Roasted Masala, UWS, NYC – The Restaurant Fairy

Roasted Masala is an Indian restaurant with a difference.

Owned by Goa-born Samson Severes (Sam) along with Chef Jawad Rehman who were both guided by family as their food inspirations, have now brought this passion to the Upper West Side.

The menu at Roasted Masala offers an abundance of regional Indian choices ranging from dosas to chicken tikka masala. However, what held special interest for me was the Goan cuisine which is rather rare in Manhattan and one has to traverse all the way to New Jersey to try some of these dishes.

Goa is on India’s West coast and is a former Portuguese colony. The culture and food there has its own distinctive flavor steeped in its rich cultural history and heritage.

We started off with an Indian-Chinese favorite Lasooni Gobi which comprises of crispy fried cauliflower smothered in a tangy tomato garlic sauce.

We then launched into the “meat” of our meal with an array of dishes from Goa. One of my favorites was the Goan Fish Curry made with succulent Chilean sea bass.

I also really enjoyed the Chicken Xacuti, a spicy thickened gravy with coconut.

Sam insisted we try the Daal Palak (yellow lentils w/ spinach) which was his mother’s recipe and one of his favorite comfort foods growing up in India.

I like that Roasted Masala offers a little something different from the other Indian restaurants in Manhattan. I would love if they develop and grow this part of their menu and make it a Goan dining destination – something they already are well on their way to becoming.

Roasted Masala is BYOB with no corkage fee.

Here is some of what we ate: