Representing Civil Lines. ♦
The Embassy Restaurant in Connaught Place has been around for ages. Recently opened in Civil Lines, the new Embassy Restaurant is a slightly jazzed up but still old-world version of the CP branch.
Serving only Indian food, unlike its multi-cuisine elder sibling, the restaurant has been done up in colonial club style. The location — right next to the colonnaded Exchange Stores — and the interior of the restaurant are the best things about it. Situated next to the Civil Lines Metro station, it’s an easy ride from both CP and Delhi University.
Inside, the décor is minimal and classic. A large window next to the tall wooden doors is set with flower vases. Flanking one wall is a row of bistro-style sofa seating facing a row of tables, each decorated with a yellow rosebud and red napkins. The walls are cool and dark, set on one side with rough but shiny grotto-esque stones. The other side is lightened up with large vanishing perspective paintings of imperial-looking corridors, which give the whole place a larger, grand feeling. There area few tables at the back of the ground floor as well as some long tables upstairs.
A liquor licence is in the works, which will make it an ideal place for a cool beer and some delectable snacks. We sampled the murg pakeeza (Rs 250) from the appetiser menu, easily the best thing we ordered. The delicious, crumbly edges of the chicken made us wish it was just a little more charred. The main courses we tried weren’t as good as the pakeeza, but were decent North Indian fare. The gravy of the malai kofta (Rs 200) was actually delicious — a smooth concoction of cashews, onions and yogurt with a honeyed aftertaste. Unfortunately, the kofta itself was a bit doughy. The reverse was true of the nali gosht (Rs 255) — the lamb-shanks themselves were great, but the gravy of yogurt and browned onions, while rich, was a bit bland.
By the time we we were ready for dessert (the portions are very liberal), the kitchen had closed. There will probably be a gap until this place catches up to the elegantly matter-of-fact CP branch, but it’s a good place for a starving Delhi
University student to bring his visiting parents.
This story was originally published in Time Out Delhi.