Bhatti Indian Grill

Snug votive-lit Bhatti, swaddled in tall gauzy curtains, looks like an inviting addition to Curry Hill’s restaurant row. And the menu, highlighting Punjabi cuisine, appears to offer a detour from the area’s more conventional Indian norm. But the graceless food doesn’t do justice neither to the elegant space nor the intriguing regional focus. Our lamb kebab starter was a mushy mess, grilled yogurt-glazed mushrooms were served with a bizarre mix of cream cheese and cilantro, and hariyali chooza chicken—a bone-in bird seasoned with fenugreek and mint—arrived alarmingly pink. The upmarket setting should’ve been a tip-off: The best food in these parts is more often found in dives than in mood-lit dining rooms.