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.

A Happy Space. A Colourful Space

Anupamaa Store – Khan Market

Nestled in the heart of Khan Market, New Delhi, the vibrant colours and prints highlight and bring to fore the new Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal flagship store. Spanning 400 sq feet, the new store space brings alive the label’s true essence – vintage meets bold and western.

Anupamaa Store – Khan Market

Planned, conceived and designed by prominent fashion designer, Anupama Dayal, the store features hand-painted flowers and buds along the pale ochre walls and ceiling. Bringing alive the old Delhi, Mughal vibe in the label’s signature colour palette, the store echoes the brand’s ‘raison d’etre’ – revival of the ancient, almost forgotten hand printing techniques of India.

Anupamaa Store – Khan Market

Details like the mascot puppet Hosnara at the entrance, resplendent in a rose pink skirt and a headdress of a hundred flowers, the tapestries along the walls and the designed mirror inspired by the India Gate accentuate Anupamaa aesthetic. With myriad local elements and nuances running through the store, the design and concept has been carefully thought out to capture the label’s bohemian spirit.

Anupama Dayal

An expansion from the previous store in the same neighborhood, the new Anupamaa store encompasses the brand’s product range from the colourful and eclectic garments and accessories to the newly launched Anupamaa Home line.

Pizzas just got better!

World Pizza Journey

The Restaurant: If you are an ardent pizza lover, then leave everything aside and head to WPJ- World Pizza journey—a brand new place that serves pizza in all its avatars. Now, if you still have time to read this entire piece, let me take the leverage to discuss in details my experience with you. Located in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, this place is meant for foodies who connect with the whole notion of global gastronomy. Name a country, and this place will serve you a pizza that has authentic flavours of your chosen destination. Be it pizzas from Italy or Hawai, India or America—options are galore. The best part is that they have even listed down complimenting alcohol that will satiate your taste buds even more. Pizza from your favourite country along with the best suiting drink is equal to party in the palette.

World Pizza Journey

The Décor: WPJ is a global pizza café in an urban casual dining setup. Sit back in its cocooning space and view the candy painted, bright walls, holding with much love, vintage posters, funny quotes and some interesting photographs of happy faces. Amidst lemon yellow, parrot green and bubblegum pink walls, pristine white table and chairs have been kept orderly. Old-school gramophones are placed occasionally on some tables, which add to the quirkiness of this restaurant. This bistro style outlet is a brainchild of Ankit Tayal and Abhishek Mathur who combined their efforts, experience and passion to bring forth a destination that offers pizzas from across the world in their most authentic form. The carefree, easy-going ambience is perfect for brunches with the girls, or night-out with the boys.

World Pizza Journey

The Food: The dough is made daily; it’s fresh. Also, this is the only place in Delhi to have wood fired oven pizzas and conveyer belt pizzas. The place brings to you specialties from Italy, Malaysia, Moscow, France, South Africa, Turkey, South America, Thailand, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Chicago, Hawaiian, Britain, China and more. So while the country’s best get the space here in the menu there are many chef creations like ‘An Original Pepperoni’, ‘Falafel Pizza’, ‘The Mediterranean Pizza’, ‘Nacho Pizza’ and more. They also serve a variety of fresh salads for the health conscious lot—Mexican corn salad, House Caesar salad, Thai green papaya salad, Rocky Balboa, Green Gourmet Salad, and Californian greens are few options on the menu.

World Pizza Journey

I tried a portion of Hawaiian pizza- Aloha; served in less than 15 minutes, this pizza came with a small flag of its nationality. Being intrigued, I asked the manager its significance and he stated they ensure they serve all pizzas with a small flag of its originating country to remind the customer, what they have asked for. Very interesting indeed. I opted for a thin-crust pizza; it was delicious. Pineapple slices, onion rings, ham, cheese and jalapeño melted in my mouth and I savored upon all six slices. I also tried a pizza from Florence, called, Florence-The Renaissance (thin crust) Pizza; it comprised of Parma ham basil leaves with chunks of mozzarella cheese. It was like, gastronomy heaven.

World Pizza Journey

Now, coming over to the drinks section, they have a well-laid bar menu. Also, mixologist Viju Raj has conceptualized the menu that has very interesting and innovative concoctions, which includes drinks like Chicago Orange brandy, Californian Whiskey sour, Russian bride, Monte carlo Hibuscus sour, Sicilian kiss, dutch botanical mule, Apretivo venom, New york Collins, Safran lemonade, Beit Moussallem, Chelada, Mogi Das cruzes, Khus Madira and more. So head over to WPJ to enjoy great cocktails with best of pizzas.

