The interior, so far untouched.
Nearly a year ago Devi’s Suvir Saran expanded into Jersey City with American Masala, successfully tapping into nearly every culinary trend in the last ten months, serving up his family’s recipes for everything from fried chicken and schnitzel to lamb burgers and sliders. The only thing the restaurant couldn’t tap is the marketplace: The building and its contractor refused to allow Masala to open on weekends or add signage to its awnings, windows or doors. Even worse it was located six feet above street level at 95 Greene in the neighborhood’s financial district making bad foot traffic worse.
So maybe it shouldn’t have been such a surprise yesterday when we at last spotted signage on the front door; it was only the building’s address, but it now doubles as the restaurant’s new name. After months of bleeding money, we learn a contentious breach of contract gave cause for Sodexo to take out Suvir. And now the staff is dressed like cafeteria workers, daily specials decorated with herbs from the chef’s backyard are gone and what remains is renamed. (Kachumbar is now “Fruit & Vegetable Salad.”) Gone too is dinner service, happy hour and the cocktail menu. (Though the liquor license remains if you want a three martini lunch on the cheap.) The only thing that hasn’t changed? Former Devi sous chef Josh Thomas, (who cooked a Masala dinner at Beard House back in October,) is staying behind with plans to turn the restaurant around. The transitions are already underway and fortunately there was no need for closure.
We can only hope even if this experiment failed, Suvir and his team are still going forward with his plan to open an American Masala in Manhattan this spring. In the meantime, the new lunch menu below.
Click to enlarge.
Too bad, we’ve been there several times for lunch and a time or too for dinner. Good food, good value, lovely room.
What’s with the building management.
We told them to put a big sign inside the window.
So without the buildings’ support & signage will the restaurant be able to get people to see the place and come in off the street?
Went for lunch last week and was happy to find that the food is exactly the same as before. Great taste and amazing value, just a new name on the door. Why won’t the building let them put more signs up? That’s a recipe for disaster.
Kachumbar or fruit and vegetable salad, i don’t care what you call it; it’s my favorite. Also can’t get enough of the beef kebab wraps.
Will keep going back.