The joy of taking a bite of tandoori roti dipped into the rich and creamy butter chicken can only be felt and is hard to express in words. The familiar texture of soya chaap from the streets of Delhi, the sweet and insanely rich malai kofta and the divine matka kulfi only add to the party.
Over 30 years after establishing the iconic Dhaba inside the Claridges hotel on Delhi’s famed Aurangzeb Road, the original Dhaba just got a whole new mojo. Now managed by Azure Hospitality, the same folks who brought in the Pan Asian Mamagoto, Dhaba Estd 1986 Delhi is a Punjabi Diner. The menu, which was crafted in history has been given more oomph by Chef Ravi Saxena. The interiors, decked up with nalka chandeliers, nimbu-mirchi lights, vintage Bollywood posters, rustic interiors and truck art elements, are perfect for some Instagram-worthy shots.
We decided to try out the place on a Saturday noon after experiencing some deep craving for dal makhni, kebabs and of course, butter chicken. The menu is divided into – Recipes since 1986 and Highway Specials. The former are certain popular items from the Dhaba By Claridges menu and the latter are their latest creations. Both offer tantalizing choices. We started with the vegetarian and non-vegetarian platter from the starter section. From the vegetarian platter, we loved the two varieties of melt-in-mouth Paneer Tikka and the vegetarian Galouti Kebab, which was quite a revelation. But for someone, who is familiar with Delhi street food, the Malai Soya Chaap would bring back a rush of memories from the capital. The unique texture and the meatiness of the chaap is a great substitute for the actual chaap.
In the non-vegetarian platter, the smokiness of Highway Chicken Tikka, the all-so familiar Amritsari Macchi and the minced mutton Galouti Kebab, which took us to the streets of Lucknow.
After hogging on the starters, we decided to merely taste the main course. The star items were the Dal Dhaba and Butter Chicken. The former is the restaurant’s take on Dal Makhni and is absolutely divine. The Butter Chicken is equally riveting, if not more. Accompanied with some Butter Naan and Patiala style Biriyani (prepared dum style in earthen pots), we had a satiating meal. We were informed that Dhaba keeps certain special regional Indian delicacies (Bengali, Rajasthani and South Indian) as well on a daily basis and guests are welcome to choose from them as well. We washed the main course down with Dhaba style Chaach or Buttermilk served chilled in earthen tumbler.
In the dessert section, do not miss the rich Matka Kulfi and the saffron-milk soaked Rasmalai. Both these desserts will serve as perfect ending to your hearty Punjabi meal. They also have Rabri, Gulab Jamun and Badam Halwa.
The restaurant has also launched a vertical that offers a special home-delivery menu and is referred to as Dhaba Maalgadi.
Location: Dhaba Estd. 1986 Delhi, Ground floor, Ispahani Centre, Nungambakkam High road
Timings: 12 pm to 11.30 pm
