Update: One-night pop-up restaurant Ruth Krishna’s changed its name to Randy Krishna’s Tandoori Steakhouse. According to Eater, after the Ruth’s Chris steakhouse chain sent a cease and desist, “stating that the pop-up infringed on the trademark rights of the brand.” Lucky Peach’s Peter Meehan said the publication would rather spend money on “lunch and comic books and paying bills” than lawyers.
Hence the change to Randy Krishna’s, after passing on names like “Luck E. Peach’s Tandoori Steakhouse, Raj & Willensky’s, House of Prime Indian Rib, Steak ‘n’ Saag, Goa-head Make My Steak, Priya Luger, Corporate Buzzkill Tandoori Steaks.”
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In food journal Lucky Peach‘s latest issue, titled Fantasy, the editors picked Ruth Krishna Tandoori Steakhouse as one of “America’s Next Best Restaurants”. Chef Akhtar Nawab’s concept, described as an “irreverent mash-up of northern Indian standbys and steakhouse favorites” sounds like a solid, flavor-rich mix of tandoori and steakhouse styles.
Creamed saag, aloo bhaji hashbrowns, biryani onion rings and mango lassi on the menu complement its headliner: 21-day dry-aged tandoori ribeye. It also sounds like a joke with its spin on the name of the largest luxury steak company in the United States.
But the restaurant is going to be real, a real-life pop-up restaurant for one night next month, to be specific. The Daily Meal reports that the one-night-only dinner on September 17 will happen at a former Italian restaurant space on Avenue B in New York City’s East Village. For more information and to find out when they start taking reservations visit www.ruthkrishnas.com.
Lucky Peach is partnering with Ruth Krishna’s team — David Chang and Akhtar Nawab — to present the pop-up Indian steakhouse. Chang is the restauranteur, TV personality, author and founder of the Momofuku restaurant group, which includes the Lucky Peach publication among its multiple restaurants and publications. Nawab competed on TV’s Iron-Chef America and has experience as an executive chef, owner, consultant, and partner in a health food company. Check out his past interviews with StarChefs and Serious Eats to find out what he thinks about culinary school and why he tackled Mexican cuisine in NYC.
