DIVE BAR REVIEW: 4S

For lawyers, gossip and comfort

 

Dive bars are really hard to review because their appeal is so hard to explain. I usually comment on décor, food and service, 3 things you're probably not going to find at 4S. But that becomes a case of judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree. Anyway the people who frequent the place wont be dissuaded by my post and those who don't can't be tortured into it. So I'm not going to use my usual format for 4S, instead here's a bullet point list on how to navigate the place.

 

1. The answer to any question you may have at 4S is to keep drinking.

 

2. The guy at the next table did just use the term heteronormativity twice in one sentence.  Keep drinking.

 

3. If you must order food restrict yourself to the Masala Peanuts or anything dry, chicken and fried. I strongly recommend you keep drinking.

 

4. Do not embarrass yourself by trying to order an Appletini or anything which has more than 2 ingredients (i.e., booze + coke). They do an unexpectedly good Bloody Mary though.

 

5. Someone may or may not have spotted a dead rat in the girl's loo. Let's not make a thing of it. Keep drinking.

 

6. Be nice to the staff, they're worth it.

 

4S is testament to the old adage that you can't argue with destiny. Defence Colony Market is full up with cheap drinking holes with crappy bar food but the universe keeps us all coming back to 4S.   
  

PRODUCT REVIEW: JUGMUG THELA - ARTISANAL TEAS AND COFFEE

 

There’s more than one chaiwala gaining social currency in the capital these days. Jiten Suchede decided to put his talents as a designer to unexpected use by cobbling pallets into a makeshift thela that serves exceptional tea and coffee across the city.

 

Disgruntled by the step motherly treatment being meted out to tea shops in a city increasingly invested in café culture, Jiten decided to make the chai ki dukaan relevant again. Metamorphosing that run down, unglamorous fixture of our youth into a charming mobile dispensary of teas, {surprisingly} coffees, and homemade snacks, so Delhiites can reconsider rushing into impersonal coffee chains and reconvene at their favourite artisanal chaiwala.

 

 

Stop by for a cup of tea, a refreshing Vietnamese Iced Coffee, or the fiery Mattha. Unfortunately, till Jiten sets up his café, we have no option but to chase him down at the various exhibitions that’ll sprout up across the capital this winter. If you’re too lazy to bother, Foodcloud and Jaypore will home deliver you some Jugmug!

 

Making the conventional chai ki dukaan, relevant again, Jugmug Thela serves up teas, coffees and homemade snacks. Till they set up shop, catch them at exhibitions around the capital, or order online.

 

Follow them on Facebook page, here.

Shop online, here.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: MI FOOD CENTRE

For amazing kebabs. And that's all that matters.

 

I have a love hate relationship with Meharchand Market. I know the India we inhabit, the one with food blogs, holidays abroad and instagram accounts isn't the one everyone gets but nowhere is that more obvious than at Meharchand. Just a few years ago, the place was overrun by small tailoring units with a semi-slum in the back. The tailoring units are gone. The slum remains. Almost every store opened after I moved to this city and the poverty persists, side by side. Fancy cupcakeries with pretty glass doors that are smudged with the hand prints of street children looking in. Pretentious French restaurants with half naked babies sleeping unattended on the sidewalk in front covered with flies. You can stand on the doorstep of a foofy boutique and actually feel you have each foot on a different planet.  Every time I go back there are fewer tailors and more stores peddling Indian kitsch. The restaurant scene has also really taken off but I'm not fan. Elma's is bizarrely structured, Café 88 is pretty much a total bust, Chez Nini gets mixed reviews and after a bad first impression I haven't ventured back. The only place I liked was Bagel's Café which has now been replaced with something called "Tikka Town." In the middle of this blossoming identity crisis, MI Food Centre stands solid, watching fads fade in and out while serving out super kebabs.

 

 

Looks Like

Nobody here has the patience for frills or frippery - the place is clean and efficient without a single bit or bauble to distract you. This austerity extends to not having any seating space so either stand on the sidewalk or get your kebabs to go.

