Friday 6 December 2013

RESTAURANT REVIEW: IMPERFECTO, HKV

For when you want to release your inner hipster


What do you think of hipsters? I ask because Imperfecto with its suspended 2 wheeler at the entrance and beaten, repurposed wood interiors is definitely hipster. The laudable thing is that it transcends that dubious distinction to be a very good restaurant.

Looks Like

So when I tell you the place is super hipster you’re rolling your eyes at me because that’s what all of HKV is aspiring to, right? What sets Imperfecto apart from the rest is the scale at which they’ve implemented these aspirations. By village standards the place is massive – 2 whole floors and a multilevel balcony/terrace. The owners have clearly taken their time to dot their i’s and cross their t’s before opening. They’re also usually present on most evenings, keeping a hawk eye on the premises which makes me, as an admirer of detail oriented, micro-managers, very happy.

I understand they initially hired a design firm to do the place up but when they were dissatisfied with the results they tore it all down and started from scratch. Their commitment is clearly visible in what is one of HKV’s most visually impressive restaurants.

The walls are weathered and painted different colours, there’s an eclectic collection of knick knacks flung around the place in interesting ways and unusual design elements in every corner. Literally. My favourite is an installation of books tumbling out of a box. The indoors is fun but if the weather allows it, I would recommend sitting out in the grassy balcony. If you’re in a group try the cabana style seating on the terrace.

 
TASTES LIKE

Imperfecto primarily serves Italian and Spanish food and does a good job of it. The highlight of their menu are their grills. If you’re on the balcony you can watch your food being grilled fresh in front of you – try a seafood platter with the lightly seasoned, succulent jumbo prawns. Their pizzas are also worth trying, very thin with heaps of well sourced and obviously fresh toppings. Get their deliciously, strong red wine sangria pitcher as an accompaniment and you’ll have everything you need for a memorable evening. To add to the happy homey vibe, I love the cheerful chef who bustles around with samples of different food making small talk with patrons.

They also have hummus and other mediocre Mediterranean suspects but these are too ordinary for the price you’ll be paying. I wish they’d just get rid of the ho-hum Mediterranean menu, they have plenty left to choose from without it. Similarly Imperfecto’s dessert options are pretty limited and seem to be outsourced. If they fix their dessert menu, it would be wonderful to sit out in their balcony on winter evenings with a portion of coffee and cake. Till then I'll just make do with pizza and sangria.


FEELS LIKE

The place is so busy most evenings that even with the best intentions the staff looks like it’s struggling to contain the crowds. This is another reason why I recommend the outdoor seating, the inside can get annoyingly noisy. I love that they’ve started using the space for live music acts and the performances they set up look like a lot of fun. Just keep in mind it can get pretty choc a bloc.

At this rate, it looks like TLR’s mantle has been usurped by the quirky Imperfecto. Small hiccups aside this is a great, unexpectedly reliable place to head to in HKV.
 

Should you go: Absolutely.
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Liquor License: Yes
Smoking Area: Yes
Address:  1A/1 Hauz Khas Village
Phone: 011 41090093
 

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