The scene of partying out in the nights has been changing over the last few years. The nightclubs and discotheques had given away to restaurants, especially the ones located near the Hauz Khas Fort. With the advent of Hauz Khas came it’s own set of problems. Long jams along with rowdy behavior became commonplace due to the burgeoning crowds. The next lifesaver in Delhi’s nightlife is West Delhi. Places such as Rajouri Garden and Punjabi Bagh are becoming the new hotspots in town. We bring you Aanch in Rajouri Garden and talk about their special “Terrific 25” menu which is about top 25 dishes from their newly crafted menu to celebrate the 5th year of this famous buzz spot in West Delhi.
Food Talks
We had a special “Terrific 25” menu for the day that was crafted by team Aanch and consisted of their signature and hot selling dishes that is the part of their new menu. We started with Mahabali Paneer tikka. It was mildly spiced but the flavours hit the right chord. The cottage cheese used in the dish was soft, smooth and fresh. Moreover what I felt that after the paneer tikka was been prepared in the tandoor it was also a bit pan seared to get it flavoured till perfection. The taste was good and for vegetarians definitely a good option. Next on my plate was Gabbar ke Sholey ( Dahi ke kebabs). It was an ideal dahi kebab as it was crunchy from outside and gooey from inside. Following it was Veg Cheese Quesadilla. The quesadilla combines the flavours of cheese with the earthy taste of beans in a wondrous combination. Some sour yogurt and a spicy sauce just increase the complexity of flavours. One of the main highlight of the meal for me was the Galouti Golgappa which had a filling of galouti kebab inside a golgappa. The crunchy golgappa and soft filling of galouti kebab which had minced meat and was rich in flavours, kept me asking for more.
We washed down all the finger licking food with their signature cocktail Caramel Old Fashioned. This twist on the classic encompasses Angoustra Bitters and Bourbon with caramelised sugar. Heading on the mains we started with Dal Makhani and Murg Makhanwala (Butter Chicken). I personally feel that for a restaurant to popular in West Delhi it should offer lip smacking Butter chicken and Dal Makhani. The butter chicken and Dal Makhani at Aanch entices you to have more.
Next on our plate was the Haleem. I never expected to get a Hyderbadi gem like Haleem in West Delhi, but Aanch again surprise me. Full bodied, rich, warm, tangy enough, with the fried onions adding the right amount of crunch. This is one haleem you can have a bowl full off. The main highlight of my meal was Balti Murg. Traditional Balti Murg is cooked and served in a Balti dish (a flat bottom dish with handles) and is characterised by vibrant and tangy flavours, and chunks of tomato and pepper. We also tried Cheesy Baked Pasta. The white sauce had an adequate amount of cream, cheese and mushroom just the way we expect our white sauce pasta to be. We ended the journey on a sweet note with their signature dessert Chocolate Cigar.
In a nutshell, One of the oldest buzz spot of Rajouri Garden is back in a new avatar. Team Salt and Sandals highly recommend the offerings from the new menu at Aanch which will be in action from August.
