Get a taste of India under one roof (Foodie Trail-Delhi)

New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Coastal fare has been its forte for over a decade. And now, with the launch here of the semi-formal diner called Indian Grill Company, the Swagath Group hopes to entice all by providing a taste of India under one roof.

Located in the central business district of Connaught Place, the restaurant, which serves only buffets and high tea, has been designed to "give value for money to the diners with unlimited servings of authentic Indian food".

"Most of the dishes are from across the country. Depending on the response, we also plan to do regional food festivals at the restaurant," Nilabh Suman, manager operations, Indian Grill Company, told IANS.

While going through the menu, I was surprised to see Chinese delicacies like crisp spring rolls and chilli garlic noodles amidst bhutta kebab, subz seekh, bhatti murg and dhaba meat.

Asked why Chinese dishes have found place in the menu of a restaurant serving Indian food items, Suman said: "We want to offer a complete package to our customers. Indians, especially children, are fond of Chinese cuisine. People are more aware of this cuisine than European or any other cuisine".

The family restaurant, where the executive chef is Indian cuisine specialist Surinder Gautam, also offers the same buffet at lower cost to the little ones.

"Those under the age of nine can eat at only Rs.299 plus taxes. Others can pay just Rs.525 plus taxes (vegetarian) and Rs.575 plus taxes (non-vegetarian). For dinner, the cost goes up by Rs.50," said Suman.

Quite affordable, but it surely isn't the place for people who don't like to eat heavy. For instance, during my visit, I noticed a young couple who chose not to dine there because of the non-availability of à la carte.

But foodies can just go and dig in without burning a hole in their pocket.

As I sat in the wooden themed two-floor restaurant with a live kitchen in front of me, I was served welcome drink. The mocktail had a strong flavour of ginger ale and 7 Up, with a hint of lemon juice and roasted cumin seeds.

If you wish to order some other drink, you can, though alcohol lovers have to wait for a few more weeks.

Up next were a wide range of grilled appetizers.

The boneless fish appetizer macchi Amritsari had the right balance of spices and even though it wasn't fried, it was flavoursome. The grilled version doesn't take away anything from it.

Nargisi seekh kebab - minced meat bound by egg white - was interesting too.

Maans shikampuri is another mutton appetizer with strong yoghurt taste.

Vegetarians will also be delighted with the offerings.

Among tandoori charra aloo, teekha paneer tikka and more, I enjoyed khumb khatai the most. The mushroom appetizer was soft and mildy spiced.

Then I switched to tomato methi shorba. The rich creamy soup had a dominating tomato flavour. Spices can be adjusted according to customer's choice.

With hardly any space left in my belly for more food, I ate only three items from the main course - methi murg, murg kofti biryani and Malwani fish curry.

The biryani, served in a small pot, was a winner for me. Made with in-house spices, it had small meat balls with a bit of cheese in it and the curries complemented it.

I ended my lunch with hot gulab jamun - the perfect winter dessert.

FAQs

* Lunch buffet Rs.525 plus taxes (vegetarian) and Rs.575 plus taxes (non-vegetarian). For dinner, the cost goes up by Rs.50.

* Children below nine can eat at Rs.299 plus taxes.

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)