Paowalla Features Casual Indian Fare With Goan Roots

[tw-divider]The Scoop[/tw-divider]

• The celebrated Indian chef Floyd Cardoz (previously of the pioneering Indian eatery Tabla and North End Grill with Danny Meyer, White Street, and Bombay Canteen in Mumbai) brings casual Indian cuisine to SoHo. Paowalla lives in the former Mezzogiorno space
• Chef Cardoz and his team are using a wood-fired oven to bake traditional Goan breads in addition to two tandoor ovens — there are eight different varieties of bread including naan stuffed with cheddar cheese and bacon. The menu is heavy on the small plates with treats like pakoras made with shishito peppers, Egg Kejriwal (sunny-side-up with cheddar cheese and garlic chutney), tandoori quail, and roasted green chickpea salad
• The 72-seat space has exposed brick walls and open views of the wood-fired oven and bread bar, designed by Joseph Calabrese. Large plates on the menu reflect some of the chef’s family recipes like the pork ribs vindaloo, whereas others dishes like banana-leaf-wrapped skate reflect his travels to Kerala, India. Prices can be reasonable if you go in a group, order a bunch of small plates, and try a little bit of everything