Conceptually Yours!

Cashing in on the latest international trend of the ‘Concept Restaurant’ are a host of interesting eateries in the Delhi NCR where everything from themed restaurants to ones where you can buy the furniture are drawing in those seeking to dine with a difference. 

By Raul Dias

Plum by Bentchair
The idea behind the inception of this unique conceptual restaurant is truly an interesting one! The product of a collaboration between a hospitality and a furniture brand, Plum, India’s first true ‘retail restaurant’ offers people the option of buying whatever catches their fancy in the breathtakingly beautiful and eclectic space nestled in city’s plush Aerocity super hub. From the furniture to the lights to the plates, everything is on sale. From the design aspect, the entire restaurant is a display area of different collections and is all about the small details, which are colourful, kitsch (in a good way!) and eye-catching. Every dimension is well-kept and blends into each other rather than being distinctive. As for the food, the Pan-Asian cuisine menu is replete with everything from the smoked eel nigiri to the crispy Thai lotus root and the spicy Cantonese barbeque chicken bao. With the striking, blue butterfly pea flower as the newest rage on the Indian dining scene, here too one can find the Thai ingredient in Plum’s iteration of crispy garlic fried rice with edamame. And for those still craving some sushi, the very innovative Nutella banana sushi seeks to remedy that.
The Walk, Worldmark 2, Aerocity, New Delhi-110037
Tel: 091-7303156444

Nueva
As Delhi’s first Peruvian cuisine restaurant, Nueva which means “new” in Spanish is pushing the boundaries as far as the city’s burgeoning concept restaurant scene is concerned. It does this to enormous success with both its stylish look and with its rather unfamiliar and exotic food offerings. The restaurant’s sophisticated, dark toned interiors and art deco accents are well-distributed between its three zones of the downstairs bar, the main dining hall and the angular 12-person private dining room on the first floor. Besides the strong presence of the expected Pervuian classics like shrimp and scallop ceviches and sushis—that reference the unique Japanese-Peruvian blend that’s known as Nikkei cuisine—there are also plenty of other Latin American dishes and drinks on the menu. From assados to dishes like the castila and saltado de carne, all bring that Latino flare to the experimental diner. Nueva even does a 12-course degustation menu where you can sample small portions of its menu’s top dishes.
Ground floor, Sangam Courtyard, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110022
Tel: 011-65568382/9266668382
 

Unplugged Courtyard
Channelling the chilled-out vibe that transports you straight to the climes of Goa right in the heart of Gurgaon’s precinct of Udyog Vihar, this conceptual restaurant is welcoming, intimate and quite effortlessly dramatic. All that’s missing is the feel of the waves lapping at your toes! The space is understatedly elegant and generously spaced over 15,000 square feet spanning two levels, boasting of a terrace area, a secret garden and a quirky full-scale mock double decker bus that give the place a distinctly ‘comfy’ feel, without ever seeming over-designed. One of the few restaurants in this part of the NCR to offer daily, live acoustic music, Unplugged Courtyard truly lives up to its ‘unplugged’ concept. Offering up an eclectic mix of Indian, pan-Asian and Italian cuisine, the menu is designed and executed by ex-Noma, Copenhagen chef, Akshay Bhardwaj. Here, one can expect to experimental creations like duck kulchas and the atta chicken that’s baked whole covered by banana leave and a sealed with dough along with some beautifully presented drinks to sip on. 
No 9 Convenience Shopping Complex, Phase II, Udyog Vihar, Sector 20, Gurgaon-122012
Tel: 091-9319892965

Le Cirque 
Literally meaning ‘The Circus’, the concept-driven Le Cirque is all about the fun and the whimsical set in a chic and sophisticated atmosphere. From the beautifully-appointed bar lounge and the three spacious dining rooms to the alfresco seating with breath-taking views of New Delhi’s majestic Diplomatic Enclave, the 144-seat restaurant is drama personified. Even the exquisite porcelain Bernardaud tableware with its balloon motif mirror the restaurant’s playful side. As for the food, each of the items offered remain true to the Le Cirque vision of classic, yet innovative French-Italian cuisine. Signature dishes include seafood classics like the turbot àla grenoblaise where the fish is served with cauliflower, lemon, capers and almonds and the paupiette of black cod. For afters indulge in the two must-haves—cannoli and the floating island ‘Le Cirque’.           
The Leela Palace New Delhi, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi-110023
Tel: 011-39331220

