A la carte
restaurant on Howe Street, and Tandoor, which one of his uncles formerly owned and operated.
THE ATMOSPHERE: Sherkaan’s design intends to evoke the feeling of walking down an urban street in India, Harpaldas said, with lighting representing “the electrical mess of wires” one may spot in a big city neighborhood. Bicycles hang suspended from the ceiling in the dining room, and intricate murals by artist Ben Keller depict commuters on a train and a woman in traditional dress.
“We put a lot of effort into the atmosphere here, the décor, the feel, everything down to the menu, the way the silverware is presented, every detail,” he says, noting that a younger crowd of diners is likely to appreciate the visual touches (and snap photos for Instagram.)
FEATURED/NOTEWORTHY DISHES: Harpaldas and Sherkaan chef Bryan Burke decided to veer away from the more ubiquitous and British-inspired Indian dishes like tikka masala, focusing instead on India’s beloved street snacks and other dishes melding Indian and American influences. The restaurant also provides a glossary reference guide on the menu, helping define some of its most common items and ingredients.
Sherkaan’s “street eats” ($7 to $12) feature Frankie rolls, or wraps made with paratha (Indian flatbread); dosas filled with squash, palak paneer or spiced minced lamb, and vada pav sliders, with spiced potato patties dressed with green and tamarind chutney.
A section of chaats, or savory snacks and appetizers ($7 to $11) offers traditional favorites like dahi puri, or small fried flour shells filled with chickpeas, spiced potatoes, sev (crispy chickpea noodles) and onion, with various chutneys. Okra fries, gobi pakora (chickpea fried cauliflower) and smoked sweet potato samosas are other favorites.
American inspiration shows in the “Untidy Joseph” sandwich ($11), Sherkaan’s take on a sloppy Joe with minced lamb, pickled onions and a fried egg atop a griddled bun, and the hot chicken sandwich ($9), featuring chickpea-fried Kashmiri chicken, Desi law and green mango pickle. A “chaat dog” ($9 to $11), a favorite among Sherkaan staff, is a playful twist on a hot dog, with a vegetable or lamb seekh kebab tucked into a split-top roll and loaded with mint raita and pomegranate seeds.
Among the larger shared plates ($12 to $16) are dum biryani, baked in a pot with chicken, basmati rice, butternut squash, peas and pastry crust; Indo-Chinese pork ribs with tamarind-treacle glaze, and a classic butter chicken in tomato cream sauce.
Customary sides and condiments even get a new spin, with savory and sweet stuffed naans in green chili and rosemary apricot varieties; chutneys in tamarind, coconut and cranberry habanero flavors and raitas (yogurt-based sauces) with options like smoked carrot, beetroot and blood orange.
The kitchen will rotate the menu seasonally, Harpaldas says.
“The thing that excites me most about this project is that I don’t think it’ll ever get boring when it comes to the food. Here, there’s just so much to go with.”
THE BAR: Bar curator Roger Gross presides over Sherkaan’s alluring craft cocktail menu, which often incorporates Indian spices and flavor profiles (garam masala, fennel turmeric and pineapple curry shrubs, rose hip tea.)
Options include various gin and tonics, punches (available in single portions or in a bowl for five guests), and “spirit forward” drinks with rye, Scotch and gin. Sherkaan’s “jugaad” bottled cocktails with one and a half servings, like its gin and vodka
“martini services,” arrive on a silver platter with accoutrements on the side (think paneer-stuffed olives.)
“I wanted to have a lot of diversity on the menu, showcasing different ways cocktails can contribute to an environment and a space, an ambiance,” he says. Drinks range from $10 to $55 (for large-format punch bowls).
In an effort to be inclusive, Sherkaan also concentrates on interesting non-alcoholic drinks ($3 to $8) with booze-free rose lemonade, various flavors of lassi (beyond the requisite mango) and mocktails with basmati horchata and roasted barley tea, along with Indian sodas like Thums Up and Limca.
“Not everybody drinks, but everybody eats,” Gross says. “I want them to still feel like they’re part of the experience, and have a refreshing libation that’s not laden with sugar or acid.”
HOURS AND LOCATION: Sherkaan Indian Street Food is at 65 Broadway in New Haven (down the alleyway past the Apple Store.) It’s open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to midnight (kitchen closes at 11 p.m.); and Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. (kitchen closes at midnight.) 203-405-5808 and sherkaan.com.
Leeanne Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@courant.com.
Send restaurant news at least 10 days before publication to Leeanne Griffin at lgriffin@courant.com, 860-241-6465, or in care of her at The Courant, 285 Broad St., Hartford, CT 06115.