Dhaba – Estd 1986 Delhi, Indiranagar, Bangalore Restaurant

Restaurant Name: Dhaba – Estd 1986 Delhi, Indiranagar, Bangalore
Phone: 080 48536713 / +91 8884498122
Address: 618, 2nd Floor, Above Chicco, 12th Main, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, India
Time: 12 Noon to 12 Midnight
Meals for two: Rs. 2,000
Cuisines: North Indian
Facilities: Home Delivery, Full Bar Available, Smoking Area, Wallet Accepted, Valet Parking Available, Buffet

Dhaba – Estd 1986 Delhi, Indiranagar, Bangalore: Decor

This is a dhaba gone upscale. We’ve seen the concept & before, at the erstwhile Angeethi, for instance, where you could eat sitting on charpoys, pretending it was a highway stop in Punjab. At Dhaba – Estd 1986 Delhi (yes, that’s what it’s called now) dhaba kitsch acquires a cool quotient. It’s an attractively designed space with some rustic elements woven in. Colorful tiles from the Chettinadu region adorn the bar and the main counters, and Channapatna wooden toys sit in various niches. Posters proffering dhaba wisdom, such as ‘Customer is King, King never bargains’, colour up the walls and will keep you engaged while you wait for your food. That’s the Dhaba on 12th Main Indiranagar; a second outlet opened more recently in Marathahalli.

Dhaba – Estd 1986 Delhi, Indiranagar, Bangalore: Food

A desi theme runs through the bar and there are signature tharras emerging from it. The Gulabo is a local take on the Long Island Iced Tea and is flavored with kala khatta. The Toofan is vodka, coriander, spices and guava juice. To taste a Bloody Mary dhaba-style, order the Laal Pari.

The food menu encompasses all the dhaba specials, plus other Punjabi favorites. From the tawa emerges Galouti Kebab, very well executed here. There is also a vegetarian version of this and I’ve enjoyed it very much on my visits to Dhaba. Tandoor specials here include, predictably, Highway Chicken Tikka and Palak Paneer ki Seekh. The Patila section lists curries, all of them rich and flavour-packed. There’s the Tiffin Chicken and the Rarha Gosht — one of the signatures here, which is bound to score with those who enjoy red meat.

For vegetarians, choices range from Amritsari Aloo Wadi, Dal Dhaba and a surprisingly good Kanastari Baigan Bharta, which comes in a copper dabba. The rotis are perfect, as they should be in any self respecting dhaba. One of my favourite dishes here is the Amritsari Chhole — dark and intense with a pronounced tang to it, to be eaten with Kulcha, also from the city of the Golden Temple.

Right now, there’s a winter menu running, which offers specials such as Tariwala Gajar Matar, with the season’s red carrots and peas, Sarson ka Saag and Dilli ki Nihari.

Desserts are unabashedly rich and calorie-laden. The Dhaba ka Meetha is layer upon layer of sinful sweets such as Rabri and Gulab Jamun.

Service:

Service is efficient and the staff has a tendency to ply you with food even when you’ve had your fill. They also break into a dance routine from time to time, which is entertaining, if you like that sort of thing.

Plus & Minus:

Go here for hearty, Punjabi-style khaana. Nearly everything on the menu benefits from lashings of ghee or plenty of cream. So, this isn’t for those looking to eat lean.

Dhaba – Estd 1986: Revisited On 19/08/2022

North Indian food in restaurants gets a bad rap. Often, deservedly so. The kebabs are made with indifference and the curries are a gloop of tomato puree and cream, and very little else. This is so whether you order a kadhai murgh or bhindi masala. There are certainly exceptions. And the fare at Dhaba Estd 1986 has been flavorsome whenever I’ve eaten there.

If you dine in, you’ll enjoy the setting, with décor elements that are quirky and fun, brightening the place. This time, I ordered in. We had the Galouti Kebab, to begin with. It was very good, with the subtle use of spices and the meat treated just right. This is a kebab few places do well and the Dhaba rendition was delicious.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JhoQJ9Nk5Mg

We followed this the spotup with Butter Chicken 1986, another dish that can go either way – be absolutely satisfying or an utter disappointment. This was excellent. The chicken had been nicely marinated and tandoor-cooked before being immersed in the gravy that was the perfect balance of flavours, not overpoweringly sweet and just creamy enough to be comforting without being so cloyingly rich you cannot go beyond a couple of bites.

With the gravy, we had both Roomali Rotis and a Laal Mirch Parantha. They were well done. The chilliflecked parantha is a favourite of mine from Dhaba. I had also ordered an Amritsari Kulcha. I crisped it up on the tawa the next day and ate it and it made for a lovely breakfast.

I am often caught griping about Indian food in restaurants, because there is so little attention being paid to its vast and wonderful regional diversity. At Dhaba, you can eat differently, the restaurant staying true to its Punjabi highway fare tradition. I would recommend this restaurant for when you’re in the mood for a hearty meal of paranthas and dhaba-style dal or murgh Batinda.