Delhi Food Walks

Posted on July 10, 2016 July 11, 2016

Zaffran

ZAFFRAN

Prakriti Bhat

Greater Kailash (GK) is popular for being a shopper’s paradise. When you get bored with the repetitiveness of Sarojini Nagar and Lajpat Nagar, GK is the way to level up. And let’s admit, after all that wandering and searching for the perfect objects of desire, shopping makes us all hungry. Saffron is highly valued for its exquisite flavor. Zaffran, Urdu for saffron tries to do the same by giving their customers a pleasant dining experience. While the GK 1, N block market houses many cafes and multi cuisine restaurants, Zaffran specializes in Mughlai and North Indian cuisine.

Zaffran has been running the show since the last 14 years and has a loyal clientele. With a calm and serene ambience it works perfectly as a date spot as well as for official meetings. The music does not go beyond a certain level and leaves room for jovial conversations. This branch has been the oldest while the one in CP is a recent addition.

Brown seems to be the dominant hue of the interiors with wooden floors and cane upholstery. The décor is very aesthetic and elegant. An eclectic menu printed on a bulky wooden board brings to you the best of Mughlai and North Indian dishes. Bhatti Ka Paneer was a platter of char grilled cottage cheese cubes and had a distinct smoky flavor. The Paneer was soft and well marinated. Paneer Malai Seekh; the name intrigued me and I decided to give it a try. Mashed Paneer was shaped like a Seekh Kebab with bread crumbs acting as the binding element. These were very dry and even the chutney could not save it.

The lineup of Non Vegetarian starters was quite impressive too. Raunak e Seekh Kebab was basically a fancy name for Dohra Kebab. Mutton Kebabs were wrapped in a blanket of minced chicken. I wouldn’t say they were the best Kebabs I’ve had, but certainly much better than other restaurants. Besides the colourful symmetry created by two kinds of meat made the platter click-worthy. Murgh Chili Mili was essentially Chicken Tikka. Extremely succulent and slightly charred on the surface, it was one of my favourites here. Kashmiri Chicken Tikka was a big disappointment. Not marinated well, it was dry from inside and therefore became the only dish to require a knife along with the fork. There was nothing ‘Kashmiri’ about it.

The main course was simple with Mutton Roganjosh, Makki Kumbh Masala and Garlic Naan. The Roganjosh did not stand true to its cultural roots. The mutton is not supposed to be very soft, which was the case here. The meat disintegrated very easily and the texture did not correspond to that of an authentic Kashmiri Roganjosh, Makki Kumbh Masala was a simple yet delectable dish of corn and mushrooms cooked in an orange gravy, akin to Shahi Paneer. Slightly sweet and tangy, it was rich in flavor. The Garlic Naan acted as the perfect accompaniment to both the dishes.

We ended the meal on a sweet note with an earthen bowl of Phirni which looked beautiful and had a smooth and velvety texture. While Phirni is usually white in colour, Zaffran adds a twist to this classic Indian pudding by using Saffron which gives it a tinge of yellow. Each bowl is topped with chopped nuts. You can also pick up a drink from their sundry bar menu. An LIIT or Cosmopolitan is sure to lift up your ‘spirits’. Quite literally!

For a classy meal after that rigorous shopping session, trust Zaffran to satiate your hunger and taste buds.

Posted on July 10, 2016

Mexifornia Festival – California Pizza Kitchen

Ayushi Mathur

DLF cyber city is always bustling with lively cheerful crowd as it offers a variety of choices to the food lovers, ranging from coffee shops to microbreweries to north Indian fine dine restaurants. Out of the numerous options, one particular eatery that stands out is California Pizza Kitchen, serving authentic Californian food. The exciting news is that this month, California Pizza Kitchen has The Zesty Mexifornia Festival on! The culinary team at CPK has very carefully crafted a special Mexican Menu that features appetizing Mexican delicacies like taquitos, tacos, bean fritters and crunchy salads.

The festival menu also presents some new refreshing beverages from which I tried the peach and apricot margarita. The drink was chilled as it should be and tasted perfectly balanced in terms of flavours. The first appetizer I tried was the Chipotle stuffed chicken wings presented beautifully with fresh lettuce and yoghurt dip. The wings were stuffed with bell pepper, jalapenos and cheese tossed in hot chipotle sauce. However, the wings were not as spicy as I expected. The next item on their menu that I got to try was the Chicken Tacos. The stuffing was coated with hot sauce tossed in garlic and onion, giving it a wonderful flavour. The tacos stole the show and have to be the best dish on their new Mexifornia festival menu.

