#86 – PUNJABI MUTTON at TAMARIND TRIBECA

Once again Time Out New York released their Top 100 Dishes of the year and once again, I’m going to eat my way through every one. And no price point or subway delay will stop me. In no particular order, here’s my take on their Top 100.

You rarely see the word mutton on menus in this country. It makes me think of Christmas dinner in the time of Charles Dickens. Even though Scrooge bought a prized turkey for Tiny Tim in the classic tale, I imagine they would have been just as happy with some mutton.

Mutton refers to the meat of older, more mature sheep. We eat plenty of lamb in this country, but it’s usually a younger animal. Mutton is rarely eaten in Great Britain anymore either, but can still be found in ethnic cuisines around the world. So it makes sense that my first taste of mutton came from an Indian restaurant. But not just any Indian restaurant. I’ve never seen the meat on the menu at any of those Indian joints on 6th Street or along Lexington Avenue. Plenty of lamb, sure, but mutton?

Tamarind Tribeca is the more recent incarnation of a fine dining Indian restaurant (called Tamarind) that many New Yorkers consider the best Indian in the city. The large restaurant is in a modern, classy room that fits the Tribeca neighborhood. I even felt a little out of place in shorts, but the staff (aside from the cold maitre’d) was welcoming and nonjudgmental. We made it in before the dinner rush and got to sit at a nice banquette in one nook of the place.

I probably would have glazed over the Punjabi Mutton if it weren’t for Time Out’s list. I was much more attracted to some of the interesting fish dishes and the appetizers. We settled on two appetizers and the mutton to share. The prices were not cheap, so we had to order with caution. I even refrained from getting a side of nan bread.

The two appetizers were quite special. The crab cake was perhaps the most unique version I’ve ever had. It was loaded with plenty of sweet, meaty lump crab meat and tinged with some Indian spices. It had a restrained tinge of curry with lots of balanced sweet (tamarind) and spicy (chile) flavors. It was complex and delicious. The paneer appetizer was also incredibly interesting and beautifully presented. It was cubes of squeaky paneer cheese that had been marinated with yogurt and stuffed with cashews, raisins, and Indian spices. The texture was firm and eggy, almost reminiscent of a quiche. The flavors were sweet and mild. Not as bold as the crab cake, but quite enjoyable to eat.

After the huge success of these appetizers, I was surprised when the Punjabi Mutton arrived with lackluster presentation. The dish looked like most other Indian meals I’ve eaten – stewed meat in a pot, with a side of rice. The meat was incredibly tender and rich. The flavors were bold, but nothing terribly unique. This mutton was much less gamey than the lamb or goat I’m used to. If I didn’t know better, I may have mistaken it for pork, which you won’t find at any Indian restaurant. That’s the only reason I knew this didn’t come from one of those busy spots on Lexington. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be surprised if it had.

I enjoyed the experience of tasting mutton for the first time – especially in a refined setting like Tamarind Tribeca. But after the amazing appetizers, this dish wasn’t that exciting. And for the high price tag, I’d be happy to just do my usual Indian take out – even if they don’t serve mutton.

Would Tamarind Tribeca’s Punjabi Mutton make my Top 100 of the year? You can bet one of those incredible appetizers would, but the mutton, while tasty and tender, wasn’t terribly memorable. 7 out of 10.