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One of New York City’s most renowned Indian chefs is leading up the kitchen at an upscale new Tribeca restaurant Paisley, a 70-seat spot at 429 Greenwich St., between Laight and Greenwich Streets, that’s focused on pan-Indian food and is set to open tomorrow.
Peter Beck — who previously had executive chef stints at acclaimed Indian restaurants Chola, Tamarind, and, most recently, Imli — has taken over from another Indian star chef Eric McCarthy, who left Paisley in October last year over creative differences.
For the menu, Beck is pulling from his experience working in restaurants in New Delhi, Mumbai, and NYC, as well as his knowledge of preparations from the eastern and southern parts of India. There’s a Konkan fish curry, a popular dish from the western part of India, and laksa, a type of Southeast Asian soup that’s also popular in eastern India that’s served with shrimp, calamari, and a coconut milk broth. The menu also featured created dishes, like a crepe stuffed with duck and served with lemon pepper sauce.
The cocktails are equally varied in their inspiration. By the Whey is comprised of banana-infused rum, clarified milk, black tea, and Dubonnet, which is a type of aperitif; Oola La has potato vodka, fresh grapefruit and cranberry juice, and basil leaves; and Silk Road has bourbon, a mixture of blackberry and passionfruit juice, and allspice powder. There’s also an extensive wine and beer list at the restaurant.
Paisley takes over the space occupied by steakhouse Dylan Prime. The Indian restaurant still maintains many of the steakhouse’s design elements, including a wraparound bar made with reclaimed wood and ribbed columns that are spread out through the space. New additions include the blue velvet and gold cushions, and plants in clay pots.
Beck got his start working at a hotel in Mumbai before making the move to NYC to be the chef at Midtown East Indian restaurant Chola. Former Times critic Ruth Reichl gave his cooking two stars, praising the breadth of the regional diversity on the menu. He then moved on to Tribeca’s Tamarind, where his efforts earned the restaurant a Michelin star — it has since lost that star. Since Beck’s start in NYC, a few other upscale, inventive Indian restaurants have popped up in the city including Junoon in Nomad, and Indian Accent in Midtown — and much like those places Paisley leans toward a fine dining vibe as well.
Time and again, Beck’s menus highlight India’s rich culinary diversity, and he’s looking to do the same at Paisley. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m, and there are plans to open for lunch in the near future.
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