For those who have been living in Delhi for long would vouch that the best non-veg savouries could only be enjoyed most at the erstwhile restaurants in Daryaganj, Old Delhi. Many decades later, grandson Raghav Jaggi with partner Amit Bagga decided to celebrate the legacy of Kundan Lal Jaggi – Raghav Jaggi’s Grandfather who was a refugee from Peshawar and pioneer in introducing the concept of ‘tandoor’. He went on to serve many political leaders and celebrities and is believed to be the founder of the accidental “butter chicken”. So if you too wish to savour the delicacies in their original form and not some twisted fusion version, visit the Daryaganj restaurant in Worldmark Aerocity, Delhi.
Priyanka Saxena Ray
It is a relatively small restaurant that usually remains packed on the weekends with a good 30-minutes waiting time. Once inside, you do feel as if you have stepped back in time with the lights, cutlery and the entire seating space, all in harmony of wood, brass and copper, transporting you to a different era.
Since I am a die-hard non-vegetarian, the obvious choice to start the meal was with the quintessential tandoori platter that one has heard so much about. The ‘chicken malai tikka’ and ‘mutton seekh kebab’ are the dishes that truly take you back in time with their taste and softness done to perfection. The ‘Mutton Burrah’, on the other hand, could have been cooked less outside and more inside. The vegetarians should definitely try the ‘Dahi k Kebab’ and juicy paneer tikka stuffed with cottage cheese. The ‘hara-bhara kebab’ can be given a miss if one is not too fond of it.
The food at Daryaganj is a celebration of robust Indian flavours from the northwest, brought to life using fresh local produce. Infinite fusion of flavours are a part of Daryaganj’s food menu that culminates into authentic tandoori cuisine with a range of inspiring secret recipes. The idea is to revoke forgotten flavours on the palate, the unsung flavours of nostalgia using the old and authentic cooking techniques! The food menu has a few signature dishes to ensure that the guests are transported to a bygone era of unparalleled enchantment. All age-old recipes have been reconstructed to be closest to the way they were served in 1950’s and the dishes that were invented then are clearly marked as the original on the menu, like ‘the original Butter Chicken’ and ‘the original Dal Makhani’. The dishes on the menu will take you back to the true food a lot of generations have grown up with. The food is authentic, with a selection of tandoor-grilled meats, seafood and vegetables prepared live to perfection. Cooked with the freshest ingredients, the extensive menu will feature the original Tandoori Chicken, the original Chicken Pakora, the original Dal Makhani, the original butter chicken, the original tandoori promfret. After you have savoured the ‘Butter Chicken’ and ‘Dal Makhani’, if there is space for more, go for ‘Keema Kaleji’, which is a dish cooked to perfection. The live ‘kulfi counter’ serving authentic Kulfi is a highlight and the guests are spoilt for choice. A special mention here to Abeer Mehta for taking good care of us and Harpreet for recommending some good dishes and ensuring that only the best came on the table!
The restaurant has been carefully designed and has been paid great attention to detail that it in turn is sure to touch and captivate all 5 senses – sense of taste (Robust North Indian Flavours), sense of touch (furniture crockery and cutlery of the finest materials), sense of sight ( interiors designed in such a way that it celebrates nostalgia from 1950’s and also gives a contemporary touch), sense of smell (signature fragrance has been developed) and sense of hearing (the music played at the restaurant is soulful and unplugged and cover versions of old classic songs).
