There are some things in life that everyone must experience. One of them is watching a skilled Indian tandoor cook work his magic. Few sights are more enticing than bright red hunks of raw chicken, marinated with fragrant spices and threaded onto massive foot-long metal skewers, being lowered into the fiery inferno of a clay tandoor. Emerging minutes later on the table, the results are charred, smoky and juicy. In spite of its ancient origins and utter simplicity, the primitive oven produces startlingly sophisticated results.
Alas, at Delhi Heights the process is hidden away in the kitchen, leaving one to wait with only mouth-watering thoughts and the inviting smell of spices to chew over.
Painted beige on faux bricks, with matted table mats, low spotlights and a large glass entrance announcing each new arrival, Delhi Heights is some way from being a signature restaurant. But this space in Taihegang, at the very edge of Taojin Lu, still manages considerable warmth, complemented by the plaintive, tree-hugging strains of Bollywood classics on its large projector. The team of three owners delivers gusto, greeting their guests like best friends meeting after eons of separation – much like the skilled servers of yesteryear.
The restaurant starts to get busy from 9pm onwards, attracting a mixed crowd: large-bellied gentlemen coming in large groups for their late-night fried snacks and Johnnie Walker Black Label (RMB325/750-milliliter bottle), trade office proprietors eager to impress their foreign clients and the lone traveler desperate for some home-cooked, finger-licking fare. All this is served up – but of course – with a decent round of head bobbling. Oh wait, was that last shake a yes or a no?
A killer round of delicious appetizers inspired by Delhi street food starts off the meal. Keema pao (RMB32) is a warm bread bun served with mildly spiced minced lamb, imbued with Indian spices, crunchy onions and diced tomatoes. The dahi ke kebab (RMB38) is golden, crusty pillows of bread stuffed with seasoned hung curd and served with marinated onions and a douse of mint chutney. The kebab platter (RMB104) is succulent; chunks of tandoori chicken, fish and lamb served simply with sliced onions, cabbage and a squeeze of lemon on a hot plate. For vegetarians, paneer 65 (RMB52) is a treat, the cubes of cotton cheese fried and mixed into a dried chili and garlic sauce.
Main dishes provide as much indulgence and the portions are filling. Murgh makhni (RMB52) is a polished copper pot of juicy buttered chicken, smeared with streams of cream in a dense, aromatic orange-red gravy. The Kareli rogan josh (RMB58) features chunks of tender lamb perfumed with spices, buried in a dark brown sauce. The lehsuni naan (RMB10), made to order are warm and buttery, with soft garlic and coriander strewn on top.
Is it easy to make these dishes at home, asks our inner Sanjeev Kapoor? If you’re brave enough to house a tandoor that’s over a few hundred kilograms, marinate for hours at end and perhaps learn the art of making curries from scratch, then perhaps. Some things in life, like these honest-to-goodness north Indian dishes, are just worth paying for, even if it means you’ll be spending the next day smelling like a seasoning factory.
Price: Approx RMB80 per person
Who's going: People with elasticated waistbands and homesick Indians
Good for: Homemade curry and authentic tandoori meats
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