 

Tastes Like

A friend of mine recently had a facebook status that read "It's blasphemous to diet in Delhi, the city that makes the best aloo paranthas and butter chicken, the city that hosts Nathu's and Karim's." In addition to these temptations the average Delhi-ite must also resist the charms of, amongst others, all day happy hours, kebabs/ rolls, biryani and chole kulche which threaten every minute to destroy any attempt at restraint or dieting. It's no wonder I managed to pile on 10 kilograms within months of moving here.

What can I say about the kebabs, rolls and other meaty joy at MI Food Centre? The meat quality is breathtaking and the cooks clearly know what they're doing. Spiced, juicy, succulent (yes, succulent - what can I do I know the word is overused but it's apt here!) morsels of meat, there isn't a weak link in the menu because this isn't that kind of place. These guys aren't "trying," "experimenting," "having fun with flavors." This is real. This is proof that if you have quality ingredients and know, really intrinsically, deeply, experientially know how to cook them, you don't need gimmicks and logos. Hell you don't even need chairs.

Try the transcendental Mutton Seekh, the inspired Chicken Tikka (with butter - the butter makes this chicken butterier than the butteriest butter chicken you've ever tasted. I swear, don't skip the butter), the skillfully Roasted Chicken or the over the top Changezi Chicken with Khamiri Roti.

 

Feels Like

Standing on the street while hungry customers milled around me, this is one of the more memorable meals I've had in a while. As a food blogger I eat out all the time and I sometimes find myself becoming jaded. It was nice to go back to a place that focused solely on making good food. Clearly (and hearteningly) most people seem to concur, the establishment only opens up in the evenings and people flock there every day. The portions are generous and would make great party snacks.

I love my cafes and bistros but I can't help but feel relics like MI Food Centre, with only their food to speak for them, without slick PR teams and jazzy interiors need more of our love and attention.

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: CAFE LOTA

For celebrating a great idea

 

It's been about a month and a half since I've witnessed pleasant weather in Delhi so when it rained recently I ran out of the door before the humidity had a chance to catch up. Airy, semi-open Café Lota is the perfect spot to enjoy a good weather day in the capital.

 

 

Looks Like

Refreshingly minimalistic, the space is demarcated by jute screens and houses little more than simple tables and chairs with the occasional terracotta knick knack. Set up outside the National Crafts Museum, the café is a favorite of design students doing research and lawyers who loiter after court. Adjoining the space is the charming museum gift shop. While the nets of jute offer playful peeks of sunlight during the winter, they can't hold off the blazing summer sun and so go only when the weather cooperates.

 

 

Tastes Like

I'd heard great things about Lota but wasn't prepared for how much individual character the menu has. Indian classics are reinterpreted in playful and unexpected ways - the dishes reminiscent of the inventiveness of Indian Accent at a tenth of the price.

I loved the Palak Patta Chaat (Crispy Spinach Leaves, Potatoes and Chick Peas topped with spiced Yoghurt and Chutneys). I was expecting a Papdi Chaat with spinach and was totally fascinated by the batter fried spinach leaves that paired perfectly with the cool yoghurt mix. Also amazing are the Mini Rava Idlis (Molgapodi), which is basically a dozen mini idlis tossed with pungent, orange molgapodi and served with coconut chutney. Highly recommended and a priority on my wishlist for my next visit is the Beetroot Chop with Cream Cheese.

 

The mains were impossibly hard to choose, all the options looked so good and I eventually settled on the Parsi Salli Boti (Boneless Goat in a Sweet and Sour Tomato based Gravy topped with Potato Straws). The curry was appropriately rich with a generous helping of crispy fried potato. Whilst usually served with parathas, I preferred pairing the curry with appam to add more tang to the otherwise mild Boti.

 

If you have a sweet tooth, don't skip dessert. I really liked (and my companion nearly passed out over) the Bhapa Doi Cheesecake (Sweetened Steamed Yoghurt on a Crunchy Biscuit Base topped with Almonds and Pistachios). If you're not up for a whole meal stop by for a Bel Sherbet or a cup of a single estate artisanal coffees or a sport of a single estate specialty tea.

 

 

Feels Like

 

In my head Café Lota is a cross between the laid back charm and prices of Gunpowder at its best and the whimsy and imagination of the food at Indian Accent. Considering the phenomenal success the café's enjoyed I hope the appropriate authorities get their act together and start equivalent cafés at the other lovely museums we have in Delhi.  

