ITP Indian Travel Places: Food, Travel, Tourism Business Events and Trade Shows
Address: 2, N Block, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi
Time: 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 12 Midnight
Meals for two: Rs. 1,800
Cuisines: Awadhi, Lucknowi
Facilities: Full Bar Available
Mirza, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi: DECOR
The block of restaurants that make up Kasbah is supremely low-key. Every few years, one closes down and another takes its place, but there is no PR activity, no bombardment of ads on social media and no flurry of Facebook food groups having community meals there. So, it was quite by chance that I became aware of Mirza. Very occasionally, you step into a new restaurant without any great hopes and you are blown away by the quality. This was one such occasion. Mirza serves the food of Lucknow in underplayed yet pleasing settings. Interesting floor tiles and a collage of black and white photographs on one wall make for elegant interiors; the accent is all on the food.
Mirza, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi: FOOD
The quality of offerings here is unbelievably good. The best part is that a serious effort has been made to please vegetarian diners as well. So kathal ke shammi (Rs. 500) was approximately the same texture as the mutton galauti (Rs. 700) with more subtle spicing, but the appeal was just as sophisticated as that of the meaty version. There is also a subz galauti (Rs. 500) and a paneer satrangi (Rs. 500), neither of which I have tried but which came highly recommended. The mutton galauti is, quite simply, among the best in the city: every chef has his own blend of spices, but the trick is to use the optimal amount of tenderiser – very tricky to get right. The Mirza version of nimona ka salan (Rs. 550) has mushy peas and tiny dumplings and is quite interesting if you have only tried the version made in vegetarian homes: this one has more assertive spicing. Haleem (Rs. 800) is slow-cooked with lentils till both meat and dals disintegrate into a near paste. It is best eaten with the pillow soft taftan (Rs. 100). The clincher for me, though, was the nalli nihari (Rs. 800) in the gravy of which, marrow and the gelatin of the bones had dissolved to impart a barely perceptible stickiness which is the hallmark of nihari. The spicing made it one of the finest versions the city has to offer.
Mirza, Greater Kailash (GK) 1, New Delhi: PLUS AND MINUS
All you can see from the windows are treetops! But there’s no valet parking here.