The Mexican veggie pizza is made with a super thin crust topped with a variety of fresh vegetables. The spicy bean sauce used for the pizza makes it taste very different and unique as compared to regular pizzas. Who doesn’t enjoy a good twist? The unusual taste is the reason I absolutely loved their Mexican veggie pizza. Another thing I tried from the festival menu was the Fajita Fusili pasta that was cooked in a creamy garlic sauce served with garlic bread. In every bite I could taste fresh crunchy vegetables and the cilantro garnish made it all the more delicious.

The meal ended with a very unique dessert called Apple Taquito. This dessert was made with cinnamon spiced apple filling stuffed in flour sheets that were deep fried, served with vanilla ice-cream. The crunchy dessert had a distinctive cinnamon flavour which complemented the sweetness of vanilla ice-cream extremely well.

This restaurant does not just stand out for its food; the staff is remarkably amicable and attentive to the customers. The ambience is minimalistic yet modern with a large seating capacity. Overall, California Pizza Kitchen is an impressive joint and I would definitely visit again!

Posted on June 27, 2016

Koyla Kebab

When One Door Closes another Opens

By Anubhav Sapra

In the past couple of years I have taken refuge in Old Delhi. The waft of the meaty fragrant kebabs draws me in to the alleyways of Matia Mahal. But this time I decided to explore, skip the hustle and bustle of ‘purani dilli’ and traverse across the city. The rain gave me an excuse to flee from the old to the new. I landed at one of the upscale markets of South Delhi- Defence Colony, which for me has always been synonymous with Swagath, the south Indian restaurant and Salim Kebabs.

Salim Kebabs, the reason why I come to Defence colony. There was something special about that place, may it be Javed bhai who owns the eatery or the bubble of nostalgia that surrounds the restaurant. It was disheartening to come to know that it had shut down. But thankfully I was saved by Koyla Kebabs.

Koyla Kebabs had a lot on their plate, literally. Malai tikka and tandoori chicken, both succulent pieces of heaven, then came the mutton kakori kebab and Galaouti Kebab the former was so soft that it fell right of the skewer while the latter would melt in your mouth like butter. The Kakoris were served with a crisp Warqi paratha making it a perfect combination in terms of textures.

The best part is that all the non-vegetarian kebabs have their vegetarian counterparts. Vegetable Kakori, Galaouti, Tandoori Soya Tikka, Paneer Malai Tikka and the list goes on and on. What makes their food different from any other Kebab joint is the way they cook their biryani, rather than having your traditional mutton or chicken options you can request for any kebab or boti to be combined with you rice and served, quite untraditional yet scrumptious. The addition of chat masala to their kebabs provides that perfect tang and makes your mouth water for more.

They have introduced the Keema Naan which is Naan dough stuffed with mince and chopped onions and cooked in a scalding hot tandoor served with onion rings and mint chutney.

The journey to Defence Colony has been well worthwhile; the palatable food gives you an excuse to visit this area anytime.

Address- Shop no.3, next to Popular Medicos, Defence Colony

Cost for two- Rs.500+

Posted on June 21, 2016

Happiness with icing

HAPPINESS WITH ICING

By Prakriti Bhat

Baking is very different from cooking, not just in concept but also because of the techniques. In cooking, you can add spices as per your convenience. You can deviate from the recipe and even if something goes wrong with the spices, you can always redo or fix it. But once a cake is baked, that’s it. No more changes. How do I know this? Because while ‘trying’ to make a coffee mug cake, one of the ingredients read “All Purpose Flour”, I mistook it for Wheat flour and the product was a big mug of mess. In my defence, I was only 16 and knew nothing about cookery or baking!

Since that day I am in awe of all bakers. Baking requires extreme skill, patience and precision. Anika Banga, a home baker possesses all these qualities and that is what makes her brand, Happiness with Icing, a successful venture. In August 2015, Anika decided to become a home baker and got her first bulk order during the Rakhi season. Since then, there has been no looking back. She is based in Faridabad and does mostly wedding and birthday orders, the ones that are placed in bulk. Her baked goods range from cheesecakes and mousse jars to chocolate pops and muffins.