 

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: THE COLONY BISTRO, KAILASH COLONY

For a quick bite in Kailash Colony

 

I understand this Colony Bistro is a branch of the Colony Bistro at Amar Colony. I've never been to the original but this tiny offshoot is a sweet place to catch a bite if you're in the neighborhood. There's no real reason to go to the Colony Bistro considering Kailash Colony Market also has Big Chill which tends to monopolize the Italian/Continental food supply of Delhi. The market has lots of other more established eating options as well and the Colony Bistro isn't going to be awarded break out restaurant of the year but it's cute, new, pleasant and worth a try.

Looks Like

This place is adorable, there are 8 chairs in total though I doubt more than 5 full grown adults could squeeze in at a time. It's clean and cheerful but I can't think of more to write about a space the size of a king sized bed.

Tastes Like

I walked in time for brunch and ordered the Eggs Benedict (English Muffin with Poached Eggs, Bacon and Hollandaise Sauce). The English muffin was unexpectedly sweet (might have been an actual muffin) and the hollandaise goopy - the kind of quality you'd expect from a good home chef. The technical details might need to be sorted out but in broad strokes the food is tasty. The same goes for the lemonade and the Millionaire Brownie Shake which reminded me of a shake my brother and I used to make out of milk, Toblerone, Kit Kat bars and ice cream.

Also available are sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and pasta.

Feels Like

Service isn't particularly quick - the guys are bumbling but earnest.

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: AL BAKE, NEW FRIENDS COLONY MARKET

For the wackiest shawarma (and the honey chilli potato)

 

I don’t know of any other eatery that's so popular for just one dish. One singular snack is Al Bake’s hallmark. The Chicken Shawarma. Unlike other shawarmas the rolls here are slender, cut into tiny bites and made of a thin romali roti stuffed with spicy chicken mince. The unexpected accompaniment to this oddball interpretation of a shawarma is a generous dollop of creamy mayonnaise manufactured in-house. It doesn’t sound like much until you order it and realize you’ve inhaled a couple of rolls without bothering with niceties like chewing or breathing. These hot off the pan chicken parcels make for a satisfyingly soft, spicy bite. If you’re vegetarian, you can bask in the golden glory of Al Bake’s Honey Chilli Potatoes – crispy, sweet, spicy, and perfect. Forget Lays, and their idiotic new flavors, the phrase no one can eat just one fits Al Bake far better. They've got "Manchurian" and "Mughlai" on their menu but their hottest seller is the shawarma.

 

 

 The place has no décor – it’s just a bunch of tables and chairs which in itself isn’t a problem but NFC Market is filthy so I wouldn’t blame you if you just wanted to order these in. They don’t store very well though so make sure you get them in your mouth asap. This won't be hard.

RESTAURANT REVIEW: KERALA FOOD CHANNEL

For lazy Sundays

 

 

Delhi is accused of many things but diversity isn’t usually one of them. People seem to imagine us as a horde of muscle tees, swigging whisky and gorging on butter chicken. All of which I wholeheartedly endorse but we aren’t as predictable as that. Set aside the butter naan and check out some of the unexpectedly authentic (and delicious) Mallu food being served up in this city. The proof, as they say, is in the parotha.

 

LOOKS LIKE

 

Keeping the old guard of Mallu eateries like Kerala Hotel at INA Market and the unnamed joint in Gowtham Nagar, good company is the unassuming Kerala Food Channel. Nestled into a bylane of Kalkaji, the place only has 3 tables – the single page menu and service are equally fuss free. Since they don’t have air conditioning and these guys aren’t really into “decor” I wouldn’t blame you for just ordering in and eating in the cool comfort of your home.

 

TASTES LIKE 

The menu is a lovely single sheet offering dosa, uttapam and various curries. In the spirit of full disclosure I need to explain that I love short menus, life already involves making too many decisions for my taste without someone trying to paralyze at me at lunch with a menu that doubles as an encyclopedia of global cuisine. The portions are very generous and I doubt I could finish any one dish myself. I tried the chicken curry/ egg curry and set dosas - the curries are explosive, and appropriately paired with the faintly sour and yeasty slab of dosa. If you’re really hungry try the Kerala Meals which come with a shot of rasam, a bowlful of tart sambhar and a couple of vegetable dishes. Dedicated carnivores will want to order the off menu buff fry, the meat so rigorously and ruthlessly spiced and fried it’s almost too much to handle.

