A Night Out: Dhaba & The Cecil

Dinner at Dhaba is a cozy affair, tables nestled closely together, people reaching into baskets of piping hot naan and dipping into steel bowls and shared plates.

My friends love Dhaba for their lunch buffet, which I definitely need to check out soon after a such a warm, tasty meal during dinner.

Carrie, the boy and I dined on chicken kali mirch, chicken in creamy peppercorn sauce that is so spicy and good, chicken chutneywala, a sweeter, just as creamy dish made with mango puree and green masala,

basmati rice topped with adorably bright peas, and

piping hot garlic naan, the absolute must for any Indian meal (and makeout session)!  Dhaba is pretty aggressive about clearing tables after your meal, but just keep those garlic naan baskets coming, and they'll eventually get the clue (that you're a naan-eating monster here to stay).

We headed back to my neighborhood afterwards for a nightcap at The Cecil, where we previously checked out brunch (the burger is pretty tasty), but it was time to try their cocktails and dessert.

The scene at night was especially vibrant and fun, with lots of laughter, and we even witnessed an ecstatically-accepted proposal while we shared spiced nyangbo crema, a spiced chocolate mousse accented with sponge cake and cardamom ice cream,

and the sweet potato beignets that were best eaten immediately, while hot, otherwise turned rather gluggy and dense.  The citrus glaze was fun, but the sweet potato flavor was a bit lacking.

All in all, a full-belly kind of night with my favorite people - the best kinds of nights!

Han's Nonsensical Rating: Honestly, I just love any place with perfectly hot, charred garlic naan. Dhaba delivers ! (on the naan, but also literally through Seamless)  The Cecil is still one of the best date spots in Harlem, but skip the beignets.

Dhaba
108 Lexington Ave
New York, NY

The Cecil
206 W 118th St
New York, NY