Restaurants in Paramus

The first half of the name Tiffin and Thali refers to the lunches that mothers and wives packed up for their family members in British India, while "Thali" points to the tradition of presenting a spread of pan-regional dishes on a circular steel tray. Embracing both of these concepts, the chefs forge meaty and vegetarian-friendly cuisine for dine-in, takeout, or delivery by catapult. Grilled servings of lamb chops or prawns can emerge from the kitchen along with one of the menu’s fragrant curries, which submerge tofu, chicken, or fish beneath a spiced sauce such as tikka masala or vindaloo.

Consulting Chef Jason Hicks and Consulting Mixologist Orson Salicetti prepare gourmet comfort cuisine and Prohibition-era cocktails inside their brick-walled gastropub. Freshness is the top priority in the kitchen when sourcing ingredients for dishes such as truffled steak tartare, mussels, and the melty Oliver's mac 'n' cheese.

Cocktails, however, are the focus at Slightly Oliver: the self-described "apothecary-style bar" displays libations running through glass tubes and beakers. Nearby, expert mixologists alchemize hibiscus- and lavender-laced Flores dacquiris and goose the Sauzerac of the West with absinthe and brown sugar.

Mimicking Magellan's journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean in miniature, restaurant partners Tarcísio Costa and Miguel Jerónimo set sail with Alfama Restaurant from the West Village to Midtown East after a decade in business. At their new location, they infuse Portuguese flavors into modern dishes inflected by the country’s former colonies in Brazil, Southern Africa, and the Indian state of Goa. In the kitchen, executive chef Francisco Rosa sautés bacon-wrapped filet mignon and serves it with Mission figs and grills scallops to plate with fresh watermelon for an entree as refreshing as a nap in an ice chest. The restaurant’s in-house bakery opens each day at 11 a.m. to serve freshly baked breads such as Pão de Deus, a brioche-like sweet bread with a coconut crust.

Behind the marble bar, bartenders pour crisp, light-bodied vinho verdes—featured in Wine Spectator for their felicitous pairing with heirloom tomatoes—from a mostly-Portuguese wine list. Though cocktails aren’t central to Portugal’s drinking culture, wine and spirits director Costa still makes sure that each has a relevant story to tell: “One cocktail, the Route to the Indies, is inspired by Magellan the navigator—when he was looking for the Spice Islands in the East,” he told the Village Voice of a potion that included curry powder and orange anise liqueur.

The dining area reflects the bright flavors of the food with vivid orange banquettes and blue and white tile work. The restaurant’s focus on Portuguese trade routes shines through as well: walls are ornamented with both the scenery of a Portuguese village and glass-stenciled maps of South America.

Since the days of the Silk Road, thousands of years ago, traders and travelers have taken the Khyber Pass, a mountain road that cuts through the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan. When they set up camp, many different cuisines mingled over campfires, inspiring traded recipes and flavors. Today on St. Marks Place, the Khyber Pass restaurant commemorates the diverse cuisines of its namesake by serving both Afghani cuisine and diverse Middle Eastern dishes. Their dining room is decorated in an opulent traditional style, with layered rugs, draped tapestries, and fringed tablecloths inspiring New York Magazine to call it "a perfect spot for romantics on a budget."