You have been reading me for long and of course you know me that my taste-buds are always on a lookout for new places to eat and experiment. When I am traveling, I am exposed to multitude options but even in the capital its never a boring week. In the last few years, food culture in the capital has really evolved and every new eatery comes up with a unique concept. And the best part is that the restaurants are working on their menus very seriously. They are genuinely trying to make the experience innovative, delicious and worth remembering. Last week I visited Bronies, the new Gastro pub in Defence colony and I must say the experience was comfortable and refreshing.
I visited the place on a Wednesday evening. It was not very crowded. The outdoor seating looked inviting but first I went inside and checked for the indoor arrangement too. As I entered, it was almost impossible to miss the huge screen on the wall right opposite. There are two levels to it in the indoor set up. I went to the first floor which looked more like a family place. It had warm and cozy couches to sink in. The ground floor had an indoor bar next to the seating arena. There were high chairs and tables to sit and enjoy drinks while watching television. Hubby and I decided to go for the outdoor table.
Once we were comfortable settled in and I had clicked in some pictures, scanning the food menu was the next thing on our minds. It was a Sufi evening at the restaurant and the music that was playing in the background was calling for some interesting combination of food and drinks on the table. Since I was having a sore throat, I looked for something hot and soupy for myself. In the stone soups, Mutton Curry and Barley Broth looked tempting and I ordered it right away. My teetotaler husband ordered a Ginger beer Shandy, a non-alcoholic cocktail from the long list of the bar menu. To go with the drink and soup, we also ordered Corny Greek Salad– (Greek salad with fire roasted spicy corn), Sizzling Chilly Chicken, Brinjal Fries with Hot bean Sauce and Paneer Tikka.
SOUPS and STARTERS
The drink had a strong ginger presence and even one sip of it was enough to convince me that it was meant for Ginger lovers. Hubby was happy about it because it was rightly sweetened to his taste. The stone in the soup made it look very interesting and once I tasted it, I was hooked immediately. The mutton curry along with the barley broth tasted delicious. It made me nostalgic of the times when my Mum would give me some mutton curry to taste for the salt before going for the actual meal. Now, since the whole family except me has converted into a vegetarian we hardly cook meat in the house. I loved it so much that I would love to return to this restaurant exclusively for this soup. While I was still relishing the soup, the starters were served in style.
Soon, our table looked absolutely colorful and yummy. Paneer Tikka was ordered by my husband because that makes his favorite food. I love chicken and thus I was really looking forward to the Chicken Chilli. As far as Brinjal is concerned, both of us don’t relish it until its bharta but this dish made us fall in love with Brinjals. Paneer Tikka was soft and juicy. Chilly Chicken was spicy and deliciously cooked. And the ‘fried brinjals’ won our heart for sure. Apart from the taste and flavors, I must appreciate that I loved the way food was served and sent out. It was steaming hot and as the name says, it sizzled on the hot plates. I definitely love my food hot and crisp and Bronies was doing it absolutely right for me.
MAIN COURSE
The starters were thrilling. We were all the more happy because had ordered what we love eating. For the main course, we decided to experiment. At one time I was tempted to go with the regular Pizza and Burger because the menu boasts of interesting wood fired over pizzas and burger. I always prefer something in rice and thus Veg Pot Pie with Herbed Rice appealed to me. In the menu card, the sizzling mains are a must do. It was difficult to decide on one but we were already full and thus we went ahead with Cottage Cheese along with potato mash and buttered carrots, peas and beans. The curry in the Veg Pot Pie had a thai flavor and the herbed rice was different from biryanis and pulao. I quite liked the combination. The Cottage Cheese sizzler was delicious. Big chunks of cheese were very filling. The sauce with the mashed potato made a great treat for the taste buds.
We were full and did not want to go for the desserts but the manager suggested that we try at least one from the list. We asked the chef to suggest and he said Paprika Chocolate Fondant was just the right thing for this February evening dinner. Trust me, the melted chocolate inside the chocolate fondant along with ice cream made for an amazing dessert. If I had to pick my favorites, I would say the soup, chicken chilly and the cottage cheese sizzler will beat the rest. When I asked my hubby, he picked the brinjal fries above all. The Veg Pot Pie was not very impressive and one can try something else from the list. There is lots to choose from. We wanted to order cheese fondue and Raclette ( famous from Switzerland) but since we were already full, we decided to keep it for the next time.
I would definitely recommend the place whenever you are around Lajpat Nagar or Defence Colony. If you know where the old Nirula’s was, you definitely know where Bronies is. Keep me posted of your foodie experience here!!!
