With numerous successful restaurant locations around New York City (Madam Ji, Swagat and Badshah To-Go), Chef Abishek Sharma has been bringing delicious, authentic Indian cuisine to diners in New York for quite some time. Now, his newest concept Rang is bringing new flavors to the Big Apple. “I’m excited to bring the community together and share my culture with good food and music,” Chef told us in a recent interview. “Rang infuses the Indian heritage of the restaurant with all the colors, flavors, and personality of New York. It brings a fun, youthful and vibrant energy to a cozy corner at Long Island City.”

Chef Abishek in the Kitchen at Rang (Courtesy Rang NYC)

Inside Rang NYC

Much of the menu at Rang is modeled after pieces from his catering company, Chef Abishek. “Rang infuses the Indian heritage of the restaurant with all the colors, flavors, and personality of New York. It brings a fun, youthful and vibrant energy to a cozy corner at Long Island City,” Chef explained. The catering business included items that were designed for events, and banquets and meals at Rang are intended to be shared as a feast for family and friends to enjoy together.

The bright and flavorful menu includes unique takes on traditional dishes and classic flavors like the Paneer Bao Bun and the Long Horn Pepper Pakora as starters and small plates (Thoda Chota). Tandoori specials include the Chipotle Paneer Tikka and Basil Kebabs, while larger dishes (Thoda Bada) include items like Badshah’s Murgh Curry and Lalaji’s Biryani. The restaurant also has a Beverage Program with a specially curated wine list by Yash Shah of Baar Baar and Earthen.

With so much to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the ideal order at Rang. Chef has some suggestions. “The perfect meal at Rang consists of a couple of small plates paired with some hand-crafted cocktails. I would highly suggest ordering the Chili Chicken/Paneer Bao Buns, Chipotle Paneer and the Corn & Okra Chaat. I would pair it with the Rang De Basanti or the Sari, not Sari.”

Paneer Dish (Courtesy Rang NYC)