FEELS LIKE

Though so basic in terms of infrastructure, Kerala Food Channel is one of the few places I’ve eaten at recently without fear of picking up a stomach bug – each dish is scalding, straight off the stove and into your plate. To cool off after, get yourself a Chickoo Shake or freshly squeezed fruit juice at Chawla Juice and Shakes Corner next door. Order yourself the chicken curry and set dosa on a lazy Sunday when you can spend the rest of the afternoon sleeping off the effects of the fireworks that went off in your mouth.

 
 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: CHINA FARE, KHAN MARKET

For those who'll never get over Chinjabi

Restaurants like all public spaces are more than a simple sum of their parts. It isn’t just about adding up the quality of the food, the service and the décor. As every restaurateur and devoted patron knows, the brick and mortar of these spaces acts as a repository of memories, emotion and culture. If the place lasts long enough, its sense of identity becomes so strong, the feeling of its time so immediate, it rushes at you when you walk in through the door. China Fare has been around for a while.

 

 

Looks like

In the 7 years I’ve been going to Khan Market almost the whole market has changed. The only things keeping me from throwing myself into the Ship of Theseus conundrum are a couple of old stores, Chonas and China Fare. Absolutely nothing about this place has changed since I walked in for lunch as a litigation intern in my third year of law school. But there’s nothing that’s broken and nothing that really needs to be fixed. One wall has a soothing minimalistic lotus mural on lovely turquoise background and the other has a mirror. The place is basically a short corridor that can barely squeeze 2 tables in side by side, and there are always happy customers inside.

 

 

Tastes Like

I’ve never really had a taste for Chinese food, authentic or otherwise, but even my instinctive distaste doesn’t keep me from recognizing that China Fare is really owning the whole Chinese via Chandni Chowk act. The menu is all you would expect from a Chinese restaurant set up in the 80s with deep fried everything, chowmein, chop suey and sizzlers. My personal favourites include the over the top Roast Pork Chilly (Dry), the relatively calmer Chicken Noodle Soup and the crackling Chicken Spring Rolls. If you’re really hungry and nostalgic dive into the American Chop Suey with a sunny side egg up top.

Nuanced and delicate are not words that come to mind at China Fare, this is just a wallop of in your face backed by the weight of sophisticated ingredients like ketchup and soya sauce.

 

 

Feels Like

You could easily condescend towards this little Chinjabi hole in the wall but that’d be missing the forest for the trees. China Fare is an institution people have been turning up to for years. They manage to keep their tables full even without a liquor license. Its every bowl of generously salted food is a throwback to times when upcoming restaurants proudly displayed Manchurian on their menus. Maybe the next generation will grow up eating authentic Chinese food. If they never know our interpretation, that’ll be a damn shame.

Should you go: I say yes!

Vegetarian Options: Yes
Liquor License: No
Smoking Area: No
Address: 27A, Khan Market, New Delhi, India
Phone: 011 24618602, +91 9811705505

RESTAURANT REVIEW: THE EMBASSY, CONNAUGHT PLACE

For a blast from the past.

 

It's not a door. It's a kind of teleportation device.

Walking into this place is like being transported back in time to the mid 80s. Or at least what I imagine the mid 80s to be like since I was only born in the late 80s myself. At 12:30 on Friday afternoon the place is packed and there’s nobody here under the age of 55. Maybe not mid 80s - mid 70s? Deep fried snacks and endless cups of tea are being served up by the kilogram and retired bureaucrats are stuffing their faces with abandon.
 

I have (as usual) missed breakfast so I’m in the mood for a heavy, Indian lunch.

 

And a heavy Indian meal is what I got.

Looks Like

 

The place clearly has not been renovated in the recent past since no designer has acknowledged this aesthetic in the last 25 years. Don’t get me wrong, it is crazy outdated but clean and perfectly well maintained. The design scheme is pretty much just plain walls and wooden furniture so I guess there was little havoc time could wreck. On the other hand the place makes me feel nostalgic which is more than good enough if the food is good. And the food is good.

