If there was one thing that helped many of us steer through the pandemic and the multiple lockdowns, it was the comfort of food. Right from biryani to gol gappas, to momos and to decadent desserts, you name it and we made it all! But with the unlock 1, many popular restaurants have gradually started opening dining operations, albeit with a few changes, and one of them is the city's most loved cafe, Vasant Kunj Social. The cafe is now all set to enthral its loyal patrons with its eclectic menu after months of lockdown.
There's not only an increased focus on hygiene and sanitisation in the kitchen, but also the staff is instructed to keep in line with the safety protocols. Daily temperature checks and contact-less service are also becoming part of the #newnormal. The serving staff is given special safety gear, seating rearrangement is done to maintain a distance of minimum two meters, and physical menus are replaced with contact-less menus with the barcode. Now, isn't that impressive?
The all-day multi-cuisine cafe is serving up a selection of hearty meals, from local to international cuisines. We started with the 'Purani Dilli Chaat Walk' that had four mouth-watering chaats in it - paapdi chaat, dahi bhalle, raj kachori and gol gappas served with mint and tamarind water. The platter stood true to its name and promises to take you on a trip down the memory lane. Next came two more platters-Non-Veg Momo Platter followed by 'Killer Kebab Platter'. While the first platter had assorted momos (tandoori momos, classic steamed momos, gravy momos and fried momos) served with mint sauce and mayonnaise, the latter had a host of succulent kebabs bursting with flavours.
For the mains, we tried the Non-Veg Chinese Thali that came with chilli chicken curry, prawns, spring rolls, glass noodles, hakka noodles and fried rice. The dishes will especially please Chinese cuisine lovers who turn their noses up at the more Indianised versions of the Chinese dishes. We also tried the chef Shamshul Wahid's recommendation - Non-Veg Desi Thali, which had all the must-haves of a typical north Indian thali. From butter chicken, dal makhana and chicken tikka to butter naan, zeera rice, papad and, of course, a gulab jamun. So, if you want to try a mini version of north Indian thali, then this is your chance.
Chinese Thali
Desi Thali
Then, of course, there is a whole range of delectable desserts for the sugar gluttons. The stunning Layer Cake - rich and creamy and oh-so delicious - is the winner from the dessert menu. Layers of chocolate sponge cake, dark chocolate mousse, caramel mousse and nutty chocolate mousse served with hot chocolate ganache!
Layer Cake
Other than the delightful food and drinks at Vasant Kunj Social (thanks to chef Shamshul Wahid), one thing that beats the restaurant's authenticity and excellence in gastronomy is its very polite and hospitable staff. A special shout-out to Niranjan Sharma (assistant restaurant manager - Vasant Kunj Social) and Ramneek Jhamb (regional manager - marketing).