Recently I got a chance to sample a few products from ‘Happiness With Icing’. The Choco Walnut Cake was one of my favourites. Not too sweet and perfectly soft and spongy. 350 gms cost Rs. 350 and 750 gms cost Rs. 500. This one vanished within a minute since it was too hard to resist! The Chocolate Muffin met a similar fate and was lapped up in a jiffy. After the ones from Defence Bakery, it was definitely the best chocolate muffin I’ve had till date. However, the Banana Muffin was not much to my liking. It was a bit hard and had a peculiar taste.

The chocolate pops were pretty little spheres of goodness. With tiny stars stuck on the pops, they were too pretty to bite into. Both, the white chocolate and the regular ones were equally good. Though they need to be refrigerated but before you dig in, make sure you wait for 2 minutes after they have been taken out or else they will be too hard. Each pop costs 70 bucks. The Belgium Chocolate Mousse Jar missed the mark. The characteristic airy texture of a mousse was not attained. One Mousse Jar costs Rs.250.

I tried 4 flavours of the no-bake Cheesecake Jars. The Nutella Cheesecake was my favourite. Open the jar and you’re welcomed by 3 small choco cigars used to embellish the Cheesecake. Only setback is that the wafers lose their crispiness because of being dipped in the cheesecake. Else than that, it is perfect in taste and texture. Grabbing the second spot was the Blueberry Cheesecake Jar. The silky smooth texture makes you fall in love with it. It will be a sin to not clear up every inch of the jar! The Strawberry Cheesecake Jar had a very fruity flavor, akin to fruit jam. The Mango Cheesecake jar actually had bits of mango mixed in the cream mixture. For all the mango lovers, this is a must try! Each of these cheesecakes had a base of cookie crumble. They are priced at Rs. 300 per jar. If ordered in bulk, each jar costs Rs. 250.

None of Anika’s products contain any preservatives and have a shelf life of 7-10 products. I must appreciate the beautiful packaging. The boxes are extremely sturdy and the cute ribbons and nets make it hard to desecrate the packing. For your dose of sugar, Happiness with Icing deserves a chance.

Contact No.- 9910076516

Posted on June 15, 2016

Kennedy’s

KENNEDY’S

By Prakriti Bhat

West Delhi is full of culinary treats that often go unnoticed. When one talks of Street Food, the brain conjures images of Chaat, Momos, Kebabs, Chaap and what not! Areas like Chandni Chowk, Bengali Market and Connaught Place are more than often supposed to come up in such foodie daydreams. Going by ethnic geography, West Delhi has a majority of Punjabi population. Food is an integral part of their culture and every Delhite delights in the glory of Punjabi khana. Therefore, it comes as no shock that West Delhi has several street food joints, given the Punjabis’ love for food.

West Patel Nagar is not very popular when it comes to food, with hardly any options but Kennedys has definitely changed that. It is a paradise for all foodies out there and acts as a one stop shop for street food. The co-owner Mr. Piyush Kennedy told us the story behind the name. His grandfather, an admirer of J.F. Kennedy named his son after the great leader. It was then added as Mr. Piyush’s surname by his father and that’s how the shop got its name. They initially started as a Shawarma shop but the high demand for Chowmein in the neighbourhood made them add it to their menu. Since then there has been no looking back.

A trip to Kennedys is incomplete without ordering their dips. Each dip comes at an affordable price of Rs.10. The flavours range from Chipotle, Mustard, Mint Mayo to Tandoori Mayo and Salsa. Most of their dishes are given a twist by playing around with sauces and dips. Tandoori Shawarma was made by using Tandoori Mayo on one side of the roll. It wasn’t very great, but worth a try. Fusion Fried Momos were simply fried Momos topped with 4 kinds of dips like Plain Mayo, Mint Mayo and Salsa.

Chicken Orly is Kennedy’s take on the famous Fish n Chips. This one is made with chicken which is batter fried until a beautiful golden crisp texture is attained. No chips or fries are served alongside which is a major departure from the traditional fish n chips. Chilli Chicken Burger brings together American and Chinese cuisine in a mouthwatering combo. Chunks of chilli chicken are placed between the burger buns to give you a spicy and saucy treat. Another gem here is their Dahi Ke Sholay called Curd Bomb. A mixture of hung curd and a few chopped veggies is placed on a piece of bread and rolled in a Harvest Bread wrapper to give it the traditional shape. It truly is a bomb of goodness in your mouth.