The Townhouse Café: Food Review

Town House Cafe

Décor: Restaurateur Priyank Sukhija with Akshay Anand bring forth the latest uber-chic restaurant in town—The Townhouse Café. Standing at the heart of Connaught Place with much poise, this restaurant flaunts luxurious décor. Vintage inspiration runs through the place and makes the entire atmosphere very classy. The bar is one of the largest in New Delhi and the fun part is that—you can hop on to the bar and don the hat of a mixologist; yes, you are allowed to make your own cocktails.

Town House Cafe

Reflecting aesthetics of Gothic architecture, this restaurant looks old school but very plush. Décor elements like moldings, carvings, cast iron and rich velvet have been inculcated to cast a royal appeal. The eatery is spread across an expansive space; one whole stretch has black leather couches kept neatly; while, another section has been turned into small compartments with oxblood red velvet walls and dim lamps hanging above lazily, painting the dining table copper-ish. The furniture used are rusted or withered, which strikingly contrasts some very polished stuff to radiate an imperfect sense of style; perhaps things which are too perfect, might not be beautiful anymore. I certainly find beauty in perfect imperfections.

Town House Cafe

The lounging area is so comforting; Chesterfield’s leather and some animal prints are thrown in to create a contemporary style statement; soft textured wood-work has contoured the whole length of the flooring to give it a royal feel. The ceiling is tall and arched with mirrors placed in strategic locations to magnify certain décor elements.

Town House Cafe

Food: This restaurant brings to you a joyful ride of culinary atlas! Name a place, and they will serve you the specials. The lounge and café opens for you a whole new world of some scrumptious platter. The menu offers you to choose from best of authentic oriental delicacies, continental selection, nutritive salads, soups, spicy Indian, Italian pizzas, pastas and more. The bar flaunts some of the world’s finest spirits. The wine boasts of some thoughtfully put together names, along with an excellent range of whiskey selection.

Town House Cafe

I started with the mouth-watering cheese croquettes, it was crispy and well-fried, and it broke into molten lava of cheese; pure deliciousness! Also, this was served with cocktail sauce. I also ordered a portion of ajwaini fish tikka—it was served with mint sauce and onion rings. However, my favorite remains the mutton galouti kebab; mouth-melting baby kebabs served on mini Malabar parantha. For main course, I tried their grilled fish steak with lemon caper olive; it was served with house mash and lemon on caper sauce—an absolute gastronomical delight! I must say hats off to chef for this one.

Town House Cafe

I would recommend this place to people who love dining with panache. This place has a rustic yet opulent sense of eccentricity and is sure to create buzz amongst food lovers. You can find them at N Block, Outer Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi.

Vault Café—Redefining British Raj Era

Vault Café

Ambiance: Nestled in the heart of Connaught Place, New Delhi, this brand new eatery joint resonate a certain industrial ambiance that will remind one of a store house of British East India Company. Dark emerald, teal, brick brown and red dominate the colour palette of this place. Leather and velvety seating arrangements placed spaciously across 6000 square feet area makes this place a party paradise.

Vault Café

Like the name suggests, the entrance of the restaurant is like a huge vault. The classy décor elements only add to the vintage vibe of this thematic space. The notion of dine and party inside the vault was customary in the past of the Queen’s nation, which acts as the core mantra of this restaurant. The rustic undertones of the interiors have transformed this café cum lounge bar into a colonial space with influences from the British Raj era. Interestingly, classic vintage note has been subtly blended with concoctions of grunge finishes; for instance, exposed iron bracing, non-processed cement walls, occasional patches of distressed walls, raw wooden effigies and more.

Vault Café

The lounge bar also has an attached terrace where you can sit and enjoy some unusually splendid flavored hookkas. This area overlooks Connaught Place and Palika Bazaar; and it is quite a visual delight. Plus what makes a lunch better on a winter afternoon in Delhi! Overall, this place made me feel adventurous at some subconscious level; maybe because looking at the vaults and chambers (small cubicles of seating areas recreated inside mini vaults) made me feel like, I am on some sort of a treasure hunt.

Penne bacon and mushroom

Food: The menu housed dishes from many different cultures. It was a very impressive spread. I started with some Pokchoi and Water chestnut dim sums. These delicate little dumplings of joy were mouthwatering. The flavour was new to my palate and the concept even newer. The coating was crystal-like gentle and the stuffing was moist and velvety. After this, I ordered for a serving of extra spicy chicken wings; and boy-o-boy, was it smoking hot or what?! The chicken wings were six in pieces and I wished they made it eight because it was so delightfully spicy with subtle hints of sweetness. I love hot, spicy sauces and this particular ‘extra spicy’ sauce made the meal apt. And oh, it went well with my second serving of sweet, crimson sangria. Post this, I opted for prawns red chili; it was spicy as expected and the prawns were soft and well-cooked. Lastly, my super appetizing ‘starter’s’ expedition concluded with a serving of traditional fish fingers.

