N.H. 48 is a tiny Indian joint that punches way above its weight. The restaurant’s 25 tables are filled with local families and couples, and each one is treated like an old friend by a maître d’ who learned to dote in the dining rooms of Jônt and Bresca. Like the Indian highway the restaurant is named for, food here spans the subcontinent. Dishes like crispy palak chaat with tangy yogurt and shimmery tomato and onion represent the north, while handhelds like vada pav—potato fritters stuffed in a bun then dipped into chutneys and crunchy bits of fried chickpea batter—are street food ambassadors of Mumbai. Diners choose their own lane. Some couples share a papad and chutney sampler to start, then tuck into familiar, individual mains like rich and tender butter chicken. We prefer to bring a posse, order a medley of starters like the lasooni cauliflower with a crystal cornstarch shell, then go round robin on a bunch of mains. Don’t miss the lamb taar korma with its sharp, nutty sauce.
photo credit: N.H. 48
photo credit: N.H. 48
photo credit: N.H. 48
photo credit: N.H. 48
Though NH 48 isn’t an upscale spot like Rasika or a year-round Holi celebration like Chai Pani, it won’t surprise you to learn the team here cut their teeth in these institutions. They’ve taken their experience at the city’s premier restaurants and distilled it into a cozy basement with a familial charm. Don’t let the hand painted mural of a tuk tuk and routine entry of e-bike couriers picking up bagged to-go orders fool you. This isn’t just a gap-filler for a neighborhood that lacked a solid Indian spot. NH 48 is a gem with memorable regional dishes and treatment that feels personal, whether it’s your first time there or your kids feel comfortable enough with the owners to play hide and seek on the patio while you finish up a bottle of wine.
Dining and Cooking