The chicken combo comes with two types of chicken. One is chilli chicken while the other one is chilli chicken tossed in a creamy sauce. It is a tsunami of flavours and textures in your mouth as the chilli sauce and creamy sauce blend together in perfect harmony. The Creamy Chilli Chaap was disappointing. One of the characteristic features of a chaap is its melt-in-your-mouth texture. But here the chaap is fried which gives it a hard exterior. However, the sauce in which it is prepared is delicious. The Butter Chicken Pasta was definitely my favourite here. Loaded with buttery richness in every mouthful, this dish is a must try here. My only complaint is the lack of chicken shreds in the pasta; it’s too less.

Overall, Kennedy’s is a place that definitely deserves your time, money and tummy space. There is no seating area so if you are living in Patel Nagar, they have a home delivery service or you could just opt for a takeaway.

Address- B-1, West Patel Nagar

Cost for two- Rs.400

Posted on June 14, 2016 June 14, 2016

Jordan Food Festival

JORDAN FOOD FESTIVAL AT ZERZURA

By Prakriti Bhat

Delhi is an amalgamation of cultures. As a Delhite, I feel proud of the diversity we have and our acceptance of different cultures and traditions. This is quite evident from the wide variety of cuisines this city offers. From Japanese to African and European, the world is served to us on a platter, quite literally. Every food lover is on the lookout for new flavours and new cuisines. The ongoing Jordan Food Festival in Zerzura is sure to help one on such an expedition.

Zerzura is known to serve some lip smacking Middle Eastern delicacies. The ongoing Jordan Food Festival here focuses on bringing Jordan’s cuisine to the Indian palate. I was fortunate to be a part of their Bloggers Meet where I got to sample their dishes. The ambience is beautiful. Going by the lore, Zerzura was a mystical city, supposed to be located near Libya. A camel rider Hamid Keila is thought to be the first person whose experience of the ‘white city’ was recorded. While the city of Zerzura continues to remain sheathed in an envelope of mystery, this restaurant gives you a glimpse of the fascinating cuisine that might have been served there!

Jordanian Cuisine involves the recurrent use of a few key ingredients like dried yoghurt (jameed), lamb and olive oil. We began our meal with the Non-Veg Mezze Platter from the regular menu. The platter consisted of Hummus (chickpea based dip) with olive oil, Baba-ganoush (eggplant based dip) and Cacik (yoghurt based dip). Other items in the platter included Tabouleh (salad made with parsley, mint, onion and lime), Kibbeh, Chicken wings and lamb tarts. Each of the dips was brilliant, whether eaten separately or with Pita bread. I could not pick a favourite! The Chicken wings were quite succulent and well spiced. The little Ankara style lamb tarts are like a blessing to your taste buds. Properly baked, these were definitely one of my favourites. The vegetarian variant was equally delicious with cottage cheese as the filling.

The Lamb Kibbeh was so good that we ordered a separate platter of it. These are essentially Lamb cutlets made with minced meat; crunchy on the outside and soft from within. The Bedouin Pizza derives its name from a nomadic tribe found in the Arabian and Syrian deserts. Instead of Pizzas, they look like Quesadillas but are sealed from the curved edge. Spiced and ground lamb is used as a filling. This became another of my favourites. The non-veg Fatayar had a filling of minced lamb whereas the Vegetarian one had Spinach. The non vegetarian version was very dry as compared to the vegetarian one. Fatayar is to Arabs as Samosa is to Indians!

We started our main course with the national dish of Jordan, Mansaf. Jameed is dry yoghurt prepared with sheep or goat’s milk. This is used to make a broth in which the lamb is cooked and then served with rice. The dish is topped with nuts and caramelized onions. Traditionally, Mansaf was served in a big platter from which many people would eat together and thus it propagated a sense of community. Here, it came with a delectable gravy and braised eggplant. The flavor was very similar to the Kashmiri Yakhni. Another dish from the special menu was Maqluba which literally translates to “upside down”. Rice, lamb and vegetables are cooked in a small pot and served upside down on a plate. This was similar to our regular Biryani.

