Although Delhi’s food scene is always abuzz with new restaurants and cuisines setting shop, the restaurants serving North-Eastern food are few and far between. Part of this can be attributed to the inflexible palate of North India and partly to the unavailability of ingredients. But with a steady stream of students and professionals from the seven beautiful sister states starting to call Delhi their home, their cuisines are slowly but surely coming into the limelight. Read on to know where to find from the states of North East in Delhi.
Image Credits: Snigdha Bhowmick
Jakoi, Assam Bhavan
Assamese food was probably the first one I tried among the North Eastern states. The similarity to Bengali food was one of the paramount reasons to do so. Just like Bengalis, Assamese love their staple of rice and fish. Jakoi at the Assam State Bhavan is the place to go for some authentic Assamese grub. With the restaurant being managed by folks from the state, you should try out the Parampaara Thaali for a taste of traditional Assam.
Image Credits: Snigdha Bhowmick
Rosang Soul Food
Rosang Soul Food is your one stop shop for food from the North East. The home styled café might be small is size but their kitchen packs quite a bit of punch. From Assamese Tenga to the Mizo Sochchiar, Rosang’s food resonates throughout the North-Eastern community in Delhi. The pork spare ribs are something that you must try out. Their explosively hot flavour combined with the sweetness from the soft, succulent pork cannot be missed. Owner Mary Lalboi also tells me about the wonderful spread she serves at her Sunday Brunch which encompasses food from all over the North East.
Image Credits: Mary Lalboi
Dzouku Tribal Kitchen
Where else can you find the best pork spare ribs if not in Nagaland. Well, this authentic Naga restaurant in Delhi runs it close. Although the Americans may harp on how good their pork ribs, but matching up to the Naga variant is a tough deal indeed. With a menu written on a whiteboard and wooden plates and spoons, the ambiance at the Dzouku Tribal Kitchen takes you back to the tribal lands of Nagaland. The sourcing of fresh ingredients from Nagaland by owner Karen Yepthomi allows for food that piques your taste buds to the fullest. Do try out the meat curries made with Axone (fermented soya beans), yams and black sesame seeds.
Image Credits: Snigdha Bhowmick
Nimtho, Pamposh Enclave
For an authentic taste of the brother Sikkim, Nimtho in Pamposh Enclave is the most appropriate. Located above a store which sells organic produce from Sikkim, Nimtho’s food has elements from Nepal too. The chilli momos and the curried momos are something that you must try out, especially during Delhi’s chilly winters. The Khuri is a spin off on the spring rolls that we so love. But again, the pork dishes stand out with their lightly flavoured but dominant sweet flavour.
Nagaland’s Kitchen
Raja Mircha Bloody Mary Anyone? This superhot drink was part of the recently concluded Raja Mircha festival at Nagaland Kitchen. With a million Scoville units of heat, this local delicacy will have you sweating like crazy. Owner Chubamanen Longkumer’s menu had five different dishes and two chutneys. The Chicken in Bamboo shoot, smoked pork and smoked river fish should definitely be tasted. Use steamed rice to finish off these dishes as rotis and paranthas do not really cut it. There are also a plethora of chutneys that you might want to try out. From Bamboo shoot to pork and dried fish, you can take a piece of Nagaland home with you. “The different tribes in Nagaland cook their food in their own signature paste giving it a characteristic taste” Manen tells me a we devour some of his tasty pork pickle.
Read our review of Nagaland’s Kitchen here.
Image Credits: Snigdha Bhowmick
Mizo Diner
When David Lalrammawia came to Delhi, he found out that there was not even a single restaurant serving Mizo food. His modestly sized restaurant, Mizo Diner in the Safdarjung area played host to his hip hop group, Slum Dogs. Today, they serve out a plethora of food their Mizo kitchen. Unlike a lot of food from North-East, Mizo food is not that spicy and has a high dependence on herbs. Must try outs include the Smoked Pork and changkha bawl: fresh bitter gourd boiled in shrimp paste.
The Categorical Eat Pham
Let’s move over to Manipur now. From the small river snails to the duck curry, Manipuri food finds home in this place. The river snails undergo a four stage preparation before they become the delicacy that it is. It is best combined with steamed rice and Ooti (a Manipuri lentil dish). There is also some smoked pork on offer.
Tell us if we missed out on any of your favorite joints in the comments below.
Cover Photo: Mary Lalboi
This article was first published in the August Edition of Food and Beverage Buzz.
