Despite every visible inch being converted into a commercial space, there still lies a scope of discovery in Hauz Khas Village — the thought was refreshing. The green signboard at the entrance of Deer Park led us to The Project. The Project is the brainchild of restaurateur Priyank Sukhija and is probably the only restaurant inside the Deer Park. Set up in the sprawling area and making most of the surrounding green cover, the restaurant has been conceptualised as a restro lounge. With glass walls around, quirky installation made with computer keys and chocolate wrappers and a bar, the interiors look like a casual dining space set up amidst greenery. But if you really want to experience the best of the place, we suggest you choose to sit outside, especially if you are visiting in the evening hours.
The interiors should only be an option when the mercury is soaring. You can actually dine with the deer, peacocks and rabbits as they hover around you hoping you would share your meal with them. To not cause them any discomfort, the lighting is dim and music soft. So if you choose to sit at the spot that directly overlooks the park, you can actually hear the animals walking towards you and making themselves comfortable under the shadow of the tree. “There was one joint here earlier but not many people came with the purpose of dining at the deer park.
When I was given the opportunity, I grabbed it almost immediately since I knew I could create wonders at this location. The number of restaurants at the Hauz Khas Village has multiplied in the last two years and space is not something that most of them boast of. The huge space and prime location, right in the center of the park, is the USP of this restaurant. While I was working on it, my idea was not to come up with just another restaurant but to offer a space that is peaceful, calm and where you do not really need loud music or a lots of people to have a good time,” said Priyank who with his team worked day and night for over two months to give the place a marvellous makeover. In very less time since it opened, The Project has won a few hearts and those who have been here once have been returning with bigger groups.
The menu features pan Asian, continental and Indian cuisine. It is divided into categories like soups, salads, shareables, kebab, burgers, wood-fired gourmet pizzas, dessert pizza, pasta, rissotto, mains and desserts, ensuring there is something for everyone’s taste. The wood-fired, thin crust pizzas are a must-try. Prepared with fresh ingredients and generous amount of cheese spread over the crisp thin base, these pizzas are among the best in the city. There is a good variety of appetizers to choose from. There is garlic stuffed mushroom, gourmet bruschetta, nachos, chicken shawarma, mezze platter, saffron beer batter prawn and paprika fish and chips among others. You can choose your meal size as per the number of people you are and even customise your meal by choosing among flavours like traditional barbeque, honey mustard, cajun spiced, salt and vinegar and chipotle barbeque.
The main course section is a mix of Indian and other cuisine. You can choose grilled polenta, filet mignon which is crushed potato, glazed carrot prepared with red wine reduction, chicken chorizo — parmesan creamy gnocchi with crispy parma ham and peppercorn sauce, clay pot roasted chicken with chicken leg pieces marinated with pomegranate and spices and served with pita and grilled tiger prawns with roasted red pepper polenta cake, baby carrot and asparagus. Or you can stick to the tried and tested and order Kandhari rogan josh, butter chicken, murgh methi, paneer ka salan or soya keema. Expect little changes in the menu over a period of time.
To conclude your meal, give your all time favourites a miss and try dessert pizzas like caramel apple pizza, nutella and banana pizza and chocolate almond orange pizza. Once you have visited this place, the chances are high that you won’t look out for other options in Hauz Khas Village. The Project is not just about crowd, loud music and good food, unlike other joints, it is an experience that is best enjoyed with animals around.