Dawat Indian opens in Port Washington

Long Island is in the throes of a full-blown upscale-Indian boom — the latest entry being Dawat in Port Washington. The elegant restaurant takes over a spot that has been a succession of taverns, including Versus Sports Bar, Ale'Port Bar & Grill and O’Hara’s Ale House & Grill.

The driving force behind Dawat is chef-owner Santokh Singh, a native of the Punjab in India whose first job in the U.S. was at Dawat (est. 1986), the pioneering Manhattan restaurant that was one of the first to serve authentic regional Indian cuisine in a luxurious setting.

The two restaurants are not related. "Dawat," Singh explained, "means ‘invitation to a feast’ and it holds deep personal significance to me." The name, he said, "reflects ... my journey and the standard of hospitality I continue to uphold."

After Dawat, Singh cooked at another famous Manhattan eatery, Tamarind Tribeca, and then became a partner and the chef at Mahal Classic Indian, which opened in 2022 in Roslyn Heights. Now on his own, he was drawn to Port Washington because he "believed the residents here appreciate both the food and the hospitality we bring."

Singh’s kitchen draws from all over the subcontinent. Among the starters is paalak patte ki chaat, a northern street snack that might be best described as a fried spinach salad dressed with yogurt and chutneys; bhagari jhinga, a curry of prawns in a creamy tomato sauce that originated in the coastal south and Hyderabadi pathar kabab, stone-seared slices of marinated lamb from ... Hyderabad, India. Among main dishes are the classic northern Banjara mutton, rich with a caramelized onion-tomato-ginger sauce, and the vegetarian paneer caldine, fresh cheese in a spiced coconut-milk sauce from Goa, India. The extensive menu also includes biryani, meats roasted in a tandoor oven or seared in a cast-iron "tawa," plus a variety of vegetables and breads. Most starters range from $9 to $16, most mains from $18 to $27.

The room is comfortable and bright, with a full bar.

Newsday wrote about four new upscale Indian eateries (Kahani in Huntington, Saffire in Commack, Varli Indian Street Kitchen in Williston Park and Banjara in Bethpage) back in January. Since then, Bhaijaan has opened in Hicksville and IKKA Indian Dining & Mixology Bar is close to opening in Huntington (about a block north of Kahani). 

Dawat, 611 Port Washington Blvd., Port Washington, 516-321-9668, dawatli.com. Open Tuesday to Thursday 4 to 10 p.m., Friday to Saturday 4 to 11 p.m., Sunday 4 to 10 p.m..