On a warm afternoon, the winding roads of C.V. Raman Nagar led me to Zafraan, a charming roof-top restaurant which has the obligatory green fencing, serial lights, bamboo art and cosy seating. The ambience, I thought, was more suited for a relaxed dinner.
A year old, the restaurant specialises in northern frontier cuisine, serving up delightful kebabs, biryani and tandoori food. The elaborate meal began with paniphal and nawabi kebab. Although a little spicy, the chicken was tender and the grill marks from the tandoor brought in the rustic flavour of the oven.
From their vegetarian offerings, the dahi kebab is a must-have.
The arrival of the main course filled the air with the distinct smell of basmati and myriad spices. The gravy of the murg kadai was rich and creamy but the capsicum in it was a spoiler. Although the meal was meat-heavy, the piping hot dal makhani hit all the right notes. The lentils were cooked to perfection.
For dessert, I had the traditional kheer and gulab jamun with ice-cream. Generously garnished with almonds, the kheer was soft and creamy with the almonds giving it a nice texture. The gulab jamun, however, was a little hard and paled in comparison to the kheer. The restaurant also offers wine as an accompaniment to the kebabs.
Wine and rich tandoori food on a breezy roof-top is what Zafraan offers, but at an affordable price. Call 9880738514.
Keywords: C.V. Raman Nagar, Zafraan
