Review: Papa's

​​Eleven Madison Park alum Hussain Shahzad’s eclectic skills are on full display at this fine-dining concept, a 12-seat countertop that overlooks an open kitchen in the space above Veronica’s, a bustling sandwich shop. The vibe is a delightful hodgepodge: Delicate glass lamps share space with a chamber for dry-aging duck, and the chef’s playlist of ABBA and Prince pairs nicely with the easygoing service. The modern Indian menu makes clever use of the nation’s many home-grown ingredients: Clarified Bloody Mary cocktails arrive alongside petite pizza boxes of Monaco biscuits (India’s Ritz cracker) topped with Belper Knolle cheese; hibachi-grilled rabbit is served in a red-ant marinade; and a soup of sun-dried yak cheese is amped up by habanero chiles. The name Papa’s is a nod to Shahzad’s late mentor, chef Floyd Cardoz—whom he does proud.