Kinbuck2-Delhi’s First Roman Bistro

Kinbuck 2

Kinbuck2 is a gorgeous eatery joint standing like a Victorian-era diva in the heart of Connaught Place, New Delhi; the state capital’s first-ever Roman bistro. As the name suggests, this place flaunts rich taste of interiors coupled with delightful food for your palette and extremely humble hospitality. Drawing inspirations from the historical elements of Kinbuck in Norway, this restaurant flaunts aesthetic essences from this region. In one line, I would define this place as an epitome of great food, pleasant music, signature drinks and a one-of-a-kind concept in the city.

Kinbuck 2

Inspired by the beauty of Roman world, best known for its artistic architecture, this restaurant transmits you delicately in a dreamy world as you step inside; especially, when you move upstairs on the open dining area. The striking dome-like structures, arches, graffiti art on the walls, wine cellars and more makes this place a perfect blend of old-world charm and contemporary décor notes. Dominating colors like red and grey rein the décor palette. The rooftop, outdoor area is contoured by beautiful green patches of creepers; this alfresco and minibar is certainly the highlight of the terrace area. It also has a private PDR to host party enough for 30-40 people. Apart from this, Kinbuck2 also houses a private mezzanine floor.

Kinbuck 2

Coming to the most important aspect of this place, the food—my experience was very overwhelming. The head Chef, Anay Mukherjee’s passion for cooking reflected in each meal that he quipped for us. Their menu portrays a sincere attempt to house global delicacies and they are always thriving to inculcate more innovations in their kitchen. From American classics to Lebanese delights, Mediterranean cuisines to European flavors and lastly, mouthwatering Indian food ensures every guest has an amazing culinary experience here.

Kinbuck 2

I had a host of dishes—cream of mushroom soup, Romanian bread basket, shrimp cocktail for salad, fattoush salad, Al bondigas, chicken sausages and pineapple skewers, chandni paneer tikka, dhengre mushroom gallouti, veg salt and pepper, veg porpiech, eggplant schezwan, mutton seekh kebab, chilly chicken and Beijing chicken. This list comprised of the appetizers. For main course, we indulged in some delicious porkchoy mushroom in oyster sauce, garlic noodles, chicken roulade, cottage cheese steak, and chicken steak and lastly, the most flavourful chicken biriyani. Lastly, for dessert, I savoured upon some delectable chocolate tart.

Kinbuck 2

The food was downright heavenly; the right amount of spices cooked to perfection left a happy tingling on my taste buds for the rest of the evening. The thing that touched my heart the most was the humility every person garnered; from the chef to the staff, everyone wore a big smile on their faces at all times and everyone knew what went into making of each and every dish! So very impressive, I must say. So, I would urge each one of you to visit this place for a memorable experience.

Desi Roots – Progressive Indian Cuisine

Desi Roots

Décor: Desi Roots, a brand new café nestled in Saket, New Delhi is one of the very few restaurants that brought back fond memories of childhood in mind, as I walked in for lunch on a balmy Sunday afternoon. The first instinct was a happy feeling—colours like warm orange, dull beige, bright turquoise, royal violet and more popped out from different corners only to make you feel like you have stepped into a cheerful space. This restaurant has taken ‘quirky’ to a whole new level; the décor proudly flaunts pieces like—a sewing machine turned into a table, almost-vintage Bajaj scooter headlights acting as lamps and more.

Desi Roots

Also, the chosen interior had strikingly contrasting aesthetics; for instance, a royal chair with bright cherry colour was spotted accompanying a super quirky teapot printed chair. The bar area was mostly radiating pop-culture vibes; vintage posters with an amazing sense of humor was placed on walls facing the arena. My favourite poster was of an Indian lady, precisely from the sixties, sitting with a newspaper in her hand, clad in the most traditional way and waiting to sip some beer from a mug kept in front of her; now this is called ‘chilling like a villain’!

Nehari Kulcha a la Oudh with Salgam and black carrot achar

Food: The menu captures essences from regional kitchens across the country. This restaurant is on an expedition to revive those long lost desi elements through their food. I ordered quite a few number of dishes from the menu and absolutely traditional ones at that—but I was taken to surprise by the way good-old food was contemporized. Presentation gets full points here and the best part is that the character of the food remained unaltered. Today’s foodie looks for international gastronomical features in every dish that they dig into. Be it a simple Galouti Kebab or a Soda Shikanji—modern way of presenting mouth-watering food has become a major criteria. However, you are not allowed to compromise on the joy your taste buds used to experience when you ate the same dish in its most traditional avatar.

