Folks, of how many Indian restaurants in New York City can you boldly, honestly declare that the food repeatedly produces a body shaking, rippling, lengthy orgasm that jerks you out of your seat.
One shuddering, exhilarating, quivering 10,000-volt orgasmic jolt after another.
Oh yeah, one jolt after another that had us panting gimme more, baby, gimme more!
Yes, that is the high Saravanaa Bhavan on 81 Lexington Ave (at 26th St) in NYC delivered right to our table.
We swear we saw glimpses of the starry heavens and the celestial nymphs Urvashi, Rambha and Manekha dancing in their itsy bitsy attire during our meal at the NYC Indian vegetarian restaurant Saravanaa Bhavan.
Schmucks, you think we’re exaggerating or that this is all hyperbole?
Then tell us why there is a crowd waiting only outside Saravanaa Bhavan on Lexington Ave when most Indian restaurants in the area.. Continue Reading
Why Yelp Restaurant Reviews are Untrustworthy; Yelp Credibility Screwed: Boy, Are We Happy!
It’s hard not to feel a huge degree of schadenfreude over Yelp’s pitiful plight these days.
For the benefit of those not living in the U.S.,Yelp is an online destination for Reviews of restaurants and other businesses.
Easily Manipulable
We’ve always believed a lot of reviews on the Yelp site are junk.
Why?
Because it’s hard to prevent a PR agency, friends and family or even the owner of a restaurant or small business from creating a Yelp account and posting a flattering review.
Or a competitor from badmouthing a rival business.
Or an idler with lots of time from just scribbling some drivel.
We’ve seen reviews of NYC restaurants that have absolutely no resemblance to reality.
As we’ve said ad nauseum, ad infinitum we may not be able to adequately explain E=MC2 but we do know Indian food.
So we never cease to be surprised at the flattering reviews of Indian restaurants on Yelp, many of which we suspect are either written by PR people hired for the purpose or by friends/family.
Yelp Reputation Battered
If the easily manipulable reviews are one side of the Yelp nonsense, the other dirty side of Yelp is its stinking business practices. Continue Reading
Quote of the Day – Preet Bharara
Today, tomorrow, next week, the week after, privileged Wall Street insiders who are considering breaking the law will have to ask themselves one important question: Is law enforcement listening?
- Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York on October 16, 2009 after filing insider trading complaints against several individuals including three desis.
The Pierre Hotel, a major NYC landmark, has reopened recently after a $100 million renovation by its Indian owners, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces.
Located near Central Park at 5th Avenue and 61 St, the Pierre offers 189 redesigned residential-style guest rooms, including 49 suites.
Pierre, New York City
(Pix: Taj Hotels web site)
Since we have more time than we know what to do with, we played around with booking a Grand 1-Bdrm Suite at the Pierre for September 24 for just one night.
Folks, the rack rate shown us was $13,772.30 (no typo here) for one night.
Cheap, na?
Saravanaas (Shravanaas) located on Lexington Ave in Curry Hill area is still not vermin proof, still has evidence of flying insects or live flying insects and evidence of mice or live mice present in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas, says the New York City Department of Health after it inspected the restaurant on September 30, 2008.
Saravanaas Indian restaurant on Lexington Avenue of Manhattan received 12 Violation Points in the New York City Health Dept. inspection of September 30, 2008.
To pass the NYC Health Dept. inspection, a restaurant must receive 27 violation points or less. Saravanaas passed the NYC Health Dept inspection of September 30, 2008 by receiving 12 violation points.
Sanitary Violations observed at Saravanaas Indian restaurant during the September 30, 2008 inspection:
1.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.
2.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
3.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
The NYC Department of Health said a Notice of Violation was not issued as a result of this inspection and that the violation point total received by Saravanaas is below the average violation point total of 15, for all NYC restaurants on their most recent inspection.
