Nirvana

Bubbly with some complimentary cashew nut nibbles

Crabmeat masala with grapefruit; best of east meets west

Tandoori chicken and paneer that were too dry

Naan with eggplant curry

Available daily till end of this month, Nirvana New York in Midtown is offering a one and a half hour of all-you-can-drink champagne happy hour. Be sure to book early as all that free-flowing effervescence is best enjoyed on their outdoor terrace which offers unblocked view of the vast Hinoki Machi Park.

Was there over the weekend, nibbling and drinking to my heart's content as I sat watching the daylight fading. I enjoy this particular time of the day very much as the city seemed to recover from the searing heat, with people once again filling up the pavements, hurrying to get to their next destination.

With the night moving in and us getting more and more tipsy by the minute, we decided to go for some proper food. First up was an appetiser of crabmeat masala. Was uncertain with this choice initially as I was afraid that the spices would be overpowering. Turned out my fears were unfounded. The dish was nicely presented with the sweetness of the crabmeat coming through beautifully. The addition of grapefruit segments was ingenious as it gave the whole dish a tangy twist. The tandoori chicken and paneer on the otherhand were most disappointing, dry and tasteless. The last dish of naan and eggplant curry was decent enough though nothing to go ga-ga over.

To be honest, I think the pull factors for Nirvana are in their cushy outdoor terrace and happy hour. If judged purely on their food, I would say nay...

Nirvana New York

Address: 9-7-4 Akasaka, 1F Garden Terrace Tokyo Midtown, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Telephone: 03-5647-8305
Michelin: None