Neighborhood Eats: Lungi Serves Authentic South Indian And Sri Lankan Food On Upper East Side

UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- This week's Neighborhood Eats takes you to a South Asian nutrient spot recognized by nan Michelin Guide conscionable months aft opening its doors.

Lungi is an Upper East Side eatery specializing successful South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines and flavors.

Albin Vincent is nan cook and co-owner of Lungi. Vincent says South Indian and Sri Lankan nutrient are very similar, pinch Sri Lankan dishes mostly having much spices. Both cuisines utilize "totally different flavors" erstwhile compared to North Indian food, according to Vincent.

"We usage a batch of achromatic capsicum and cardamom, curry leaves and coconut, because successful South India, a batch of coconut trees are available," Vincent said.

Born and raised successful Kanyakumari, India, Vincent says he learned really to navigator from his family.

"I learned from my grandmother's cooking and my mom's cooking. I was trying to thief them, you know, while they are cooking. And that's wherever I learned and started cooking for illustration this, since I was a kid," he said.

Vincent says portion of nan inspiration down Lungi was wanting a edifice that offered some South Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines together. Since its opening, Lungi has been capable to pull a divers group of customers, immoderate who moreover travel for some luncheon and dinner.

"That is, you know, bully for nan business because past different group opportunity nan nutrient is good. Because they know, nan better," Vincent said.

Michelin Bib Gourmand recognized Lungi for its bully value successful nutrient and nutrient arsenic good arsenic its bully value.

"I was very happy. This is something, you know, I didn't expect," said Vincent astir getting nan nickname successful little than 3 months. "It's a awesome point for america to commencement with, past possibly adjacent twelvemonth we will astir apt get a Michelin star."

One of nan dishes that holds typical meaning astatine Lungi is nan Deafman Shop Tawa Fish Fry.

"In Kanyakumari, location is simply a shop, a deafman's shop. So, he sells only fried fish. So, we utilized to guidelines connected nan statement erstwhile we were kids," Vincent said. "This is my puerility memory. That's what I want to bring that to nan city."

Another signature crockery astatine Lungi is nan Sunday brunch, which is simply a full banana leafage meal. The group comes pinch curry, vegetables, yogurt, food fry, appetizers, biriyani and sambar.

"Back location erstwhile you spell for wedding and large feast, they serve. So it's benignant of for illustration a tasting menu, you person a batch of options to effort different dishes," Vincent said.

While Lungi tin set nan herb level for customers, Vincent says excessively overmuch accommodation whitethorn lead to a nonaccomplishment successful flavor.

In nan end, Vincent is grateful for Lungi's loyal customers who recreation from crossed nan metropolis to effort their food.

"The group are happy. People each complete nan vicinity are supporting america a lot, and they're for illustration support coming back," Vincent said. "I tin spot them astatine slightest 3 aliases 4 times a week, which is simply a large deal, you know, for illustration that intends nan nutrient is good."

You tin study much astir nan edifice connected nan Lungi website.

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