Rasam
$12.95A fiery and aromatic South Indian soup brewed with tangy tamarind, juicy tomatoes, and freshly ground black pepper.
A fiery and aromatic South Indian soup brewed with tangy tamarind, juicy tomatoes, and freshly ground black pepper.
Comforting fresh harvest tomato soup simmered with sweet green peas and a subtle blend of mild Indian spices.
A hearty and wholesome soup loaded with fresh garden vegetables and lightly infused with aromatic herbs.
Traditional South Indian lentil stew packed with seasonal vegetables, tamarind, and custom sambar spice blend.
A rich and fragrant lentil soup accented with tangy tomatoes, fresh lemon juice, and aromatic herbs.
A refreshing chopped salad of crunchy cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, and onions tossed in a mildly spiced lemon-vinegar dressing.
Pillow-soft steamed rice and lentil cakes, served alongside savory lentil sambar and creamy coconut chutney.
Soft steamed idlis or crispy lentil vadas submerged in a steaming bowl of tangy rasam or flavorful sambar.
Savory South Indian semolina polenta tempered with sweet onions, green chilies, ginger, spices, and roasted nuts.
Crispy fried potato fritters seasoned with coastal spices, served with fresh coconut chutney and sambar.
Assorted crisp vegetable fritters fried in a mildly spiced chickpea flour batter, served with zesty chutneys.
Sliced green raw plantains dipped in seasoned chickpea batter and fried until crisp and golden brown.
Rich whole cashews pan-fried Madras-style with chili powder, curry leaves, and coastal spices.
Crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, savory black lentil donuts served with coconut chutney and sambar.
Crispy fritters made with fresh spinach leaves or sweet onions bound in spiced chickpea flour.
Crispy Bengal gram lentil fritters spiced with fresh ginger, green chilies, and aromatic herbs.
The perfect South Indian tasting pair featuring one soft steamed idli and one crispy medu vada.
Golden pan-fried potato or spinach patties coated with breadcrumbs, served with tangy tamarind chutney.
An assortment of vegetables including potato, eggplant, onion, bell pepper, cottage cheese, and plantain in crispy batter.
Delicately spiced, thin roasted lentil wafers served crisp with zesty dipping chutney.
Grand sampler platter featuring spinach pakoda, alu tikki, vegetable bhajia, samosa, and kachori.
Crispy roasted papadam wafers topped with diced onions, juicy tomatoes, green chilies, lemon juice, and coriander.
Delhi street-style crispy fried potatoes tossed with sharp onions, green chilies, chaat masala, and cilantro.
Flaky hand-crafted pastry filled with potatoes and green peas spiced with cumin and coriander.
Hollow crispy poori shells stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas, served with cold, zesty mint-coriander water.
Bombay-style sweet and tangy salad of puffed rice, crispy sev, peanuts, onions, tomatoes, and tamarind chutney.
Tender chickpeas tossed with potatoes, diced onions, sweet tamarind, chili chutney, and fine crispy sev.
Crispy Gujarati deep-fried pastry stuffed with spiced lentil and green pea filling, served with zesty chutneys.
Crumbled vegetable samosas smothered in spiced chickpea gravy, sweet yogurt, tangy chutneys, and cilantro.
Crisp flat pooris layered with mashed potatoes, chopped onions, tomatoes, spicy chutneys, and fine sev.
Crispy flour wafers topped with spiced potatoes, onions, chickpeas, tangy tamarind, yogurt, and golden sev.
Thick South Indian fermented rice and lentil pancake, crisp on the edges and soft in the middle.
Thick savory rice crepe topped with sweet chopped onions and crunchy green bell peppers.
Savory pancake cooked with sweet green peas and crisp bell pepper slices.
Hearty rice pancake generously topped with sweet onions, juicy tomatoes, carrots, and green peas.
Thick rice batter crepe studded with caramelized onions and sweet green peas.
Classic thick crepe topped with diced ripe tomatoes and sweet red onions.
Soft rice pancake folded with crisp bell peppers and sweet onions.
Thick rice batter pancake studded with fragrant freshly grated coconut.
