Am I hot or not? A golden haze, the work of mustard oil and turmeric, seems to linger over this vegetable plate ($8), disguising the varying spiciness of five dishes. Chile peppers figure prominently in Bangladeshi cuisine, but if you didn't have a look at the steam-table display — and see whole peppers laid atop the tray of chopped spinach — you might never guess that it's the spiciest of the lot. Also shown, in counterclockwise order: potato and long beans, cabbage, cauliflower with peas (the spicy runner-up), and a potato bhaji (the mildest), which from a more advantageous view resembles ill-knit hash browns.
Also noted, in a common appeal to a broad clientele: The business card for this halal establishment mentions not just "grill, tandoori, kabab, curry" but also "deli."
Bangla Garden Restaurant
1864 Westchester Ave. (Leland Ave.-White Plains Rd.), Soundview, Bronx
347-281-9966
