“ Came here spontaneously the other to get dinner. It's a nice looking but smallish place. Service was attentive but not the very quickest. The food was spot on though: the mushroom matter was creamy and packed with flavor without being too spicy and the kulfi was the perfect sweet treat to round out a lovely meal. ”

“ great restaurant especially for midtown! service is very friendly and the naan is so good. the seating is also good but i wish the lighting were a bit less sleepy. overall i would come back ”

“ Small restaurant - make reservations ahead of time especially for large groups on Friday or Saturday night. I would not recommend getting the Ikali Hiro drink nor the Sweet Potato Bharta. FYI the rice is enough for 4 ppl and naan is 4 pieces. I would highly recommend the Paneer Malai Tikka, Lasoni Gobi, Malai Kofta, and Bhoger Khichuri. They give you gulab jamun dessert if it is your birthday. Nice and clean restaurant. ”

“ I ordered vegetarian food - two curries, rice and tandoori rooti. Food was below average with very low amount of salt and spices were moderate. When I added little more salt, spoiled the taste. They might be serving good non veg food but vegetarian food was just okay not great. Service was good and ambiance was nice too. ”

“ Went there with my family on a weekday and it was really busy. They said it would be a half hour before we would be seated but Min got us a table in 10 minutes! We ordered the Baghari Jhinga (Creamy Mustard Shrimp), Chicken Chettinad, Manglorean Fish Fry, Tamarind Eggplant and the Malvani Fish and finished with a Masala Chai. All of it came out hot and flavorful with the perfect touch of spice. Definitely one of the most memorable Indian restaurant we've been to in NYC and arguably more authentic and true to Indian flavors than many spots within India! ”

“ I love that Chola has reinvented its menu with a focus on cuisine from the coastal states of India. From Gujarat on the Arabian Sea to the west, down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the deep south in the heart of the Indian Ocean, over to the Bay of Bengal on the east, India's coastal states have a delightful variety of seafood that is largely overlooked in the menus of Indian restaurants in this part of the world. Chola has changed that, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I am partial to the flavors from the southwestern states of Kerala and Karnataka, so my favorites are the fish moilee and the allepy fish curry. The allepy curry harmonizes the tartness of unripe mangoes with the heat of chili peppers to produce a deliciously complex flavor profile, and the creamy coconut milk and diced onions lend a great texture to the mild but flavorful moilee sauce. They use branzino (a fish native to the Mediterranean Sea, rather than one from the Indian Ocean) for the fish curries, but I think the mild flavor of the branzino actually works really well with the bold flavors of these curries. Service is polite, and the layout is spacious and bright. ”

“ Went shopping for a mattress which is always a stressful decision and was ready for a late lunch. Walked around the corner and found Chola, and was pretty happy we did . Smart, tasteful interior . Excellent service and really exceptionally tasty dishes! I've eaten in a lot of Indian restaurants and this would definitely be one of the best. Lots of vegetarian options as well as vegan options which is great! ”

“ A recent Yelp friend request read: I saw your reviews on the Restaurant Reviews group and was really impressed with your knowledge of food. I'm not sure about that as although Gayle and I enjoy our share of dining establishments, we definitely don't have the palate to run with the culinary elite. Which brings us the Chola, voted by my dear Wife and I as the best meal we experienced during our 3 week trip to NYC and Canada. Gayle also gives Chola her coveted (and seldom awarded) - "Lick the Plate" prize. We found Chola via on online search (from our Hotel room) for nearby restaurants. This place was a bit of a schlep, but well worth it for the exercise and what was to come. It's just past the out-of-business Indian place next door. Here's what we enjoyed: - Bombay Breeze Martini (Gayle) - Taj Mahal Beer (Eric) - Basamati Rice - Lata Shetty's Kori Gassi (Gayle) - Aunt Murli Shrimp Malai Curry (Eric) The last dish in particular was outstanding. It was most enjoyable to move beyond Chicken tikka masala. Our table was nice, the service was attentive with pride of ownership, and our evening together sparkled. Things went so well that I should have proposed marriage to Gayle again! ”

“ My friend came here for dinner. This place has an elegant interior and peaceful ambiance. They serve elevated Indian cuisine. Instead of getting my usual Mango Lassi, I decided to try the Indian coffee. This was mixed with milk and had faint aroma of spices. The coffee was smooth and creamy. My friend and I shared the Garlic Naan, which was pretty good, but didn't have enough garlic taste for me. It was nicely buttered, as well as slightly crispy though. For my entree, I ordered the Lamb Biryani, topped with bread, which I absolutely loved. The bread was soft and delightfully warm. The Lamb Biryani was delicious, but a bit spicy for me, so I took bites with the raita (yogurt sauce), which definitely helped. The lamb was wonderfully tender, well seasoned, and plentiful. The rice was perfectly cooked, full of boldly flavored whole spices, along with garden herbs. The combination of rice and lamb made for mouthwatering bites. I also tried the dessert, Gulab Jamun, which are kind of like warm milk based balls in sweet soup. It only came with 2 balls in a sugar syrup with cardamom, rose, and coconut. The balls were sticky, chewy, and satisfyingly yummy. However, the syrup it came in was too sweet even for me. Service was solid. Our waiter was welcoming and attentive. Prices are on the expensive side, so I would only return once in awhile to treat myself. Next time, I would like to try the Lata Shetty's Lobster Ghee Roast or one of the Fish dishes, and of course, the Mango Lassi. ”