Saravanaas Previous NYC Inspection Reports:
Date | Violation Points
9/10/2008 – 33
4/28/2008 - 36
12/27/2006 – 19
09/15/2005 – 17
Related Stories:
Saravanaas Fails NYC Health Inspection, Again
Saravanaas Fails NYC Health Dept Inspection
Saravanaas Restaurant Review
Gandhi Indian restaurant located at 345 East 6th St, Manhattan scored a hatrick with New York City Health Department Inspection on January 22, 2008 by receiving 0 Violation Points for the third time in a row.
Gandhi Indian restaurant received 0 Violation Points in the January 8, 2008 and December 26, 2007 inspections conducted by NYC Health Dept.
The consistent 0 Violation Points record marks a significant improvement over some of the previous inspection reports when it received 83 Violation Points (June 27, 2007) and failed the NYC Health Dept inspection.
Gandhi – Previous NYC Inspection Reports:
Date | Violation Points
01/08/2008 – 0
12/26/2007 – 0
07/11/2007 – 4
07/10/2007 – 30
07/06/2007 – 16
06/27/2007 – 83
01/29/2005 – 18
Earth Indian restaurant on 10th Ave in New York City has evidence of mice or live mice in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas and is not vermin proof, says the New York City Department of Health after inspecting this Indian restaurant on February 13, 2008.
Also, if you plan on eating at this dirty Indian restaurant, please, please pray that you don’t feel like going to the restroom because the toilet at Earth is not maintained and garbage receptacles are not provided or inadequate at this facility.
You may have to bring your own toilet paper too because the February 13, 2008 health inspection report also points out that the toilet facility at Earth Indian restaurant is not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle
Chola Indian restaurant in MidTown East Manhattan is still not vermin proof and there is evidence of mice or live mice in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas, says the New York City Department of Health after it inspected the restaurant on March 6, 2008.
Chola Indian restaurant on E 58 St received 21 Violation Points, an improvement over the 32 Violation Points that it received in the previous inspection of February 12, 2008.
Chola: Not Vermin Proof; Evidence of Mice
A NYC restaurant needs a score of 27 or less to pass the NYC Health Dept inspection. Chola passed the restaurant inspection by receiving 21 points.
According to the NYC Department of Health inspection report of 3/6/2008, violations were cited
Pongal is the fourth Indian restaurant on Lexington Ave in the Curry Hill area to have failed the NYC Health Dept. inspection in recent months.
Pongal Indian Cuisine restaurant on Lexington Avenue in Murray Hill of New York City is not vermin proof and there is evidence of mice or live mice in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas, says the New York City Department of Health after it inspected the restaurant on February 20, 2008.
Pongal Indian Cuisine restaurant on Lexington Avenue received 38 Violation Points, a significant deterioration over the 27 and zero Violation Points in the previous inspections of November 13, 2007 and November 28, 2006 respectively.
To pass the NYC inspection, a restaurant must receive 27 violation points or less.
According to the NYC Department of Health inspection report of 2/20/2008, violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
Sanitary Violations observed at Pongal Indian Cuisine on Lexington Ave, Manhattan:
1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.
2.) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
3.) Garbage
Chola Eclectic Indian restaurant in MidTown East Manhattan has evidence of mice or live mice in the facility’s food and/or non-food areas, says the New York City Department of Health after inspecting this restaurant on February 12, 2008.
Also, this facility is not vermin proof and harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist, according to NYC Health Department’s February 12, 2008 inspection report.
Chola Eclectic Indian restaurant located at 232 East 58th Street (Bet 2nd & 3rd Ave) in Manhattan failed the February 12, 2008 inspection because it received 32 Violation Points.
To pass the NYC Health Dept. inspection, a restaurant must receive 27 violation points or less.
The February 12, 2008 inspection report indicates a deterioration of hygienic conditions at Chola Eclectic compared to the previous inspection conducted by New York City Health Dept on September 1, 2006.
Chola Eclectic received 32 violation points in February 2008 compared to the 20 violation points it received in September 2006.
Sanitary Violations observed at Chola Eclectic during the February 12, 2008 inspection:
1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.
2.) Lighting inadequate. Bulb not shielded or shatterproof.
3.) Food contact surface not properly maintained.
4.) Facility not vermin proof.