Far away from parking issues and the din of the crowded markets... yet, located in the heart of the Capital, Bihar Nivas in Chanakyapuri has opened a section of its property to house ‘The Potbelly’, a restaurant serving cuisine from the State.
This is the second outlet of The Potbelly in the city, the first is located at Shahpur Jat, that has managed to introduce and popularise Bihari food among Delhiites. The extensive menu has a number of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies that takes diners on a journey beyond liti-chokha .
The eatery overlooks the lush lawn at Bihar Nivas and is done up with quirky furniture and colourful lamps hanging from the ceiling.
Diners also have the option to enjoy their meal listening to birds chirping in the background while sitting on few tables set up in the garden.
What is exciting about the new outlet is that it goes beyond what is cooking in the kitchen. The Potbelly is also the first established restaurant serving cuisine from a particular State that has been invited by the government to set up shop and run independently.
The various canteens located in State bhavans have a steady stream of visitors all day, and some like Andhra Bhavan are immensely popular.
However, at the end of the day, they are run as canteens and not restaurants.
The Potbelly owner Puja Sahu said she was approached by the Bihar Resident Commissioner in Delhi to start the restaurant and they converted what was once a hall that was not in use anymore into the colourful restaurant.
“I had certain conditions when they approached me. One was that I get to call it Potbelly and the other that I retain control over the food, service and decor so it stands out as an independent restaurant on their premises,” says Puja.
Hopefully, what Potbelly has started will soon encourage other Bhavans to follow suit so that they can showcase their food in a fine-dining setup for curious Delhiites to explore and open up spaces in their prime location to create a beautiful ambience for a meal.