 



Retired bureaucrats. Got to love them.



 Tastes Like

 

The menu (along with everything else about the place) is a relic of the past. Meat and butter explosions like the Bombe de Moscowa and Chicken a la Kiev are served along side equally indulgent Indian foods like the classic Butter Chicken and the rich, spicy Rara Meat. I imagine the chef is an old man who’s been handling this menu for years, it’s not up scale and he knows little subtlety but if you like this kind of food, you’re not going to be disappointed.
 

The Amritsari Macchi and Tangdi Kebabs make perfect appetizers and the quirky, retro pineapple raita works as a soothing side. I can imagine a lot of people wouldn’t be interested in a place so stolid but I find that sometimes I’m just not in the mood for HKV cuteness or ginormous mall cupidity. I don’t always want to look at little adornments, chalkboard menus and silly berry fizzers to drink ( I’m looking at you Edward’s and your ilk at HKV).

Sometimes I just want to nail a creamy Butter Chicken with hot Garlic Naan with a very cold bottle of Coke. And they have the old glass bottles! Something about the seemingly unimaginative Embassy makes me feel vaguely patriotic, sort of proud of what we were before we became a culture reconciling How I Met Your Mother with Arnab Goswami.

 

Hot Naan. And the perverse Pineapple Raita

Feels Like

The staff are pros – efficient, very capable and be prepared for your food to turn up quickly. There’s old fashioned cutlery made out the kind of metal that sits heavy in your hands, thick white plates, finger bowls and very reasonable prices.

 

Look at that perfect char, a little crispness on the outside, melt in the mouth on the inside. That's years of culinary experience on a plate.

 

 

Should you go:  Yes!

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Liquor License: Yes

Smoking Area: No

Address:  11D Connaught Place, New Delhi

Phone: 011 23416434, +91 9311085132

JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE TO PARTY: MOVIE NIGHT

 

I don't watch too many movies. Actually I don't really watch movies at all but many, many of my good friends are dedicated film aficionados (one of them has even watched Bodyguard thrice). It's not like I have anything against cinema but I grew up with parents who were just much more interested in books. I guess I never got the chance to acquaint myself with films and as I get older I have less and less time to try.

 

In the past few months I've really been wanting to get around to catching some of the classics at least. As much I want to catch up with this art form it's not half as much as I like organizing people getting together! Recently my friends and I realized one of us hadn't watched Delhi Belly (a movie I thought was hilarious) so we organized a special screening. So much for catching up on the classics. Ha!

 

A movie night is a great way to get friends together and chill out without the formality or effort of a dinner or cocktail party.

 

Take your shoes off, put your feet up and use the menu below as inspiration for your own movie night. You can make it as elaborate or low rent as you like but just remember that the focus of the night is not the food and so finger food and snacks probably work best.

 

Since this movie night didn't happen at my house, I was packing the food into a little box when I realized that it would make a cute gift idea. Pack microwavable popcorn packs, a bottle of cola, something sweet (that won't spoil), a movie CD and a pair of pajamas together and gift it to someone as a pre-prepared movie night.

 

I love the little menu format I found (see below), just google movie night images and  there are lots of cute options available. Since the focus is on no fuss food, the menu is:

 

Tuna Dip with Crackers

Hung Curd Dip with Carrot and Cucumber

Cucumber and Feta Open Sandwiches

Hot Dogs

Mango and Yoghurt Popsicles

Mango Cheesecake with Mango Jelly

Vanilla Rum Colas

 

 More ideas and the rest of the recipes coming up this week!

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: CARNATIC CAFE

For the love of dosa (and idli and uthapam and…)

 

 

Apart from the terrific food, Carnatic Café is inspiring for its commitment to its roots, eschewing fashionable frippery for good, old fashioned substance. The café is a jewel tucked into a corner of desperately dirty New Friends Colony market. Thankfully once you get inside the cheerful little restaurant you can forget about the filth of NFC and focus on the excellent, authentic south Indian food owner Pavan Jambogi is going to serve you.

