At Bhangra, the fairly new Punjabi restaurant on ECR, you don’t have to worry about talking in hushed tones. There is a poster on the wall that proudly reads, ‘Being loud is our birthright and we shall have it!’ Another reads, ‘Keep calm and Bhangra.’ The interiors are inspired by dhaabas — it’s got the trademark cot and truck décor and the whiff of dal makhni that can make one feel all fuzzy inside, like Simran and Raj in the fields of Punjab.
Navtej Singh, the owner of the restaurant, occasionally paces from table to table, serving spoonfuls of onion and pudina -rich kulcha chutney like a fond uncle. With his silky long white hair, chances are you may mistake him for Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings . “Being a Sardar, you are either eating or talking about food,” says Singh, about why he started Bhangra.
A craving for chole bhature had ensured we take the drive down to ECR. While we wait for our order, we try the lochha naan . “It was discovered by chance while we were waiting for the restaurant’s air conditioner to start working, while setting up in May,” laughs Singh. This piping hot flaky paratha stuffed with paneer , potato, anar daana , cheese and fresh methi is delicious and my new comfort food. Our second starter is the tandoori aloo bharwa — scooped-out boiled potato filled with paneer . With the winning combination of paneer and potato, there’s every reason for this to feature in your list of orders. The chicken malai tikka is like snow-covered Narnia, coated in a white blanket of cream. Tender and delightful. The paneer malai tikka fades in comparison and is a tad bland. The vibrant orange Amritsari fish tikka, though grilled to perfection, is spicy and lacks a certain something. Since it’s almost blasphemous to not order butter chicken masala at a Punjabi restaurant, we order one, despite being quite full by now. The thick tangy gravy goes well with the flavourful garlic naan . In a battle between this combination and our former favourite chole bhature , the former wins.
We finally throw in the towel, but not before greedily ordering a bowl of kheer that is rich, creamy and not overly sweet. After this meal, the cot seems like the best option to snooze on for a bit. Certainly not something the affable Mr Singh would object to.
( PS Here’s some sneaky advice: The sweet lassi is refreshing. But remember to share, because it really fills you up.)
