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Pre-theater pakora platter, anyone? A new option for pre-, post- or not going to the theater at all dining just opened in the Theater District, bringing a fresh take on Punjabi fare to midtown Manhattan.
Gulaabo just opened at 250 West 47th Street, serving casual yet still upscale Northern Indian food and drinks to match. Created by the team behind the modern Indian gastropub Baar Baar in Noho, Gulaabo is led by head chef Paramjeet Bombra and Pastry Chef Barinder Singh, both of whom grew up in the state of Punjab.
Punjabi cuisine is known for utilizing the region’s agricultural traditions, with dairy products like ghee, paneer, and dahi, dried fruits and nuts, aromatic spices, wheat-based bread and curries.
On Gulaabo's menu, a range of Punjabi favorites, ranging from street foods to more home-cooked style dishes, many of which are adapted from chef Bombra’s family recipes. Ample vegetarian options are offered as well.
To start, choose from chats like the Dahi Bhalla, a snack made with sweet yogurt, a sweet-and-spicy chutney, tamarind and mint chutney, and cilantro; or a Pakora Platter with four fritter varieties including stuffed bread, stuffed chili, onion, and potato; and Punjabi samosas. Bread offerings include garlic naan, whole wheat roti, and an assortment of stuffed kulcha and paratha.
Mains include tandoor-cooked kebabs including paneer, garden vegetable, quail, lamb, chicken, and seafood; plus Kukkad Pulao, tandoori chicken cooked in bhuna gravy and served with jeera pulao and boondi raita; Keema Kaleji, a minced lamb dish with chicken liver; and Khargosh Tara Boti, rabbit legs cooked with tawa masala.
On the vegetarian side, there’s Lauki Kofta, a hearty homestyle curry made with bottle gourd and cilantro; Amritsari Wadi Aloo, sun-dried lentil dumplings in a heritage gravy; and Baingan Bharta, a fire-roasted spiced eggplant mash dish.
To round out the meal, Gulaabo offers house-made sweets like The Gulaabo, inspired by the classic North Indian dessert of gulab jamun (Indian donut) with lachha rabdi (thickened cardamom-infused whole milk); and Phirni, a recipe from Bombra’s grandmother of creamy, slow-cooked sweet rice pudding with doodh laddu.
To drink, mixologist Suyash Pande developed the restaurant’s beverage program. Inspired by “Safarnama e Punjab,” which translates to the “Travelogue of Punjab,” the cocktail menu is a journey through the Land of the Five Rivers, celebrating the flavors, ingredients, and elements that make Punjab special. Highlights include the Makhani with butter chicken-washed whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, honey, and peat; Sarson with black mustard-infused tequila, tamarind, and chili; Paan with betel leaf vodka, betel leaf shrub, tonic; and Tandoor with mezcal, secret stock, and pineapple juice, among others. Mocktails are also on deck, highlighting Sharbats, a refreshing, sweet and sour beverage that’s often given as a welcome drink. Beer and wine are also served.