Nirvana restaurant opens in Huntington
Saag paneer and mango chicken at Nirvana in Huntington. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
Huntington’s newest Indian restaurant wants to elevate guests to a new state of mind. Nirvana opened late April in the Main Street space that was House of India for more than 20 years before closing last summer.
Like its predecessor, the restaurant serves traditional Indian fare. And you'll see some familiar faces, too: owner-manager Rohit "Roy" Tondon and chef Mukesh "Mike" Madhiyan have stayed on from their House of India days.
The menu includes traditional Indian street food such as bhel puri ($10) made with puffed rice, gram flour noodles mixed in spicy green chutney, sweet and tangy tamarind chutney and ground spices. Papri chaat is fried wafers served with chickpeas, boiled potatoes, yogurt and tamarind chutney ($11).
Entrées — from a velvety mango chicken ($23) to versions of the flavorful tomato-based tikka masala including paneer ($23), shrimp ($30) and lamb ($26)--are served in gorgeous traditional Indian serving dishes. Nirvana’s saag paneer honors North Indian cuisine from the region of Punjab with cubes of cottage cheese cooked in spinach sauce ($22). Nirvana’s biryani or basmati rice entrées include spiced chicken ($23), lamb ($24) and vegetables ($21) with nuts.
Meatless options also show up big with an extensive vegetable entrée section that includes mixed vegetable curry ($19) and dal tadka yellow lentils cooked with ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes and spices ($19). Nirvana’s chickpea salad with boiled chickpeas, chopped onions and tomatoes is also a good meat free option ($10).
"We have a lot of variety," Tondon said, including an expanded wine list and a deeper inventory of Indian beer.
The décor at Nirvana in Huntington dips into South Asian culture with elegant black and golden accents. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
Indian beer brands stocked at Nirvana include the Taj Mahal ($12), Kingfisher or Ultra ($12), and Flying Horse ($12).
The family-owned spot seats 70 guests, the decor dips deep into South Asian culture with elegant black and golden accents.
That color palette is "the symbol of nirvana," Tondon said. "After entering this restaurant, you feel that everything is connected to nirvana ... it makes you feel calm and a lot of peace."
Nirvana, 256B Main St., Huntington, 631-470-5511, nirvanalongisland.com. Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10 (10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday) for dinner. Closed Tuesday.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
