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Recently visited Bindi for the 2nd time and it was even better this time around. The first time we went was just after the opening. Now, a few months later the menu has changed and it now tops my list of BYOBs in the city. We started with the lamb kofta appetizer-this is highly recommended, very tasty. The flatbread was also very good, but a little spicy for my dining companion. The vegetarain thali for an entree is a great sampling of different items. We also tried the coconut curry seafood. The portion size was huge and it was very fresh and tasty. The pomegranate mixer (with our own vodka) was a great complement to our flavorful food. The restaurant was packed, so we were happy to only have to wait about 15 minutes, but they did tell me that they are now taking reservations Sunday-Thursday evenings. Still cash onlythat's the only bummer, but totally worth the excellent food.

The food at Bindi is very good not authentic (nor meant to be) but everything is quite tasty and well-prepared. But I'm not sure I'd dine here again, because (as others have noted) the pleasure of a good meal is significantly diminished by all of the rules about how one can order. The $18 minimum is particularly insulting, as it seems to stem from the assumption that most diners are cheapskates and thus have to be forced to order enough to justify taking up a table. Other than Lolita (which has the same owners and which I avoid for the same reason) I have never heard of such a policy: restaurants that are far more upscale than this seem comfortable with trusting their customers to order a reasonable amount of food, and they are not so desperate to make a few extra dollars that they set a per-person minimum. What if one member of a party simply isn't hungry, or has food allergies? Would he or she be charged $18 simply for sitting with friends? And why is it not possible to order an appetizer before the main course? The money itself isn't the problem $18 for dinner is quite reasonable it's the hostile message it sends. And given that the food is so good, this is especially unfortunate. I bet that the restaurant wouldn't be half-empty most nights if the owners let go of these rules so that customers would feel welcomed and relaxed.

For a person who doesn't typically eat Indian food, I must admit I was skeptical about going to Bindi. But my friend is Pakistani and he insisted. I was happily surprised and had an excellent meal. My friend did say that it was not traditional Indian, but he agreed, whatever you call it (I think the restaurant says "modern indian") it tasted great. I eat out quite often and this place has adventurous, delicious food. It's nice to go to an upscale restaurant for Indian food-I don't think there are many around. I started with the lamb meatballs with fresh fenugreek. It smelled delicious and tasted just as good. My friend tried the papdi chaat salad and said it was an updated and fresh version of the traditional Indian salad that can be very heavy at times. For entrees we had the pork vindaloo with cauliflower puree and the lamb shank. Both were generously sized and very tender. I left the restaurant wanting to return to try the rest of the menu. Bravo!

For some reason I never was comfortable. I agree with the other reviewers, too many rules, and when I come out to eat I don't want to do the math to make sure I meet a minimum purchase. When you go out you want to eat a meal and enjoy yourself. The food was good, it was Indian like, but lacked any familiar items. I got the impression that they didn't want any "common" Indian food and were trying to hard to put a spin on things. The dining area was VERY cramped, it was difficult to have a conversation when you had somebody literally right next to you.

I've now been there twice and have to say it was even better the 2nd time. The shortrib is so tender I didn't even have to use a knife. The atmosphere is low key and wasn't super busy when we were there. Probably still undiscovered! But that won't last for long. Top picks - kofta, flatbread, shortrib, lamb shank and cardamom cake for dessert. We also brought vodka for the pomegranate mixer. FYI, this is not authentic indian, but a great, fresh fusion cuisine.

This was our first and probably last visit to Bindi. There were four of us in the group. My husband wanted to order appetizers first, but he was not "allowed to." The waitress said he had to order everything at once. I guess she was afraid we wouldn't meet the $18-per-person rule. The pickle plate & chutney samplers came without bread. We asked what we were supposed to do with them. The waitress cleverly answered that you can use them to "enhance the taste of your food" or put them on bread. We asked, "We have to order bread, it doesn't come with it?" She confirmed that was correct, so we ordered the spinach and cheese bread ($4). It was one piece (who knew?) on a plate, so the four of us shared it. Of course, we had leftovers from the pickle plate and chutney samplers, so it was a bit of a waste, there. The food was very good, however. My husband thought it was just OK. The bill was $124 without tip for the four of us. Pros: Good food, BYOB Cons: Too many rules, nickel and diming

Poor management will ruin even the best of restaurants, let alone mediocre ones. I will second Katrix S's review in that this restaurant does not serve Indian fare. (and yes, i almost laughed when they brought the chaat out.... so small, so wrong.) Their take on "Modern Indian" is really just an American Bistro trying to co-opt ethnic flair to inflate their prices, while butchering the cuisine. Having lived in New Delhi for a year and traveling extensively through the continent I have great fondness for the food, but I could not find anything resembling that culture in the food served here.The staff seams personally inexperienced with the cuisine, as badly mispronouncing names as the food was mis-prepared. Having spent over $70 at our table of 4, we were informed (after we had finished) that there was a $20 minimum per person and if we didn't order $18 worth of dessert we would be charged an additional $18. When we asked the manager if they should have told us that before we ordered she curtly replied "It's on the menu." and then turned to me and said "People come here for dinner, you shouldn't come here for snacks." (friend said the lamb (gosht) wasn't bad.)