Swad
Bringing an interesting desi twist to the NCR’s new-found conceptual dining scene is this all-vegetarian multicuisine restaurant that serves dishes with a quirky spin to them. Imbued with plenty of kitschy elements, the contemporary-meets-Irani cafe inspired décor of the restaurant gives it a casual and relaxed vibe. Here you can tuck into interestingly presented dishes like the masala paneer slider that is injected with makhani gravy, the aloo-wadi curry that comes to the table in a small red pressure cooker or the kulhad wale palak chole chawal that’s served upside down. From the menu’s western and Asian sections, you can pick from Indianised renditions of everything from Mexican chimichanga rolls to the spicy Bangkok Manchurian bowl—never mind the geographical inaccuracies of the words ‘Bangkok’ and ‘Manchurian’ put together in the same sentence!
43, Ground Floor, Chiranjivi Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019
Tel: 091-9821524232


Enter, the concept nightclub!
Toy Room 
Riding the coattails of the concept restaurant boom in the Delhi NCR is this very unique ‘concept nightclub’. With a cuddly teddy bear named ‘Frank’ as its mascot, this 400-seater place is filled with children’s toys and other fun imagery—all in an entertaining, high-octane setting, bringing a subtle innocence to some hardcore partying. The interiors of Toy Room are chic, yet vibrant and quirky. The grand entrance lobby housed with a special merchandise area is dominated by a whimsical rendition of the classic last supper painting. Meander through the narrow passage leading to the main hall which is a L-shaped space with a huge curvilinear island bar serving a range of libations. Interestingly, for a nightclub, the food on offer here is an excellent selection of tapas style, small plates of sushis, dimsum and one of the best iterations of a simple pizza margherita you’ll ever have in the NCR.               
ALOFT Hotel Aerocity, Aerocity, New Delhi- 110037
Tel: 091-9953137673

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the April 2019 issue of Jetwings in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

A-N-A-T-O-M-I-Z-E: Atta Chicken

By Raul Dias

The idea of rich, buttery pastry encasing a succulent piece of meat is represented to great culinary success by two of my all-time favourite dishes—the French poultry wonder that is poulet en croute and the very British dish of lamb wellington. It also finds itself (albeit, handled a tad differently) in another dish I’d wage war for i.e. parda biryani! Unlike the earlier two western preparations, where the ‘croute’ or pastry covering the meat is meant to be eaten, the ‘parda’ draping the Awadhi-style biryani, made up of a thick sheet of rolled whole wheat flour, is discarded to reveal the fragrant rice preparation within.
On a recent trip to the Delhi NCR, I encountered a very interesting preparation that had elements of both styles baked right into it. The atta chicken at Unplugged Courtyard Gurgaon is a succulent, spiced whole chicken wrapped in a dough made from wheat flour and then baked. Chef Akshay Bhardwaj, the restaurant’s corporate chef who has in the past worked at Chef René Redzepi’s two-Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, came up with the idea of blending these two very different, yet strangely similar techniques to create one single dish.
Using a mixture of aromatic spices like ground cardamom, black stone flower, the ubiquitous garam masala, with raw mango and lemon rind powders thrown in for a tangy hit, the chicken is marinated overnight along with hung curd. To seal in its moisture, it is then seared off in a hot tandoor oven for a few minutes.
But before that all-important layer of wet atta covers the whole bird, a sheathing of banana leaves is used to give the dish a unique taste. Designed to keep in the juices, the atta covering is scored in a hedgehog pattern and the chicken is baked in an oven for 20 minutes at 180˚C. Once at the table, the baked dough seal is broken to reveal its steamy contents that are a treat to each one of the senses…

(An edited version of this column first appeared in the 3rd February 2019 issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu/20190203/283420602870802)

Where Indulgence Meets Style!

From the subtle elegance of an elaborate, multi-course Japanese feast to experimental riffs on Indian and Thai cuisine and a whole lot more in between, Delhi NCR has an impressive selection of fine dining restaurants. We bring you a serving of the top places in the capital to enjoy a stylish and indulgent meal at.  

By Raul Dias

Megu
Imbued with a sense of subtle elegance, combined with delectable modern Japanese cuisine, world class service and cutting-edge yet serene aesthetics, Megu at The Leela Palace New Delhi is your best fine dine bet for an elevated Japanese meal experience in the city. Take your pick from a curated menu that comprises of dishes like the hamachi carpaccio, and the sublime Megu original crispy asparagus, each presented in a specially-designed handcrafted bowl inspired by the dish itself. Besides being the first and only restaurant in the city to offer sparkling sake, the wine list at Megu is impressive with nearly 400 labels including some of the world’s best like Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Richebourg and Petrus among others that perfectly complement the culinary odyssey on offer.

