Delhi's Bikaner House Now Has a French Connection

What do you get when you cross a French patisserie with an Indian heritage building? L’Opera Salon de Thé by Chor Bizzare!

Nine years after opening the flagship store at Khan Market, L’Opera has opened its 16^th outpost in Delhi within the beautiful environs of Bikaner House, a 19^th century building that is now known for hosting many book launches and art exhibitions, and of course for Old World Hospitality’s Kashmiri restaurant - Chor Bizarre. The difference between the first and the latest outlet is the expansive seating, with a chic French ambience indoors along with a refreshing alfresco space, ample parking and easy access as opposed to the bustling Market, and last but not the least, an additional variety of coffees, soups, salads, a range of Feuilletés, lasagne and light French meals.

“When we started L’Opera just a year after moving to New Delhi, it was not just a commercial venture,” says Frenchman and chairman, Kazem Samandari, adding that the idea was to share French culinary culture with the city that they made their home. And since the French give equal importance to the aesthetics as they do to their cuisine this ‘tea room’ is almost a slice of Cote d'Azur in the heart of Lutyen’s Delhi. But it is heartening to note that although the Salon de Thé seems more luxurious, the prices are at par with all the other L’Opera outlets. In an attempt to bust the myth of being ‘pricey’, co-founder and managing director Laurent Samandari reveals that most of their prices are lower than the patisseries in swanky five star hotels whilst the quality of offerings is substantially superior.

Since this space is operational from 8am to 10pm it is ideal for breakfast as well as coffee, French pastries and breads and light meals through the day. We recommend starting with a cup of coffee of your choice – espresso, cappuccino, macchiato or latte – served with the signature petite madeleine, and move on to the new offerings. Bite into a Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame, sandwiches made with pork ham, milk bread, béchamel sauce and gooey melting cheese inside and on top {and a fried egg on top for Croque Madame}. Enjoy the flaky goodness of a feuilleté, a lightly seasoned puff pastry, with the choice of fillings ranging from mixed vegetables, mushroom, cheese & tomato and chicken leek. All the small plates are served with a green salad, olive tapenade and Provencal tomatoes that are baked tomatoes stuffed with breadcrumbs and herbs. If you want something lighter, the seasonal soups that are served with a side of cheese bread are perfect. Take your pick from tomato, beetroot, pumpkin or carrot soup to enjoy the last of the Delhi winter. For something more substantial, there is freshly baked lasagne. And when at L’Opera, always round your meal off with eclairs, pastries or macarons and pack some to go!

Details:

L’Opera Salon de Thé by Chor Bizzare, Bikaner House, New Delhi.

Phone: +91 9971005591

www.loperaindia.com

This article first appeared on LivingFoodz.com on February 19, 2018.