Being a foodie I am always in search of delicacies that go beyond the stomach to touch the soul. Recently, when I visited to taste the fare at the North Indian Restaurant Soul Curry by Bellagio, which has included some rare dishes in their menu this winter, I returned pretty much satisfied. Technically, Soul Curry, located at Community Center, Ashok Vihar, Phase-2, lies in West Delhi but it seems more influenced by the North Delhi crowd as the North Campus is just round the corner. Its ambience is elegant and gives a nice fine dining feel but its staff needs to be trained a bit more to justify the service that the name promises. Soul Curry has got a nice live kitchen. Grills coming out of the tandoor made me feel tempted. Executive Chef Neeraj Sharma has put his heart to curate a menu which is extensive and innovative. The best part is one can try new dishes on every visit.
Chef Neeraj served me Multani murgh shorba by the time starters were getting ready. Soup was average lacking a bit on texture. After the soup I was worried about my appetisers to follow but once they came and I tasted chef’s speciality fish tawa masala I realised that I was at the right place. Fish was juicy, absorbing the flavours to its core. Frying it on tawa gave it a thin crispy crust. Tandoori prawns marinated in garam masala were also tasty. Making it in tandoor imparted a nice aroma. Murgh malai tikka was tender as it should be. Gosht barra kabab lacked seasoning. The chef needs to work on its marinade and marination time to get the flavours out. Surprisingly, I liked vegetarian malai broccoli a lot. It’s a must have for any vegetarian visiting Soul Curry.
While there are 40-odd starters, the main course is extensive as well. I made the process simple by asking for one dish each from fish, chicken and lamb specialities. Any butter chicken lover should try prawn butter masala for a change . Bhuna gosht and murgh lazzat-e-Awadh were both tasty. Lazzat-e-Awadh made in whole spices has got good flavours and aroma. I had it with saffron parantha which made it even better. I ended my soulful journey on a sweeter note with the signature shahi tukda . Topped with rabri, it’s worth a try.
Meal for Two: Rs 1500
