Nirvana New York

The bland uniformity of your average Indian eatery menu is swiftly forgotten at Nirvana New York, the reincarnation of a well-regarded restaurant that started life in 1970 in Central Park South, Manhattan. Under the eye of Warren Wadud, the son of the original founder, Nirvana serves up Indian cuisine that's as inspired as it is wallet-busting. With its chic design and brightly patterned furniture, the indoor dining room is appealing enough, but when the weather's good it's hard to resist the temptation of the outdoor terrace, which includes sofa seats that are ideal for lounging (if a little awkward for eating a proper meal from). Dinner courses start at ¥6,000, but the lunchtime buffet presents a more affordable alternative: ¥2,000 gets you a selection of curries, salads, hot and cold appetizers and desserts, with naan brought fresh to the table. Surprisingly, perhaps, the curries aren't the highlight: we're more enthused by the marinated and pickled vegetables – an explosion of unfamiliar tastes and textures – and the devilishly good garam masala potatoes. It's enough to turn even the more abstemious diner into an unabashed glutton.