The moment you enter Artisan Lab Cafe in Delhi, you get a sense of getting cut off from the humdrum of the city. The minimalist décor of the two-storey concept store and café is the reason behind the calming ambiance of the place. Artisan Lab Cafe is the latest addition to the growing crop of hybrid cafes in Delhi NCR. Located in the posh N-block market at Greater Kailash-1, the place is founded by sisters Noor and Neimat Sethi, who have worked their individual passions into creating the unique brand. While Noor is a design graduate, Neimat is an exceptional chef with cooking experience in noted restaurants and hotels of Dubai, New York and Italy.
The first floor of the building houses the concept store, while the second floor has one section dedicated to the café that seamlessly gives way to the section displaying designer home décor items and furniture. The place was designed by the sisters to be 'a creative laboratory' that, according to Neimat, would attract contemporary artists and designers, as well as a select crop of patrons 'who seek beauty in life'. The café serves an eclectic mix of dishes from the European cuisine and they are created using seasonal and sustainably sourced ingredients. The menu has colour indicators to denote if they contain nuts, dairy, meats and eggs, to allow diners to make their choices accordingly.
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Artisan Lab Has A Menu With Fresh Ingredients And Fresher Mix Of Flavours
The menu is simple and refreshingly designed to include Savoury dishes (salads and Mains), All Day Breakfast dishes, Pastas, Sides, Desserts, fresh fruit-based drinks, hot teas, kombucha teas and a whole range of coffees. We started with the Gambas Pil Pil-a Spanish supper dish with prawns in house-made rosemary and chilli olive oil served with baguette, followed by the hot favourite- Artisan Lab Fried Chicken. While the former let the sweet taste of the prawn meat shine, the latter was delicious due to the golden crispy outer covering of the chicken breast, served on a bed of freshly baked brioche bread soaked in honey. The Fried Chicken is a specialty and is highly recommended for its unique mix of tastes.
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Next came the Lamb and Bacon Sliders, which contained juicy red meat patty topped with melted mozzarella and gherkins pressed between tiny buns. The sliders, although tiny, will be able to satiate all your meat cravings in the most delicious way. Next we tried the Figs and Burrata, which consisted of a creamy fresh burrata served on a bed of carmelised figs and rocket leaves, along with the house-made figs and almond conserve. The conserve was delicious enough for us to ask for an extra portion and its fruity flavour went amazingly well with the cheesiness of the burrata. From the breakfast menu, we ordered the Truffle Scrambled Eggs On Toast, which is again highly recommended, particularly for those who enjoy their scrambled eggs a bit runny.
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From among the pasta menu, we tried the classic Aglio e Olio with spaghetti simply tossed in pressed garlic oil and parmesan. The dish will especially please pasta puritans who turn their noses up at the more Indianised versions of the Italian staple. The Artisan Lab Café has a fairly long dessert menu with favourites like Tiramisu, Tres Leches, French Toast etc. We tried two of the chef's recommendations- the Tres Leches and The Burnt Cheesecake. The former had a strong flavour of fresh milk and is perfect for someone looking to give their palate a sugar rush. The latter is a unique take on the Classic New York cheesecake with a blackened outer layer and a soft, creamy and sweet inside. The Cheesecake is an interesting dessert that is again a must-try.
To finish the stunning meal, we tried another one of Chef's recommendations from the coffee menu- the Upside Down Cappuccino- with the milk on top, the espresso in the middle and the foam at the bottom. The drink had a festive feel to it that all coffee lovers are sure to enjoy, particularly during winters. All in all, Artisan Lab Café offers a dining experience that will keep you coming back to the place for its uniqueness and firm focus on the quality of ingredients and taste. It will, like the café promises, make you want to 'saunter' in a world that encourages you to run along with the clock.
Where: Market No 1, N-18, Greater Kailash, New Delhi
Timings: 10:30am - 9pm
Cost for 2: INR 2,000 (excluding taxes)