Bricked walls, broken windows, vintage portraits, charpoy ceilings and large castle doors; Imperfecto Shor Cafe; is a delightful step back in time, yet super modern in its feel and statement. Tucked in Delhi's latest favourite party spot Aerocity, Shor is Delhi's first 24x7 cafe. Designed by Nuria Rodriguez Parra, the decor of the cafe; borrows heavily from the Romanesque architecture from 17th-18th century. The industrial detailing and warm handmade lights, give this gothic-inspired cafe; a distinctive character.
The food menu carefully curated by Chef Akanksha Dean is a hearty mix of comfort food from all over the world. Risotto, sushi, croquettes, fish and chips and spring rolls, Shor's menu is embellished with crowd-favourites. Even the names of dishes are inspired by iconic poets, rulers and famous scandals and events of yore. There is no dearth of theme-based cafes in Delhi, but Shor's attention to detail makes an impressive mark. We started our tasting session with Lord Byron Neo Gothic rolls; these classic spring rolls paired with an in-house hot garlic sauce served as a sumptuous appetiser to fuel our cravings for everything that lied ahead.
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Next in line were the lip-smacking Spanish croquettes; we ordered the ones with porcini mushrooms and they were served with onion dip. Cheese lovers would surely enjoy this with a mug of beer or any other fizzy drink. The scrummy fish and chips or 'Andrea Pisano's Comfort Food', as they chose to call it, makes for a sumptuous affair too. If you are a sushi fan and are desperately looking for a reasonable place that is not too stingy with its portion size, you must try Shor's eclectic range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian sushi. We went for their spicy tuna sushi and loved the meticulous preparation that went into each layer. They serve upto eight sushi in one portion! If you enjoy sea food, you must also try their crispy prawn tempura, which comes with mesh of edible charcoal. Shor uses a lot of edible charcoal in their presentation to keep in tune with the Gothic theme.
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For mains, we tried their chicken risotto, served in an avatar that completely took us by surprise. The creamy and comforting risotto was served in an oyster like dish with crispy thin bread. We do feel they could have been a little more generous with the portion. Vegetarians can go for the 'The Indo-Gothic', sliced mushroom sauteed with caramelised onions, if you are looking to eat light.
Desserts are an exquisite affair at Shor. We called for their coffee panna cotta, the sweetened cream and gelatin-based dessert came with a dollop of whipped cream. If you are looking for a refreshing and fruity ending to your meal, you must go for quinoa fruits pudding. Teeming with goodness of seasonal fruits like mango, melons and apples, this one is a must-try.
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Imperfecto Shor's cocktails are inspired by many Indian seasonal flavours with Western classics. Making use of paan, earl grey tea, masala tea, kaffir lime, all spices, the bar menu of Shor is no less variegated than their food menu.
Where: Hotel Pride Plaza, Hospitality District 5A Assest, Aerocity, New Delhi
Cost For two: INR 1800