If you haven't been to Rang de Basanti Dhaba's Salt Lake outlet recent;y, you should visit soon for a look at their revamped décor and equally zesty menu. Taking a cue from offerings and aesthetics of the ubiquitous highway dhabas, Abhimanyu Maheshwari- Founder & CEO of Zing chain of restaurants, has merged this eatery with the comfort of a family restaurant. We were at the outlet on a recent afternoon to taste some of their signature delicacies inspired by the delicacies from the gullies of North Delhi.
The 115-seater eatery stands out from its other outlets branches thanks to the sprawling outdoor seating area with an eat-in-car service alongside the usual air-conditioned arrangements inside. We were hit by some serious nostalgic moments upon spotting an STD booth in one of the corners displaying some striking hand-painted graffiti.
Their open kitchen filled our senses with aromatic wafts of exotic Indian spices. We were impressed as we glanced through the extensive menu which has a plethora of handcrafted delicacies true to its culinary roots.
“Each of our dishes is inspired by a traditional recipe that’s been passed across generations. However, to not make it as conventional as others we have given them a local twist with some new ingredients. Our Utterly Butterly Chicken for instance is a spin-off of the Delhi famous Aslam ka Butter Chicken where we use a special yellow-chilli powder. We have a Dates and Kaalli Mirch Tikka where we stuff the paneer with date chutney cooked with black pepper and then marinade it with Tikka seasoning before roasting it,” shares Chef Ajay Rana.
We picked out the earthen-pot cooked Mutton Champaran Handi that oozed out a smoky-garlicky flavour and came with an assorted bread basket consisting of Rumali Roti, Hari Mirch Naan and Butter Naan. Their exclusive Goli Soda that comes in glass bottles with a marble that requires to be popped helped us wash down the spices.
Wrap things up on a desi note with their Dilli Wali Kulfi or Roohafza Tutti Frutti ice cream to travel back in time to lazy summer afternoons from our childhood.
Pocket Pinch: Rs. 600 for two