Made for Delhi winter evenings.
ATMOSPHERICS
The best restaurateur is one who knows when to leave well alone. There is simply nowhere else in the city that can beat this location. So Riyaaz Amlani decided to underplay the hip quotient of the terrace. There are low moorhas, beds and floor seating with mattresses. However, it is not so much the type of seating as the location of your table. Beg, borrow or steal, but do get yourself a table that overlooks the Hauz Khas waterbody. In the dark, small details are hard to spot, but the velvety feel of the water wins over every other part of the terrace. Forgotten a shawl? The restaurant will lend you a blanket. And few experiences compare with being cosy under a blanket while sprawled on a bed, a tray in front of you with piping hot kebabs. In spite of the enormous talent that Riyaaz Amlani has access to, the menu has been kept simple and almost home-style. You can smell the sharp whiff of coal fires coiling around the terrace.
TABLE TALK
Do not miss the Crispy Okra with Salsa and Sour Cream (Rs 160). Batter fried and made into a chaat, it is outstanding. The play of textures, temperatures and tastes, from sweet to sour to spicy – it is one of the most popular dishes, as is its twin, Hash Brown Tikki Chaat with Wasabi Raita (Rs 160). The wasabi in one and the sour cream in the other have been kept to a minimum, so that the fusion element is minimized. Also, there is too little light to purr over the presentation: all that remains firmly in the background. Surprisingly for an open air restaurant that operates in winter, there is no soup: a rather glaring omission. However, the Chapli Kebab (Rs 360) is a distinctly upmarket version, from Lahore as opposed to Peshawar, I am told. Served in a lidded dish, it is infused with smoke. Comparatively, the White Butter Chicken Biryani (Rs 360) was mild to the point of being tasteless, especially in the dark when subtleties evade you. Minced Liver and Lamb (Rs 340) had a refined appeal, as had the Rosemary Nihari (Rs 340), unlike those preparations with a rustic touch.
PLUS AND MINUS
The entire terrace is a smoking section, so be warned.
Must Try: Mutton Biryani Burrito; Not Nachos; Fantastic Mutton
Critic reviews are anonymous and all bills are paid by them.
↧