Zerzura disappoints with its drinks. The Jaffa Orange and Date Mojito failed to strike a balance between its ingredients and tasted extremely sour towards the end. The Cold Coffee was very basic, akin to what we make at home. From the special menu we were served Kanafeh as a dessert. The crust is made of fried vermicelli and the mascarpone cheese adds smoothness to this dessert which disintegrates instantly in your mouth. Thankfully, it is not too sweet. Baklava is one of the most popular Turkish desserts and is made with a layer of chopped nuts placed between two delicate and crisp layers of dough which is then baked. Honey is poured from top to soak the layers and make it soft. I found it to be too sweet for my liking though.

The festival is on till 30^th June. Don’t miss it!

Address- Qutab Hotel, Near Qatwariya Sarai Marg, Qutab Institutional Area

Cost for two- Rs. 3400

Contact No. – 01133106108

Posted on June 2, 2016

Tea Trails

TEA TRAILS

By Prakriti Bhat

While Delhi is full of restaurants, pubs and cafes, there are places that tend to stand out in a crowd. With its pleasant ambience and concept, Tea Trails Bistro creates an aura of tranquility in the midst of the ever bustling Connaught Place. Done up in hues of white, aqua blue and green with wooden upholstery, it is one of those rare places in CP which bespeaks comfort and has a languid demeanour. Tea Trails is a well known name in Mumbai from where the saga began in 2013. Since then the franchise has successfully opened up many branches in Hyderabad Chennai and Mumbai itself.

The menu comprises of over 80 varieties of teas ranging from Green Tea, Black Tea and Herbal Tea to Tea Mocktails. The USP of this place is the use of tea leaves in their food as well. Fermented tea leaves are used as a garnishing ingredient in some of their dishes like bruschettas and salads. Another unique quality of this place is that they use whole tea leaves in preparing all their teas rather than using condensed forms like powder or tea bags. This brings out the flavor properly and the quality of the end product is not compromised.

Gazpacho, a Spanish cold soup is served as a welcome drink here. Fresh cubes of tomato, black pepper and finely chopped coriander blend in to give you a taste of Spain. This was served in shot glasses. All their teas are served in an extremely organized manner with a kettle, tea cup and plate, small spoon and a Palmiers cookie (which was amazing). Each tray also has a sandglass as the servers explained that a good Green tea like Kehwa requires a steeping time of about 2 minutes while Black Teas require 4 minutes. In contrast to Green tea which is bland but healthy, Black tea is not very healthy but has a strong flavor. The Kehwa was good but I did not relish the Black Tea which had a distinct smoky flavor.

Amongst the Chais, I tried the 5 spices chai which was definitely my favourite among all the hot variants. Made with spices like Cardamom, Cloves and Ginger, it was served in a glass cup with a Palmier cookie. Every spice made its presence felt. It would be the ideal choice for a relaxed winter evening. Amongst the cold teas, you must definitely try their Litchi Bubble tea which is like a pop of flavour in your mouth. While Sangrias are usually made with wine, Tea Trails has introduced a Tea Sangria made with herbal tea and Cranberry juice with small pieces of apple floating on the top.

Gulkand Bun Maska is basically an Iranian Snack where a fruity bun is buttered with Gulkand Maska. It is light on the stomach. Eggs Kejriwal is a popular snack in Mumbai. The name comes from Mr. Daya Prasad Kejriwal who would bring a snack of Pav and Omelette to the gymkhana. A lightly fried Omelette is placed on a buttered Pav and sprinkled with finely chopped onions, green chilies and red chilli powder. It is delicious and quite filling as well. The Green Tea Bruschetta, one of their specialties is made with onions, bell peppers and fermented green tea leaves. For the health freaks there’s Burmese Tea Salad prepared with Lettuce, nuts and fermented tea leaves. It tastes best with the dressing that comes with it.

Vada Pav was definitely the highlight of our meal. A fluffy vada made with boiled and mildly spiced potatoes was pressed between Pav breads smeared with green chutney. Smoked Chicken Sandwich had a distinct flavor of the barbeque sauce used for dressing the chicken. Among Desserts you have to try their Choco Chip Muffin which is quite big and mouth watering. The Dutch Truffle comes with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream on top and the combo is delightful. Plating for both the desserts is pretty impressive.