Desi Kurchan Tacos- Pulled Kathal

I started with the Kasaundi Fish Tikka with Babloo Sauce; delicious, succulent and mildly spicy, these fish cubes were an instant hit. Thereafter, I rejoiced upon some Kulle Chaat—an Old Delhi speciality made with watermelons, boiled potatoes, cucumbers, pomegranates and some secret black masala. Post this, we savoured upon some warm lamb Galawati Pate—this was my favourite starter. Super soft, almost-melting, warm kebab served in a small glass jar was definitely a first. The taste reminded me of lanes from Lucknow, where kebabs are the order of the day and the presentation was simple yet so innovative. For the main course, I started with the traditional Daal Baati Choorma with methaniya chilli salsa. This was followed by Mutton Kuttu with Malabari Poronta and Onion Pachdi—once again a delicious dish. The best part was that, this rich looking curry was not overtly oily; it had a diverse flavour thrown in by a gamut of regional spices. Finally, the last main course comprised of Ambala Cantt Mutton Curry with Tikone Parathe and Kumquat Achaar—it had the perfect desi tadka to it combined with carefully balanced spices and modern culinary practices. I loved every bit of it.

Chipotle Chicken Tikka with Avocado Raita

Finally, the dessert comprised of Cream Cheese Boondi Brownies and Jamaluddin Ki Kheer from Badal Beg Masjid, Old Delhi. What a delight it was. The first dessert came in a closed glass jar—soft chocolate brownie, warm and moist was blended with cream cheese and boondi; this is perhaps the best example of modern culinary concurrence. And the later made me feel like I had died and gone to dessert heaven. There couldn’t have been a better ending. So foodies and restaurant junkies please visit this place with your friends and family because the food is great, presentation even better and as they say it ‘celebration’ is their middle name!

Summer House Café—For a Soulful Dining Experience

Summer House Café

Ambience: Located in Aurbindo Place Market, Summer House Café is a statement in its self. Serving cuisine from world over, this standalone café has a certain noir element to it. Conventional wooden décor sets the mood on an eccentric level. The restaurant has two seating areas—a rooftop, open air seating arrangement and a customary closed setup downstairs with a huge open space, accommodating a house full of people dancing to techno, house, lounge and psychedelic trance music.

Summer House Café

As far as I am concerned, I love open air setups; especially during winters. After reaching the venue on a packed Friday evening, I was given a choice to sit anywhere I wished to by the very polite manager. Like I mentioned, I chose the terrace. Soft tunes of trance floated in the air as I got comfortable on a low-base sofa. The crowd was bustling; people wore happy smiles on their faces, which only made me more intrigued to find out more about this place.

Summer House Café

We sat on a quaint corner overlooking a terrace bar that looked like a small, fun truck serving beverages of all kinds. As I browsed through the menu card, one of the stewards got us a standing angithi (brazier) and placed it lovingly next to our table; it felt enchantingly warm and sultry—perfect for Delhi winter evenings.

Summer House Café

Food: I started with some appetizers—non-veg mezze platter, buffalo chili fries (veg), and some smoked chicken wings. My evening started to get better! The food was scrumptious and the portions were even more generous. However, extra credit should be given to the chef for mouthwatering food presentation skills! Now, special mention must be made for the hummus—it was gorgeously grainy, yet had a smooth texture and the olives on it seemed deliciously dark and soft. I relished upon it.

Summer House Café

The starters were accompanied by a couple of Sangria servings. The wine was sweet and crimson and the floating fruits were cut in small, cubical shapes—all equal in sizes. Quite impressive, I must say. Moving on to the main course, I ordered myself a basil pesto chicken with parmesan sauce. The succulent chicken breasts were marinated in fresh pesto before being grilled to perfection. This was served with thick, creamy parmesan sauce that melted in my mouth like molten sunshine. And of course, grilled seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes sat on the plate like stiff-lipped custom. (P.S- Not a big fan of mashed potatoes; they rather make me feel dull). Overall, the chicken was heavenly; every bite was worth it.

Summer House Café

The meal concluded with a large slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It was soft; tasted like fresh homemade cake and the frosting made it all the more sinful. My evening indeed, ended with a happy winter cake. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone who is looking forward to an easy-going, fuss-free dining experience.

Recommendation: This place is soulful. The décor could be simplistic but the ambience is Boho. The food might sound extravagant, but its very essence will soothe your palate—a perfect home-style casual café for Delhi-ites. Also, this place houses many live performances and gigs on selected days. So have you planned your Friday already?

Find them at: 1st Floor, DDA Shopping Complex, Aurobindo Place, Hauz Khas, New Delhi

Make reservations at: 011 33106147