Apart from its rich heritage, Delhi has been blessed with some lip smacking street food that has evolved over the centuries. Recently, Level 2 at Radisson Blu in Paschim Vihar impressed my taste buds with Zaika Dilli 6 Ka festival. Here the traditional caresses the modern. The ongoing festival serves authentic street food from the by lanes of Dilli 6 (Old Delhi) . Who wouldn’t want to unwind over a fine dining experience that has such rich heritage attached to it?
Flamboyant kites hanging on the ceiling, walls designed like that of Red Fort, children clicking selfies with guitar depicts the diverse culture of Delhi that amalgamates beautifully in the big hall. As I absorb the aesthetic ambience of the restaurant, Chef Sumit Sabharwal joins me and shares his inputs on the festival. I am offered two welcome drinks: chaas (buttermilk) and meethi lassi served in kulhad (a typical handless terracotta cup). The former has a strong tang of roasted cumin, mint and green chilies garnished with coriander leaves, that takes me through a nostalgic trip (my mother prepares a similar tasting chaas). Although the meethi lassi is too sweet for my taste and doesn’t really soothe me, it has a hint of saffron making it pleasantly flavourful. The chef shares his secret ingredient ‘white butter’ that pleasingly gives a smooth texture to the lassi.
Thereupon, with an assortment of hors d’oeuvre, my meal begins. Bite-sized gol gappas, served with tangy tamarind water were crunchy and refreshing. The quirky presentation definitely gets thumbs up. What won my heart was paneer ki tikki which has a crispy crust and has a filling of some extremely soft paneer that melts in mouth. It is an interesting replacement of the regular aloo ki tikki and goes right with the tamarind chutney.
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It was followed by vilayati chaat which was a blend of boiled corns, broccoli, peas and walnut and has a tangy flavour of lemon. As the name suggests the dish is intentionally added to menu for the non-Indian guests and can be a healthy option.
My anticipation for the main course jumps one notch higher after a series of starters. Meanwhile, I chat with Chef Sumit who talks about his passion for cooking and how he with his team are pushing the limits and experimenting with authentic flavours by giving it an exotic twist to it.
I finally move forward to my main course. Chokhe huye paranthe are crispy shallow-fried parathas stuffed with peas and mashed potatoes which was obviously served with its lifetime companion –– curd infused with malai. Before I begin to feel full, the Chef recommends me to try his special gosht biryani (mutton biryani). The biryani comes in a bowlful and looks scrumptious. Looking at this heavenly creation, suddenly my appetite shoots up again. I catch a whiff of ghee as dig into this aromatic delight. The meat is roasted to perfection and melts in the mouth .
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Finally, I come down to the last leg of the meal. To my surprise, I end my wholesome meal without a dessert but with a mild cutting chai accompanied by a besan barfi. Zaika Dilli 6 Ka does justice to the Mughlai cuisine but at the same time is slightly manipulated to keep the foreign taste buds in business.
On till: 29th July
Location: Radisson Blu Hotel Paschim Vihar, New Delhi