Golden, wafer-thin crispy crepe made from fermented rice and lentil batter.
Crispy golden rice crepe folded with finely chopped sautéed onions inside.
Crispy dosa coated on the inside with a fiery and aromatic spicy red garlic paste.
Crispy dosa dusted on the inside with fragrant gun powder spice mix and ghee.
An impressively giant, paper-thin golden crisp crepe served with sambar and chutneys.
Golden crispy crepe stuffed with a classic savory spiced potato and onion masala filling.
Crispy rice crepe filled with sweet diced onions and spiced potato masala.
Fiery red garlic-chili paste spread inside a crisp crepe, filled with savory potato masala.
Crisp dosa dusted with spicy gunpowder seasoning and packed with savory potato masala.
Extra-large, ultra-thin crispy crepe stuffed with comforting spiced mashed potato masala.
Lacy, crispy crepe made from semolina and rice flour, seasoned with whole cumin and black peppercorns.
Crispy semolina crepe studded with finely chopped red onions, green chilies, and fresh ginger.
Crispy lacy semolina crepe lined with fiery Mysore red garlic chutney and sweet onions.
Spiced rava crepe studded with hot green chilies, curry leaves, and sweet onions.
Crispy semolina crepe infused with freshly grated coconut flakes for a rich, nutty flavor.
Lacy semolina crepe filled with traditional spiced potato and onion masala.
Crispy onion semolina crepe stuffed with savory spiced potato masala.
Lacy semolina crepe brushed with fiery Mysore red chutney and filled with potato masala.
Fiery rava crepe studded with hot green chilies and onions, filled with spiced potato masala.
Nutty coconut-infused semolina crepe loaded with comforting potato masala.
Crispy plain rice crepe shaped into a playful cone, designed especially for kids.
Nutritious rice and lentil crepe blended with pureed fresh spinach for a healthy green twist.
Protein-packed green mung bean crepe roasted golden and crisp.
Healthy finger millet crepe studded with diced onions, cabbage, and coriander leaves.
Pondicherry coastal specialty rice crepe spread with fiery green chilies, garlic sauce, and tomato-potato masala.
Gujarati-style dry potato curry tempered with mustard seeds, turmeric, and curry leaves.
Diced tender potatoes simmered in a rich, spiced purée of fresh spinach.
Pan-roasted potatoes and eggplant simmered with sweet onions, tomatoes, and ground spices.
Nutritious black chickpeas cooked in a fragrant sauce of tomatoes, onions, ginger, and coastal spices.
Classic North Indian chickpea curry simmered in a spiced tomato-onion gravy with aromatic spices.
Fresh tender okra sautéed with crisp onions, ripe tomatoes, and toasted cumin seeds.
Gujarati-style whole green mung beans simmered with fresh tomatoes, ginger, and warm spices.
Garden vegetables simmered in a rich South Indian coconut gravy flavored with fennel and cardamom.
Tender potatoes and sweet green peas gently simmered in a classic home-style tomato gravy.
Tender cauliflower florets and potatoes roasted with ginger, turmeric, and ground spices.
Hearty curry of tender potatoes and whole chickpeas cooked in a savory spiced tomato sauce.
Nutritious chickpeas cooked with fresh spinach purée and warm Indian spices.
Cauliflower florets cooked down with tomatoes, onions, ginger, and aromatic masala.
Gujarati winter specialty featuring potatoes, eggplant, yam, and snow peas cooked with custom spices.
Smoky fire-roasted eggplant mashed and sautéed with ripe tomatoes, onions, and hot chilies.
Traditional South Indian specialty rice seasoned with tangy tamarind, zesty fresh lemon juice, or spicy tomato masala.
Aromatic basmati rice cooked with saffron, sweet raisins, roasted cashews, and garden vegetables.
Basmati rice wok-tossed with green peas, spring onions, cabbage, carrots, and light seasonings.
Traditional unleavened whole wheat flatbread baked on a griddle and brushed with oil.
Multi-layered, flaky whole wheat flatbread pan-fried until golden and crispy.
Golden deep-fried puffed whole wheat bread served hot.
