Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu, Daryaganj, New Delhi Parsi Restaurant

Indian Travel Places January 3, 2018 Food Review 4,068 Views

Phone: 011 33105262 / 099100 60502
Address: Delhi Parsi Anjuman, LNJP Colony, Bahadur Shah Zafar Road, Near Maulana Azad Medical College Campus, ITO, New Delhi, India
Time: 9 AM to 10 PM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,500
Cuisines: Parsi
Facilities: Home Delivery, No Alcohol Available

Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu, Daryaganj, New Delhi: DECOR

From a first floor location off a cramped pavement in Adchini to the much more expansive environs on the ground floor near Delhi Gate, Rustom’s may have changed location, but the food and the mood is the same. The new address is more than twice as large as the old one, with the kitchen leading off from the dining area: the old place had a ground floor kitchen and seating on the first floor. The best part is the sheer amount of parking the Parsi Anjuman has, as if to make up for all the years of gnashing our teeth in Adchini! The spacious restaurant is open to the guests at the Anjuman too, so the percentage of Parsi guests has gone up sharply, making for greater verisimilitude. Many of the tables have glass tops revealing postcards, old photographs and needlework samples that used to be the pre-occupation of Parsi ladies of a certain age.

Rustom’s Parsi Bhonu, Daryaganj, New Delhi: FOOD

The young Parsi owner of Rustom’s sources her spice mixes from an aunt and the majority of dishes on the menu are from her family’s repertoire, so it is rather like stepping into a Parsi household. The best part is that the vegetable dishes are as well constructed as the meaty treats. I cannot praise the bhel puri (Rs. 175) highly enough. It is the exact taste that you’ll get in a Parsi household in Mumbai. Ravaiyyan (Rs. 335) was two large brinjals filled with a peanut mixture in a sweet-sour thick gravy containing coriander and mint leaves. As the sourness came from many sources, it was multi-layered and not very obvious what the constituents were. Expectedly, the chicken frill cutlets (Rs. 300) were chunky with coarsely pounded spiced chicken meat for an added bite and the ‘frill’ was formed by beaten egg poured over, much like the Bengali fish kobijraji. Kolmi fry (Rs. 325) are prawns that have been fried in seasoned rava. The prawns are cooked through while the rava remains white.

Masoor ma gos was deeply savory with the dal holding its shape while being imbued with the flavor of the mutton.