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In Sanskrit, the word Leela means roughly “to play spontaneously, unpredictably, and sometimes tumultuously.” That’s true of the design as well as the cuisine at this multi-culti lounge with a NYU-grad/neighborhood clientele. There’s an unlikely harmony at work between the pewter light box bar and the Madhubani folk-art mural. And since exec chef Lucas Rodrick uses light oils instead of ghee, cream, and butter on traditional street-food and newflangled entrees like tilapia simmered in chili, coconut and garlic, you’re more likely to explore cocktails such as the Sex in Goa (a fruity punch with a slight anise aftertaste) or the Old Monk Hangama (a punch-packing Cuba Libra using Indian rum). Beyond the plain, boxy dining room is a sliver of a patio that feels like a different world. — Daniel Maurer