India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [372]
N-18, N Block Market, Greater Kailash I. 98-1014-8084. www.shalomexperience.com. Reservations highly recommended. Main courses Rs 425–Rs 1,395. 10% service charge. AE, MC, V. Daily 12:30–3:30pm and 7:30pm–1am.
Véda NORTH INDIAN Designed by iconic fashion guru Rohit Bal, this centrally located restaurant is a place to see and be seen. The interior space has a dreamlike elegance—a careful balance of baroque fantasy and contemporary appeal—that feels light-years away from the chaos of Connaught Place just outside. It’s garnered plenty of accolades but these are more for its fashionable status than for the cuisine, which is nothing exceptional. Nevertheless, you could do worse than to order one of the seven-course tasting menus. Alternatively, try the lamb Véda special, an unusual combination of lamb on the bone and minced lamb, or have the highly recommended Parsi sea bass (paatra ni machi). Dishes are generally spiced to suit an international palate, so you’ll need to ask if you want the heat turned up. Oh, and plan on serious contemplation of the wine offerings.
H 27, Outer Circle, Connaught Circus. 011/4151-3535 or 011/4151-3940/1. www.vedarestaurants.com. Reservations essential. Main courses Rs 250–Rs 775; tasting menus Rs 975–Rs 1,175. AE, MC, V. Daily noon–3:30pm and 8–11:30pm.
Moderate
One Connaught Place institution you certainly shouldn’t pass up is United Coffee House , which began 5 decades ago as a coffeehouse and is now also a multicuisine restaurant where you can sit for hours ogling the fantastic array of people who come here to feast, drink, strike deals, play cards, and pass the time. Interesting Art Deco interiors, lit by chandeliers, make this more about nostalgia than particularly inspiring cuisine, but the reasonable standard Indian food (meal for two should cost Rs 150–Rs 400), and prolonged two-for-one happy hours make this a favorite with locals and travelers alike. And, yes, the coffee is freshly brewed and brought to your table in a French press. Reserve for dinner, just in case (E-15, Inner Circle; 011/2341-1697 or -6075). Crepes and More (66, first floor, Khan Market; 98-1890-0005) is one of the few stand-alone breakfast joints in the city (everything from yoghurt and muesli to dozens of choices in crepes and eggs) and perfect if you opt for an early morning walk in the near-by Lodhi Gardens or want to dine light while shopping in Khan Market. A popular lunchtime venue, Basil and Thyme (Santushti Shopping Complex, New Wellington Camp; 011/2467-3322), serves healthy Eurocentric fare from the kitchen of octogenarian gourmand Bhicoo Manekshaw. The day’s special and other healthy selections rarely fail to please, and the fabulous homemade cheesecakes and ice creams should be declared illegal. Combine it with your visit to the surrounding shopping complex, which is bound to work up your appetite; reserve ahead.
If you want a theme restaurant and are in the Gurgaon area, head for the Garden of Five Senses and grab a table at Baujee ka Dhaba (Saed Ul Ajab; 011/2953-5847;http://baujeekadhaba.com), where folk art decorates the mud-effect walls, and even the waitstaff is in traditional garb. The food is distinctively Mughlai and Punjabi fare, rich and heavy, but unquestionably well made and delicious. Get the ever-popular shammi kebab or dum pukht chicken. Or just nibble on assorted kebabs while you enjoy a reasonably priced chilled beer. A fairly recent addition to a Delhi dining scene is Oh! Calcutta (E Block, International Trade Towers, Nehru Place; 011/2646-4180;www.speciality.co.in), which is obsessed with just one thing: authentic, excellent Bengali cuisine. A visit here should be prefaced with a warning, though: Don’t come for the decor, service, or even the slightest hint of romantic atmosphere. The only thing you get by way of entertainment is the opportunity to watch dozens of local middle-class families who are, like you, here for reliable, reasonably