Lutyens’ Delhi is beautiful – obnoxious but beautiful. Going from Mumbai, a city that looks like matchboxes stacked in a hurry, this part of Delhi mocks at you, humiliates you and makes you stop, look and take it in – all at once. When an official commitment required me to spend a few days in Delhi, I decided I would go back to my old haunt and stay amidst this grandeur.
Sometimes all it takes is one right decision, for everything to fall in place and make life look like straight out of a Karan Johar movie. Around the same time that I was to be in Delhi, a dear friend from Chennai was visiting Delhi too. We figured out we could squeeze in a dinner together, when we exchanged notes on our travel schedule. When he said he was going to a book a table at an award-winning restaurant that’s close to the property that I was to stay in, I didn’t think much of it – for various reasons. I shy away from fine dining for I just don’t have the finesse or class that it takes. Secondly, I am a café kind of a woman. In ten minutes of being seated, I kick my shoes off and sit cross-legged on the couch. Thirdly, to spend time with a friend is more important and “where” doesn’t count – gyan bhaji, I know, right!? Lastly, who knew if we would even keep the appointment; when you are traveling on work, things get planted in your schedule last minute and could throw your plans out of the window. So I kept my excitement (if any) under check.
Cut to the appointed date (!), it seemed like it was going to happen, after all. I was a bit stressed about what to wear (duh!) and what and how to eat – I am worse than Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, when it comes to table manners. I was petrified things would fly off my plate and I would make a spectacle of myself. I gathered myself, dabbed a bit of lipstick and a lot of confidence and stepped out of my room, ready to order an uber. The gentleman that my friend is, picks me up from the lobby and we rode in his rented car. Suddenly I realised, how old I have grown for I haven’t been asked out on a formal dinner in a hundred years!
“Indian Accent” does total justice to all the hype, accolades and awards that it’s been receiving. It is one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants and India’s best-kept secrets. Chef Mehrotra, dishes out love and magic in each of the six courses, that you forget your surroundings and graces and slurp away! I am not much of a foodie or even an amateur critique, sometimes I can’t tell one flavour from the other, can’t remember names of cheeses and gawk at people when they discuss exotic ingredients that go into making of a dish. But that evening, my palate senses came alive and danced with joy during dinner and after! Indian Accent is a must do, put it on your bucket list and go find the person who will perfectly compliment the class AND would offer to take you there.
The little girl in me felt like she was on a trip to wonderland and much loved and pampered. May all of us be blessed with a mate like mine!
p.s: this was two years ago today, wrote it almost immediately, but didn't post it then. Google memory nudged me to, today! :)
also, lockdown means even more cherishing of such memories
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