Oil-free, soft, thin whole wheat flatbread puffed over an open flame.
Whole wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced potatoes, peas, or mixed vegetables, served with raita and pickle.
Golden puffed pooris served alongside a bowl of savory spiced potato masala.
Complete South Indian lunch thali featuring an idli, medu vada, your choice of dosa or utthappam, sambar, and chutneys.
South Indian thali platter with idli, medu vada, crispy rava masala dosa, sambar, and fresh chutneys.
Grand Mysore feast featuring an idli, vada, mini onion utthappam, mini masala dosa, coconut chutney, and sambar.
Bite-sized steamed rice and lentil cakes served floating in a bowl of warm sambar with coconut chutney.
Giant puffed fried bread served with rich chickpea curry, onions, and spicy pickles.
Steamed rice cakes cut into cubes and pan-fried with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and spices.
Single extra-large golden puffed fried bread made from fine flour.
Fluffy, steamed long-grain basmati rice.
Side order of traditional South Indian lentil stew cooked with vegetables and spices.
Choice of sweet mango chutney, tangy Indian pickle, or rich clarified ghee.
Choice of fresh coconut chutney, zesty tomato chutney, or flavorful roasted dosa podi.
Dairy-free plant-based ice cream available in rich chocolate or smooth vanilla flavors.
For decades, Pongal has stood as a cornerstone of Manhattan’s Curry Hill dining corridor, delivering authentic South Indian plant-based fare cooked in strict adherence to traditional methods. Fully vegetarian and certified Kosher, the kitchen focuses on the intricate art of slow fermentation, stone-ground rice and lentil batters, and hand-milled spice blends from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Gujarat.
Step inside 103 Lexington Avenue to find a warm, rustic dining hall characterized by rich wood accents, traditional artwork, and gentle ambient lighting. The atmosphere balances the energetic pulse of a busy neighborhood staple with a relaxed, welcoming hospitality that accommodates quiet weeknight dinners as easily as sprawling weekend family feasts.
The culinary program centers around thin, crispy dosais, pillowy steamed idlis, and deeply seasoned stews. Standout selections showcase both regional classics and rare millet preparations:
Appetizers and chaats range from $12.95 to $20.95, while signature dosais and hearty sabzi curries span $17.95 to $23.95. Portions are notably substantial—giant paper-thin dosais frequently extend past the platter edges, making them easily shareable alongside a side of rice or a steaming crock of rasam. The Chef's Special Thali ($15.95) offers unmatched value for single diners looking to sample multiple textures and flavor profiles in one sitting.
Pongal excels in accommodating strict dietary lifestyles. Almost all rice-based dosais, utthappams, stews, and vegetable curries are inherently gluten-free, while milk and ghee substitutes cater seamlessly to vegan diners. Given its popularity among local families and Kosher travelers, peak weekend dinner slots fill quickly; advance reservations or early evening arrivals are highly recommended.
43 E 28th St, New York, NY 10016
432 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10016
88 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
109 E 22nd St, New York, NY 10010
1155 Broadway, New York, NY 10001
249 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10003
Yes, Pongal is fully vegetarian and certified Kosher, serving authentic South and North Indian plant-based cuisine prepared under strict Kosher standards.
The standard fermented rice and lentil dosais, specialty ragi (finger millet) crepes, and mung dal crepes are completely gluten-free. Note that Rava dosais contain semolina (wheat) and are not suitable for gluten-free diets.
The Mysore Special Thali ($28.95) is a multi-dish sampler platter that includes a soft steamed idli, a crispy medu vada, a mini onion utthappam, a mini masala dosa, fresh coconut chutney, and a bowl of house-made vegetable sambar.
Yes, for elevated spice levels, guests can order the Mysore Masala Dosai spread with red chili-garlic paste, the Podi Sada Dosai dusted with gunpowder spices, or the Pondicherry Masala Dosai cooked with fresh green chilies and garlic sauce.
A significant portion of the menu is naturally vegan, including lentil soups like Rasam and Sambar, coconut utthappams, vegetable kurmas, and dairy-free chocolate or vanilla ice cream for dessert.
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