The Leela Palace New Delhi, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi-110023
Tel: 011-39331360

Indian Accent
The plaudits that this iconic, Modern Indian fine dining haven has amassed over the years are staggering. Chief among these is the fact that Indian Accent at The Lodhi has been securing a top spot on San Pellegrino’s list of Asia’s top 50 restaurants for years. With the celebrated Chef Manish Mehrotra at the helm of things, expect a multi-sensory roller-coaster ride punctuated with experimental dishes like the sublime duck khurchan that is presented in a cornetto-like cone with chilli chutney and the crisp tandoori naans that are indulgently stuffed with blue cheese. And the setting? Contemporary chic at its finest!      

The Lodhi, Lodhi Road, Pragati Vihar, New Delhi-110003
Tel: 011-66175151

Bo Tai

Just like the clever play on words that make up its unusual name, Bo Tai is a fine dining contemporary Thai cuisine restaurant with a twist. Neatly halved into two distinct zones by a graceful peepul tree, the dark wood- and glass-clad space offers a beautiful glimpse of the city’s famed Qutub Minar. But it’s certainly not all about the stunning space that Bo Tai inhabits. Its scrumptious fare on offer does its own bidding. Expect to be won over by dishes like the experimental carpaccio of scallops served with a lychee sorbet and the more de rigueur massaman chicken curry along with a whole palate-pleasing range of modern Thai dishes.

6/4, Kalka Das Marg, Mehrauli Road, New Delhi-110030
Tel: 091-9870587770

La Brezza
Neatly perched next to a lush golf course, La Brezza the two-storey fine dining Italian restaurant at the Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort is conceptualised as a traditional fine dining Italian restaurant with a modern twist. Along with its wine bar ‘Enoteca’, La Brezza creates an intimate setting accentuated with soft mood lighting. Endowing the palate with fine, authentic Italian flavours, the menu boasts of dishes like the paper-thin carpaccio di tonno of sashimi quality tuna, the pan-seared prawns gamberetti piccanti and the lightly fried buffalo mozzarella spiked with tangy tomato sauce make up a delicious trio of different flavours and textures for the antipasti, while mains like the roasted lobster with a pomegranate sauce, served on a bed of buttered asparagus is decadence personified.

Jaypee Greens Golf and Spa Resort, G Block, Surajpur Kasna Road, Noida-201306
Tel: 0120-6743000

Jamavar
With its name borrowed from the famous artisanal jamavar shawls of Kashmir, the Indian cuisine fine dining restaurant Jamavar carries on the centuries-old saga of elegance and drama that forms the core elements of the distinctive cooking styles and rituals of India’s ancient nobility. All this in a setting dominated by hand carved wooden screens and decorative jamavars of gold and silverwork that are set against the entrance. Here you get to experience innovative dining with a culinary passion that spans the entire spectrum of Indian cuisine. The signature dishes at Jamavar include the subtle yogurt and garam masala-rich tandoori jhinga, the coriander-mint-curry leaf marinated murg ki chaap and mains like the nizami tarkari biryani that’s cooked on dum and the emerald-hued spinach all-time favourite palak paneer. End this culinary journey with dessert in the form of the signature Jamavar mishtan which is the delicious sum of its rose petal ice cream, almond halwa and khajoor ka khaja parts!    

The Leela Palace New Delhi, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi-110023
Tel: 011- 39331280

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the October 2018 issue of  Go-Getter, the in-flight magazine of Go Airways) 

Eating Out-Gurugram Style!

No longer relegated to merely being a satellite city of India’s capital New Delhi, Gurugram is one of the most happening places in the NCR with everything from a bustling business district to a dynamic eating out scene. Tapping into the latter, we bring you a serving of six such hotspots that each bestow onto this city some serious bragging rights as a newly-minted foodie haven.  

By Raul Dias

Amaranta
Pushing the culinary envelope further and further over the last few years with its unexpected pairings and presentations—all resulting in a thoroughly modern Indian dining experience—is Amaranta. This fine dining restaurant at The Oberoi Gurgaon is all about celebrating a menu that explores palates and pairings using authentic Indian flavours in a progressive way. Called the ‘play-ted menu’, here one encounters dishes like Indian Ocean lobster sorshe served with an imaginative avocado tartare, the banana leaf sea bass, pumpkin cappuccino or perhaps the chickpea flour cake with onion fritters that takes Indian cuisine to a whole new level. And the setting is no less experimental with its floor-to-ceiling windows that let in natural light and overlook a reflection pool that runs alongside the restaurant.