Mint and lemon chicken

Moving on to the main course, I ordered for a nice serving of grilled chicken breast with mushroom and peppercorn sauce. The chicken breast straight out of a charcoal grill was crisp on the topmost layer and juicy in the center. This was accompanied by a small portion of grilled seasonal veggies and cheddar mashed potatoes. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The lunch ended on happy, wintry notes with a large slice of tiramisu cake. Did someone say #awsomesauce? Well, I did!

FIsh and chips

Recommendations: The crew here is extremely polite and well-versed with the menu. Ask them for specials or maybe let them know your ‘taste’ and they sure will help you zero down upon the best delicacies the restaurant has to offer, suited best for your palate. Also, if you are a fan of seesha, ask your steward to guide you with the flavours available. Personally, I would recommend a rich and mild blend of paan masala and green apple. This place has something for everyone—be it brunch with the ladies or a bachelorette party, a boys night out or lunch with family, you will have a great time; I can vouch for it.

Find them at: F 60, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Call them at: 011-33105674

 

 

Bedroom guide for a newlywed couple by H5 Design

Brain Thompson (H5 Design)

Space solutions:

The most common problem faced is: ‘There is not enough space!’ Multiple requirements such as bed, lounge, study, storage, dressing and bathroom have to be accommodated in the same space. With proper planning, maximizing space utilization, dedicated function allotment and using modular fittings to your advantage, one can create enough space. For instance, use a queen size bed instead of a king size. Opt for wider side tables for better storage and circulation space. Accommodate a chest of drawers in the room. It can go a long way on saving storage space for shoes and bed linens. Take advantage of wall height and accommodate shelving systems. They can take load of books, decorative artworks and trinkets. Combine the wardrobe and bathroom. Excessive walls take on space and create more hassle than utility in small spaces. Use sliding shutters for wardrobes as they reduce circulation space required and provide more spacious wardrobes that can be wider than usual. Glass shower enclosures are more practical, space and water saving than bath tubs. They can be as small as 30 square inches in size. Large mirrors in the bathroom can give the illusion of space and be highly utilitarian.

Jan Showers (H5 Design)

Colour therapy:

Often, new couples find it hard to agree on a colour as women naturally tend to opt for warmer, earthen colours and men prefer cool colours on a palette of grey-black. Choose a neutral base palette to later add colour with accessories of your choice. Use light pastel shades of any colour. They are not too dominating yet add warmth and cool feeling at the same time. Avoid blaring loud colours like red or shocking pink. These can be added in moderation with accessories or furnishings on a neutral colour palette as well. Beiges, browns and wood shade teamed with white or cream is the most popular and subtle colour combination for master bedrooms of all ages. Pale blue, aqua, peach, lavender, ocean green, corn yellow can be a few good colours for a newlywed’s room.

Kelly Wearstler (H5 Design)

Lighting affair:

Lighting is the most crucial yet often a neglected aspect of design. With the right layers, function and mood lighting can be achieved easily. Nothing beats natural light. Sunlight helps refresh the room and is also good for mental well being of the individuals. Invest in a dimmer for setting light at the right intensity for every mood. It also helps with energy saving. Decorative lighting in the form of lamps, wall lights and chandeliers can add an unexpected texture in the ambience.

Shifting Paradigms of Art in India

Beauty in Freedom

An Yahh!!, India’s first art store (read: not a gallery) situated in South Delhi, is often coined as the headquarters of authenticity and affordability when art is talked about.

A beautiful clock at An Yahh!!

Art in India is always considered to be an expensive affair; therefore, it is often out of reach for many who love art and want to hang something creative and beautiful on their walls. AnYahh!! was born to break through this allegory; thus, they house some striking pieces of art with affordable price tags.

Bag at An Yahh!!

The art brand promoted by Asheesh Sethi has brought forth a platform for talented, budding artists to showcase their work. This place promises to bring in, reasonably priced collections to art connoisseurs.

Music for the gods

The paintings are reproduced in merchandises like, wall clocks, cushion covers, card holders, trays, mugs, mouse pads, etc.

Majestic alliance on the wall

Store Address-
E-23, South Extension-II, New Delhi.
New Delhi, India 110049