If you like to have your cuppa in solitude, Tea Trails is the place to be.

Address- Shop 9, Scindia House, Opposite N Block, CP

Cost for two- Rs. 850 (approx)

Contact No. – 01133106292

Posted on May 28, 2016

The Hippie Trail

THE HIPPIE TRAIL

By Prakriti Bhat

Delhi has no dearth of fine dining restaurants and cafes. And when it comes to Hauz Khas Village (HKV), it’s the ‘baap’ of all food scenes. From cafes to restaurants and pubs, it has everything. Whether it’s the tiredness after a stroll of the Fort and Deer Park or simple foodie cravings, HKV caters to all your needs. While it is more popular for its vivacious nightlife, HKV also houses some hidden gems like The Hippie Trail which completely change your perception of the area.

It may be difficult to locate on the first visit since it is tucked away from the main lane. It is in the same lane as Hauz Khas Social; just a few steps further. As soon as you enter, you will fall in love with the place. It has a very chilled out vibe. This is one place in Delhi where you can strut in wearing your most ridiculous PJs and not be judged by anyone. Such a place is bound to become your favourite hangout spot.

Overlooking the tank, The Hippie Trail is a personification of comfort. It has a floor seating arrangement with comfy moda stools and cushions. My favourite spot is the window seat from where one can have a mesmerizing view that soothes the senses. The walls are painted with funky designs that give a bohemian look to the place. The striking dream catcher near the window seat deserves to be clicked). The servers are very genial.

The menu is quite simple yet full of lip smacking dishes. We went for a Masala Chai to begin our culinary expedition. Unlike popular cafes where the tea is served in tiny little cups, the chai here was served in big tea/coffee mugs. The quantity was heartening. The Mushroom and Cheese Sandwich was the perfect partner to a cup of Masala Chai. Fleshy Mushrooms and oodles of cheese are sure to lift up your spirits with their scrumptious flavours.

I really wanted to have Pancakes but it wasn’t included in the menu. The kind staff made Nutella Pancakes on special request which only goes on to show their congeniality. (P.S. – This was not a Bloggers Meet. The staff was genuinely very accommodating). One plate consisted of two pancakes slathered with a generous amount of Nutella. They were soft, spongy and the Nutella just made it even better.

The Hippie Trail is one of those cafes which become your Portkey to peace. Play board games while sipping on your tea or coffee and indulge in great food with a hearty conversation. Or you could just strike up a random tune on the guitar that they have.

Live, Laugh, Enjoy. That’s The Hippie Trail for you.

Cost for two- Rs. 600 (approx)

Address- Shop 13 A, Deer Park, Hauz Khas Village (near Hauz Khas Social)

Contact No. – 9899203016

Posted on May 24, 2016

LONDONERS

By Prakriti Bhat

London is a melting pot of cultures and a mélange of different lifestyles. People of various ethnicities coexist in perfect harmony. Londoners Bistro and Pub in GK-1 is an embodiment of the cultural conglomeration that London is. While the name may make us think that the place serves purely British food, it also conjures up a blend of cuisines that is quite popular in London.

The brainchild of Paritosh Mittal, an engineer by profession, Londoners has a great ambience with vibrant décor and classy upholstery. Blue seems to be the dominant hue in the colour palette. They also have an outdoor seating arrangement, ideal for Delhi’s winters. The menu consists of traditional British dishes as well as those inspired by other cuisines. The basic idea is to represent London, not as isolated with other cultures but in sync with them. This is the reason behind the fusion dishes in the menu.

The Bloggers Meet began with a Ploughman’s Platter. Traditionally, it is a non vegetarian meal but in keeping with the Indian sensibilities, they also provide a vegetarian version with grilled Paneer dices. Workers in London would pack whatever leftovers they had from dinner and take it to work. Therefore, unlike the well organized Indian lunchboxes , theirs would be a muddle of bread, chicken, ham, cheese, etc. The platter served here included bread, butter, cheese, olives, dried apricots, Brown Onion Sauce slices of apple and cucumber along with boiled eggs or Paneer cubes as per the variant chosen among Veg or Non Veg.

