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| Chef Sujan Sarkar |
After wowing
San Francisco with its progressive Indian fare for the last two years, Rooh - Chef
Sujan Sarkar’s brainchild, in collaboration with restaurateurs Anu and Vikram
Bhambri - has finally come to New Delhi. Another outpost of Rooh is
slated to open in Chicago by the end of this month. While the central theme and
style of showcasing of Indian cuisine is the same as that in San Francisco, the
menu varies according to the availability of ingredients.
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| Chef Priyam (second from right) with a few team members. |
Housed in a refurbished haveli overlooking Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar,
the 56-seater restaurant has a fantastic
chef's tasting menu that's as soul satisfying as it is delightful enough to
make you giggle with joy. Yes, this is a fine-dine experience that has an
element of fun. While some of the dishes take
you on a nostalgic journey, there are many that celebrate the progressive
Indian palate.
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| The first few courses. |
One thing that sets this restaurant apart from the many
‘modern Indian’ ones is that you won’t find fusion food that is extremely passé.
“We are a well travelled lot,” says Chef Priyam,
Head Chef of Rooh New Delhi, adding that the soul of each dish
lies in its regional inspiration from diverse Indian states, but international
cooking techniques have lent a modern appeal and presentation, enriching
tastes and textures. The eleven-course tasting menu that includes some
of the chefs’ favourites is theatrical in the way it stimulates one’s brain
despite its clean and minimalist plating. The cryptic description of
dishes on the menu enhance the drama of anticipation, but you can’t help but
laugh out loud when you decipher the origin of tastes. For instance, the
potato, fermented parantha, Mehrauli goat curd and tomato pickle sounds and
looks fancy, but bring it all together and it tastes of the quintessential
north Indian breakfast. Although we will refrain from describing each course
lest we spoil your journey of discovery, all that we’d like to reveal is that you’ll
be served some flavourful pani puri, an unprecedented avatar of egg bhurji and rasam
with the most unusual accompaniment. Meat lovers have a variety of chicken,
pork, duck, fish and scallop and vegetarians have an equally eclectic
choice spanning mushroom, sweet corn, cheese, pumpkin and cauliflower.
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| And the food keeps coming... |
Being a restaurant and bar,
equal thought has gone into creating cocktails off the beaten track. For
starters, they’re based on the six Ayurvedic rasas – sweet, salty, pungent,
bitter, sour and astringent. Further, there are nine alcoholic and six non-alcoholic
drinks to choose from based on a variety of ingredients. From the sous vide
turmeric gin used in Turmeric Collins to filter coffee based Kaapi Martini, the
drinks too have an Indian touch. If you’d like to keep things simple for
yourself, let an expert do the pairing for you. Sommelier Magandeep
Singh who has carefully and thoughtfully curated the wine library for Rooh New
Delhi says, “Our selection is very unique and unusual as we would like to
surprise and tantalise the tastebuds of our diner. The wine selection at Rooh
is now at par with the best wine restaurant libraries globally making this
luxury restaurant the newest wine destination of the capital."
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| Left: An intimate PDR. Right: Artisanal cocktails based on Ayurvedic principles of taste. |
Pro Tip: A PDR that
seats four people offers the perfect view of the Qutub Minar through its arched window. Book this space
for an intimate experience.
Details:
Rooh, Ambawatta One complex, H-5/1, Kalkadas
Marg, Mehrauli, Near Qutub Minar, New Delhi – 110030
Phone: +91 7303600299
Timings:
Lunch Thursday to Sunday - 12pm to 3pm; Dinner Tuesday
to Sunday - 7pm to 12.30am; Bar Tuesday to Sunday - 5pm to 12.30am.
Pricing: Non vegetarian Chef's Tasting Menu Rs 3,200; add wine pairings at Rs 2,300.
Website: www.roohnewdelhi.com
A version of this article first appeared in The Hindu MetroPlus on 18th April 2019.
