choose between the Pistachio ice cream or the Flan. The waitress let us have both. The serving size of each....was just plain... sad. We barely could have two bites of each dessert..granted...they werent that tasty.... but it was still embarrassing to be serve that to say the least. The inside of a teaspoon was bigger than the size of these desserts. While I wouldnt come back here again, the only reason I gave this place three stars was because of the impeccable service.

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AD

Adam Rubens

4.5 Stars Everything was good! Its the kind of meal that makes you think about it the next day. Lets start from the beginning... Off the menu Manchurian Cauliflower Appetizer - Read about it, tried it, was impressed. It was sort of like General Tsos Cauliflower, which I was totally fine with. A little sweet, but good. The mushroom appetizer/side dish that doesnt seem to be on their online menu (for shame) was good too. The mushroom was cooked and put in a delicious sauce, but it didnt compromise the taste of the mushroom. I appreciate a veggie dish that doesnt totally mask the taste of what it was originally. Shrimp Curry - I like going to nice Indian restaurants, because it reminds me what the $7 curry places are trying to go for. This curry was more subtle than what youd normally find, but still zesty. the flavor was nuanced and the shrimp cooked very nicely. Raan - I was really happy that I chose this for my main dish, because it was fantastic. The lamb was fall of the bone delicious. This isnt something I normally get with tandoori meats, but boy howdy was it tasty. And the sauce that went with it was fantastic. The only spice that I could easily identify was the coriander, and it blended so nicely. I licked my fingers. Naan - The naan was just about the only thing that left me a little cold. There was too much butter on the naan, and I wanted it to be "pillowey". The decor is a little bit weird. I like the secluded feeling you get, but it only sort of worked. And the service was cordial, but plodding. Tulsi isnt quite to the level where if I moved away and was back for a weekend that I would think hard about eating there, but if a friend were ever in East Midtown and wanted some nice Indian food, I would definitely recommend it.

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NE

Neeraj Sinai Borker

Excellent food but TERRIBLE SERVICE. If I were to rate these two aspects separately, I would give a 5 star for the food and none for the service. Overall I would not go to this restaurant again, because I get better service at a local fast food joint. The food ordered was beyond doubt of exceptional quality, which is expected of a Michelin starred restaurant. I particularly liked the shrimp balchao, a traditional Goan dish, which had a perfect balance between the flavour of the spices and the shrimp. All the other dishes were also very fulfilling. However, I would never visit the restaurant again because of the exceptionally rude behavior of the restaurant management. I felt very unwelcome in the place. The staff had a false sense of grandeur which was evident in their service. For a restaurant with a Michelin star I think it is reasonable to expect basic decency (I think the "Michelin guide" should do their checks more anonymously). I could feel the unwelcome feeling the moment we said no drinks. The manager made a signal to another staff member suggesting something on the lines of ..."cut-off this table". In general, the service was very poor during our dinner. But the most frustrating part was when they forgot my friends order which they acknowledged an hour later. The excuse the manager gave, if I recall correctly, was that they were understaffed and the other person managing with him was admitted to the hospital. Although, I felt bad for him, the reasoning now sounds rather ridiculous. At this point I had given hope on the ability of the staff to serve me dinner that night or anytime in the future.

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MO

Morgan Barry

The food is EXCELLENT. However, the manager/owner was extremely inappropriate. I went there with my significant other on a Sunday night and he made very offensive sexual jokes while we were trying to have a romantic dinner. I would recommend this restaurant for takeout. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Today is January 7, 2016. I wrote the prior review approximately four months ago. On my way home from work today, I figured I would stop at Tulsi, enjoy an appetizer and some wine while I wait for an entree to be prepared for take out. When I walked in I was surprised that the restaurant was completely empty (the night before there was a fifty minute wait at Dos Caminos - of all places - which is a few blocks away). I figured the desertion was due to the scaffolding that is blocking the view of Tulsi from the street or that the average New Yorker is deterred from an Indian restaurant that charges over $30 for all their dishes (admittedly delicious but not special). I ordered what Ive ordered before except this time it cost TWICE as much. $17 dollars for a glass of Chardonnay! Yes. I did not ask the price of the house wine or consult the drink menu before ordering since Ive been to this restaurant before. Furthermore, what restaurant would try to take advantage of its customers in this way and expect them to return? Hence, the reason Tulsi is empty. The food is good so I would recommend you go if you have unlimited money to spend and a high tolerance for unpleasant people.

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NK

NK

A different type of michelin star Indian restaurant, it doesnt have that grand upscale feel as some of the others I have visited and thats not a bad thing. Its a quite cozy and quaint. The staff was undermanned as lunch started there are only two staff members dealing with a full house. Making it hard to handle orders and get stuff on time. But still the service was excellent, my advice order what you want at once or you will end up waiting a while. The food was exceptional, the dishes were authentic and delicious. While the drinkware could use an upgrade has the have stains and appear to dated. Overall I enjoyed the food a lot and the person taking the order was very helpful in providing good suggestions as well as making an modifications needed.

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