The Oberoi Gurgaon, 443, Udyog Vihar, Phase V, Gurugram
Tel: 0124- 2451234

Elemenopi
This onomatopoeic sounding restaurant with a wildly eclectic menu offering is the latest global gastronomical venture in Gurugram’s swanky One Horizon Centre. It takes you on a gourmet voyage across countries less travelled. With its tagline ‘Belly Well-Travelled’, this rather experimental dining place is full of exciting offerings for lovers of good food and drinks. The menu cruises around over 10 exotic countries and brings to you some of their iconic delicacies such as mahjouba, skampi na buzaru, cevapi and tuna Nicoise from Algeria, Croatia, Bosnia, and France respectively! Coming from the guys at the The Beer Café chain of restobars, Elemenopi’s prowess in the alco-beverage segment is imperative. It stocks more than 50 varieties of beers from more than 20 countries, apart from the largest collection of wines, cocktails, and other spirits in the city.

Plaza level, One Horizon Centre, DLF Phase 5, Gurugram
Tel: 0124-2575036

Pra Pra Prank
Occupying prime position at Gurugram’s restaurant ‘Ground Zero’—the DLF Cyber Hub—Pra Pra Prank caters to the palate of the comfort seeker and the gourmand alike. Claiming to be the first ‘Playful Brasserie’ in India, this three-month old restobar is all about a menu that is non-conformist and quirky, dotted with dishes that make it a delight for food lovers. From the modern take on universal favourites like karpao chicken fried rice to novel Asian delights like the rainbow sushi to interesting mains like the grilled whole lobster, and the pork belly skewers with kalonji raw mango relish, all are addictive and great accompaniments to innovative drinks like the Japanese negroni and the pop-corn flavoured prohibition pop up cocktail. All this, in a stylish, yet quirkily done up space that features a live sushi bar and an open kitchen.

Shop No. 24, DLF Cyber Hub, DLF Phase 2, Sector 24, Gurugram
Tel: +91-959996582/9599965292

Nagai
Nagai is Japanese for longevity. A Japanese restaurant with roots in Ibiza, this contemporary Japanese restaurant and sake bar is a recent addition to the Gurugram dining out scene. The cuisine here is essentially Japanese with signature dishes that combine Thai, Mediterranean and even Mexican influences. Start with Japanese inspired tapas that go from classic steamed edamame to crispy pork and aubergine skewers. The starters showcase Japanese classics like salmon and tuna tartar with vegan choices like caramelized lotus root with soya and sesame. Sushi being the signature at Nagai, indulge yourself with everything from himachi sashimi to maguro nigiri and uramaki rolls. Mains here are a procession of highly nuanced dishes like, a hearty Japanese curry chicken and even a few Thai dishes thrown in for good measure. But take some time and look at the well-done up space at Nagai. The walls of the restaurant reflect enthralling artwork by Fin DAC, an Irish urban street artist, based in London, who makes large murals of masked women with fashionable style, with an emphasis on their beauty.

#305, Ground Floor, Sector 29, Behind Pllazio Hotel, Gurugram
Tel: +91-9958022300

Prankster
Brimming with an unbridled feeling of youthful energy thanks to its campus like theme, the playful Prankster is a cool-n-casual first-storied restaurant to hang out at with a menu that’s anything but casual. The cuisine here is best described as ‘progressive nostalgic’ where the chefs attempt to fuse numerous indigenous dishes with contemporary techniques and a twist. Expect to find dishes like the choley kulche doughnut which is served with a gaajar achaar mousse, sambhar cappuccino and the nitro dahi bhalla savoury ice cream that not only evoke childhood memories but gives the diner of today a creative and innovative experience which one won’t forget in a hurry. Choose to spend your evening seated at one of the many campus zones like the library, the mixology lab, the amphitheatre or perhaps at the hostel room that is perfect for a private party with its bunker beds and study tables!

8-9-10, Sector 29, Main Market, Gurugram
Tel: 0124-4266653

Pirates of Grill
Just a few years old and already Pirates of Grill is proving to be a magnet for those seeking out a fine dining bar-be-que concept along with a full buffet. Imagine juicy, succulent grills cooking at your own table, and food that keeps coming until your tummy surrenders! Their innovative offerings at unbeatable prices, have made this family-style restaurant a runaway success in Gurugram. Here, one can choose from an assortment of international kabab delicacies and make your own bar-be-que at the table itself. The global cuisine buffet on offer here gives you an option to indulge yourself in around 16 starters, 12 main course dishes and a live dessert counter. One can also enjoy their signatures like the Brazilian Churasco and Moroccan grills along with the fiendishly popular skewered pineapple that’s both sweet and savoury at the same time.   

Shop No. 7-10, MGF Mega City Mall, MG Road, A Block, DLF Sector 28, Gurugram
Tel: 0124-4013333

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the July 2018 issue of  Go-Getter, the in-flight magazine of Go Airways)