 

Looks Like

The space is bustling, bright and simply furnished with a smattering of well taken photographs on the walls, the effect is very pleasant and accurately reflects the ethos of the restaurant – cheerful, efficient and focused on what they do best, the food.
 

 

TASTES LIKE

I can’t even begin to describe how happy I get when see a restaurant with an owner who knows his strengths, keeps it simple and plays to them. Elevating south Indian food above the homogenized idli-dosa routine that most Delhi restaurants provide, Carnatic Café is authentic but still exciting.
 

My favourite is their Rava Idli, pillowy soft, studded with lentils and curry leaves it’s served with an exquisitely cinnamon-y, chunky curry. If you’ve made peace with the calories tuck in to the dense, perfectly crisped Bambatt Dosa, rich with the warm, fragrant flavor of cinnamon and spice. The skilled addition of gunpowder, cinnamon and other authentic flavours makes familiar food like uthapams, dosas and idlis unexpected and delightful. The superlative Mahabaleshwar 18^th Cross Dosa is more traditional and filling with a lovely, tangy layer of gunpowder and white butter slathered on the inside.

The Raagi Dosa is another healthy option that won’t make you regret your diet – the millet adds a gratifying grainy texture to the preparation. Wash all this food down with the soothing, salty buttermilk or the fiery Rasam as per your preference but don’t forget the sublime filter coffee at the end of the meal.

 

 

FEELS LIKE

The quality of food being served up at Carnatic Café and their prices seem entirely unrelated. You can have a very filling meal for under INR 1,000 without any difficulty. People recognize value when they see it though so the place tends to be very busy – the owner and staff do a pretty good job of managing the hungry hordes. Their familiarity with their menu is particularly notable and this is one of the few restaurants in Delhi where the staff actually make helpful suggestions and menu recommendations.

This is going on my list of favourite places to eat in Delhi.

 

 
 

Should you go: If you love south Indian food you should have been there already

Vegetarian Options: Only

Liquor License: No

Smoking Area: No

Address: Ground Floor, India Mall Community Centre, New Friends Colony

Phone: 011 30146022 Extn: 925

 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: NAIVEDYAM

For south Indian vegetarian food you can always count on.

 

One of the few real restaurants in HKV, Naivedyam is an old favourite. Reasonably priced, with happy sized portions and reliable south Indian vegetarian cooking this restaurant is a rre lasting fixture on the constantly changing HKVscape.

 

Rasam

 

LOOKS LIKE

The décor here is nothing to write home about but I actually really like it at Naivedyam. It has an odd cave life feel which keeps it cool in the summer and warm in the winters. The entrance with a statue of Nandi and multilevel lamp is charming and there’s clean lined, functional, dark wood furniture inside. The odd Tagore style paintings are an eyesore but it doesn’t make all that much of a difference. You’re going to have your snout deep in your plate.

Sambhar Vadai

TASTES LIKE

I’ve never managed to exercise enough discipline while ordering to reach the dessert section here and I regret it every time I think of the place. Considering the kind of trustworthy cooking coming out of the kitchen I would love to try their Kesari Bhath or Payasam.

Benne Rava Masala Dosai

Of the things I have tried, I love that every meal starts with a spicy rasam shot. The Sambhar Vadai is excellent and served up with tomato, coconut and coriander chutneys. I didn’t have any complaints with this dish till I tried the fresh off the pestle chutneys from Spice Water Trail. To be fair, I still don’t have any complaints but if there was a chutney competition my money would be on Spice Water Trail.

 

The Idiappum is sublimely soft with sweet light coconut milk. The Benne Rava Masala Dosai is a heavy, buttery dosa – yeasty and perforated with a fat helping of potato tucked inside. Though there may not be a more committed lover of dosai than I, my favourite dish at Naivedyam is the Chitranna (Lemon Rice). Every sharp, snappy and sunlit yellow bite comes alive in your mouth.

Lemon Rice

FEELS LIKE

Efficient and professional the waiters at Naivedyam are attentive and unobtrusive.

Idiappum

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Should you go: Definitely!

Vegetarian Options: Only.

Liquor License: No.

Smoking Area: No.

Address: 1 Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi

Phone: 011 26960426/ 011 26536045