Scotch eggs, a British delicacy, is made with hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat and bread crumbs which is baked or deep fried. Here, the eggs are wrapped in Keema giving it an Indian touch. The Irish Spring Rolls were filled with corn and cheese but served along with a sweet and spicy sauce. They were crispy but not very cheesy which was disappointing. The very concept of a Spring Roll and the sauce is Oriental, again reminiscent of the cultural influences in London. The Tikka Masala Platter was a complete meal with Tandoori Rotis, Daal Makhani, Paneer Tikka Masala, Papad, Green Chutney and onions. One platter should suffice two people.

The Paneer Makhani Pie, for me, was the star of our meal. Firstly, Pies are sweet but this one was savory. Secondly, while Pies are believed to have been originated as a Roman dessert, this one was a full-on desi rendition, replete with a Shahi Paneer filling. This marvelous invention came with fries and salad. The fries lacked salt and a dip along with it could have done wonders. The Paneer Makhani Pasta brought together Indian and Italian in a dish that packed a punch with authentic Indian flavours. While one may complain about the complete abandon of its Italian roots, I don’t mind it even a bit since it is supposed to be an Indianised version of Pasta.

The Clay Pot Pie had a flaky crust on top, like the one that’s usually found in French pastry. The Pie tasted like Au Gratin, only more liquid in consistency and lesser vegetables. The crust tastes best when dipped in the gravy. To wash it all down, try a Blueberry Cheesecake Shake or an After Eight Shake. The Blueberry Shake was perfect in its consistency and presentation (Mason Jars are a huge rage!). Other dishes to look out for are Keema Kulcha and Crispy Konjee Lamb.

Among Desserts I tried the Great Wall of Chocolate which was high on taste and the nutty texture but a bit too hard. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was ACTUALLY very sticky. The caramel lent it a nice flavour but it failed to impress with the texture. It was the Bread and Butter pudding which stole my heart with its presentation and taste. Not too sweet, the pudding comes in a cup/coffee mug topped with a scoop of ice cream. The contrast of warm and cold was a nice play on the taste buds. This one is a MUST TRY.

When you need a break from all the shopping in GK, give Londoners a try. It won’t disappoint you.

Cost for two- Rs. 1500

Address- GK-1, M Block Market (In the lane opposite to Starbucks)

Contact No.- 01133105812

Posted on May 23, 2016

Bilal Hotel

Bilal Hotel – Matia Mahal lane, Jama Masjid

Ayushi Mathur

The Mughal Empire is known for its grandeur reflected by the larger than life architecture, the flamboyant culture and the eclectic artistry. The Mughal emperors also brought with them the fascination for a rich and diverse cuisine, which led to the conception of a variety of dishes that are popular even today. One of the dishes that originated during the last Mughal Sultanate is called Nihari, a slow cooked beef stew eaten for breakfast. First developed in the late eighteenth century, Nihari was a favourite among the Nawabs. It was part of the meal eaten after the Fajr prayer or the Morning Prayer followed by a long nap. Today, Nihari is served mostly in the Old Delhi area, specifically in the restaurants around Jama Masjid and is eaten for lunch and dinner as well.

Located in the Matia Mahal lane, near Jama Masjid is a restaurant known for its delicious Nihari that takes almost 12 hours to cook. For the first few hours the Nihari is cooked on low flame in a large vessel followed by smoking of the dish, popularly called dum for 3-4 hours. The preparation for Nihari served at the restaurant in the morning starts the previous evening and takes the entire night to cook. Served with Khameeri Roti, the Nihari at Bilal proves to be a hearty meal priced at only Rs. 45. Topped with fresh green chillies, the Nihari has tender, succulent pieces of meat in viscous gravy, which is not very spicy. The Khameeri roti is made with Rawa Maida and has a slightly different texture as compared to the regular Tandoori roti. The best part about the Nihari is the boneless pieces of meat that taste delish with the roti. This meal is so fulfilling that the Nihari gets over by 4 pm every day.

The restaurant was established by Mr. Mohammed Bilal in 1990 and has been serving lip-smacking chicken and mutton dishes to its patrons since. Just as Nihari, chicken korma and beef korma are two dishes equally appreciated by the locals. Every meal is very economically priced providing an extraordinary culinary experience for a reasonable amount of money. Thus, this joint is bliss for mutton lovers.

Address: Bilal, Matia Mahal lane, Urdu Bazaar

Cost for two: Rs. 200