Bombay Talkie brings the much-loved, no-nonsense street food scene from every corner of India and recasts it into something modern for the New York audience, which keeps coming back to this movie-themed “palace” of a storefront in Chelsea. Owner Sunitha Ramaiah grew up in southern India, where she encountered many of the regional dishes found at roadside stands throughout the Subcontinent. And she must have seen a lot of Bollywood movies, too, because homage to those beloved flicks is everywhere in bright, living color. On the menu, dishes are divided into Street Bites (small plates); From the Roadside (more familiar dishes, such as spicy tandoori chicken; lamb curry; and a fiery pork vindaloo that could turn you as red as one of the posters), and Curbside (lemon rice with mustard seed; tomato-mango chutney; cucumber raita). Sharing is essential here, especially when ordering dosas—stuffed rice-and-lentil crêpes filled with either spiced potato or tart lamb. And you don’t want to miss the exotic cocktails, named for the films pictured on the restaurant’s walls. How about an Umrao Jaan (Bombay gin, lime juice, and saffron syrup), named for the 1981 movie classic?

Dosas
Kathi rolls (assorted flatbreads with chutney)
Pork vindaloo
Lamb curry
Tandoori chicken
view full menu here

Booths are nice for parties of four, but the long communal tables can be fun with a group and also feel very authentic.

The paintings hung throughout the restaurant are not just ordinary movie posters but the work of J. P. Krishna, an artist who is famous in his native Chennai (Madras).

Sun.–Thurs. 5 PM–10:30 PM; Fri.–Sat. 5 PM–11:30 PM

$13 (malai kofta dumplings) to $25 (lamb chops)