NYC is getting its first all-Indian cocktail bar, with butter chicken-inspired drinks

"The project comes from Simran "Sim" Bakshi and Kanika Vij, as well as Kanika's father, Vicky Vij, the man behind Midtown's beloved Bukhara Grill and one of New York City's most prolific Indian caterers. Together, the trio is mixing decades of hospitality cred with a new-school vision of Indian dining that's equal parts serious and cheeky. At INDN, the drinks don't just flirt with Indian flavors, they commit. The Butterface, for example, is a clarified mezcal cocktail infused with Empirical Ayuuk, fenugreek, garam masala and lemon-essentially butter chicken in coupe-glass form."

"Then there's Paneer Panic, a Bombay Sapphire and cilantro-spiked riff on saag paneer, served with an actual cube of paneer floating inside. Other standouts include How Can She Slap?! (a smoky-sweet blend of whisky, rum, mango and ginger), the tangy Chaat Margarita with yogurt and tamarind and the Pickle Backstabber, which leans into pickle oil and saline for a briny punch."

"Of course, drinking on an empty stomach is never a good idea and INDN's kitchen is just as ambitious. A team of chefs hailing from prestigious Indian hotels are turning out chakhna, snack plates designed to pair with booze. Expect three-day-marinated lamb seekh kebabs, sloppy joe-style keema pao and crispy Amritsari fish fried in a spiced chickpea batter."

INDN is an all-Indian cocktail bar in NoMad that blends classic Indian flavors into inventive drinks and paired snack plates. Founders Simran "Sim" Bakshi, Kanika Vij and Vicky Vij combine hospitality experience with a playful, modern vision. Signature cocktails commit to Indian spices, such as the Butterface: a clarified mezcal with Empirical Ayuuk, fenugreek, garam masala and lemon, and Paneer Panic: a Bombay Sapphire and cilantro riff on saag paneer served with a cube of paneer. Other drinks include smoky whisky- and mango-based blends, a yogurt-tamarind Chaat Margarita and a pickle-forward Pickle Backstabber. The kitchen produces chakhna like three-day-marinated lamb seekh kebabs, keema pao, crispy Amritsari fish, smoky tandoori mushrooms, palak chaat, bhuna mutton and slow-cooked dal.

Read at Time Out New York