If anyone wants to map the changes that have taken place in Delhi, they should study Khan Market. I remember the time when it was a neighbourhood shopping area, with just a couple of restaurants. Now it's a diners' paradise. You throw a stone, and you'll hit a restaurant. The problem is that it's changing so fast that the restaurants open up and close even before you've had a chance of eating there. I don't go to Khan Market often (parking is hell there) but when I do I am surprised to see that some of the old places are gone and some new ones have cropped up instead. One little eatery that unfortunately shut shop was Aap ki Khaatir, which made the most delicious kababs. But some days ago, I got an interesting mail. I was told that Arza Bibi Kabab, which has three outlets in Gurgaon, was opening its fourth outlet, and this was going to be in Khan Market. So one sunny day, I reached Khan Market for some kababs.
I had been given directions by their publicist. Arza Bibi Kabab is near Café Coffee Day, with entries from both the middle and front lanes. It's a nice place, with the bustling air of a fast food restaurant. The restaurant has 22 covers, so you can sit and eat or get your food packed. It's basic but effective. I looked at the menu and found that in a section called Arza Special it had biryani and nihari. Then, of course, there were kababs and tikkas.
I had already had my lunch, so I tried out the kakori and the galouti kababs. I must say I was quite impressed by the texture and taste of the galouti. The meat was soft, and the spices were just right — neither too much nor too little. The kakori was good, but not the best that I've eaten. The best kakoris are crisp from the outside and melt-in-the-mouth from inside. This one, while it was tasty no doubt, was more like a soft seekh kabab.
I decided to pack some stuff for home. I paid Rs.135 for a plate of chicken biryani, Rs.180 for nihari and Rs.120 for a plate of galouti kababs. The nihari was really very good, with tender pieces of mutton in a sweetish and thick gravy. The galoutis were still good late in the evening. The biryani tasted well, but was too brightly coloured for my liking.
The prices at Arza's are very reasonable (especially when you factor in the cost of real estate there!). The kababs are for Rs.120 or Rs.110. They serve rolls with roomali rotis too (mostly for Rs.120). For the vegetarians, the rolls (Rs.110) can consist of soya tikkas, mushroom, paneer or vegetables.
There are vegetarian and non-vegetarian platters as well. For Rs.250, you get a non-veg platter which consists of two pieces of chicken seekh kababs, four pieces of chicken tikkas, four mutton tikkas and two mutton kakori kababs. Then there is something called a combo (Rs.170) which includes roomali rotis and dal makhni, apart from kababs and tikkas.
Well, I must say I am happy that glitzy Khan Market — full of designer jeans and jewels — has something that reflects the soul of Delhi. It tempts me to make another visit, mad parking notwithstanding.
