Panna II | NYC

I have honestly been putting more thought into creating posts that are substantiative, relevant and interesting.  Alas, failure again: here's another cotton candy post about eating at a bizarre restaurant.

Last night I was fortunate enough to both dine at one of my favorite (and cheap) NYC experiences on the Lower East Side, and do that with my buddy Josh who happened to be in town.

Before you go much further, listening to Naladri Kumar might set the mood and help the pictures make sense.

Panna II, and it's evil twin next door (and a newer competitive triplet mutation downstairs) are known for the door men that argue for you to come into their seemingly identical Indian restaurants.  The restaurants are literally mirror images of one another, each with a rosy, christmas-light decor and very peppy, encouraging door men.  I can attest that the door on the right does in fact lead to a scintillating nirvana. I have never gone into the left doorway in 15 years of eating at this mind-boggling siamese establishment.

To the point, the Indian food here is excellent and inexpensive.  Beer or wine can be purchased at the deli next door and brought in.  If you have problems of getting over stimulated by saturated combos of color, music, and scent -avoid this place.  In fact, just stay out of NYC all together.  But if you are in for something different, delicious and visually unforgettable, go.  It's worth it.

Panna II

93 1st Ave (between 5th & 6th)
New York, NY 10003 | Tel. 212-598-4610
Read more about Panna II's history.