Aanch at Rajouri Garden is one of West Delhi’s hidden treasures. Divya Kaushik discovered dhabawali dal, butter chicken and authentic Thai curries at this spacious joint
If someone tells you he visited dhabas famous for their foods on the national highways, just to get the secret of dal makhani and butter chicken, you will gauge that the person is either a great foodie, or aspiring cook, hell-bent on proving a point, by making the best dal makhani.
None of those reasons apply in this case. Brajesh Kapoor and his chef Ashish Massey were making rounds of the said dhabas, so they could serve the dal makhani and butter chicken with a similar taste at their restaurant, Aanch in Rajouri Garden. “We took 36 trials for our dal makhani and over 30 for butter chicken. Hard work and long drives paid off. Both dishes consist 90 per cent of our orders,” shared Brajesh, one of Aanch’s owners.
He was earlier involved with the food processing equipment and would tour the length and breadth of the country. The idea for the eating joint was born from his observation that although West Delhi has decent places to eat out with family, the current generation still has to travel to South or Central Delhi if they want to visit a disco or club.
“When young we faced this problem and now our teenager kids encounter it So we thought of a place with sections divided as per choices of people. I started it with two friends. But one passed away. The other two of us carried on with our dream project,” informed Brajesh.
If Western Delhi is still an unexplored territory, you might be surprised to find such a spacious, well-designed outlet. On the top floor of apparently the biggest Shoppers Stop outlet in Delhi, Aanch is already popular with people all age groups. The reasons are many. like the space.
The 20000 square foot place is divided into four sections.The XTC is a lavishly decorated English bar lounge with plush designer armrest chairs and couches. It has a 40 foot raised bar counter, which serves a mix of international brands of select aperitifs, spirits, wines and beers. Along with interesting cocktails and mocktails. Majlis, the exclusive private-dining-room is for kitty parties and family gatherings with upto 20 guests. It features high-back designer chairs with slick leather and adorned interiors. While Kash is the hookah lounge (presently they do not serve hookahs), where one can relax with drinks and munchies for extended hours. The best, according to us, was the Company Baugh, where one can host pool parties under a starlit night. The shack is designed in a corner to give the space a beach feel. There’s a huge dance floor too.
We chose dinner at the fine dining area in Aanch, where Chef Ashish Massey who worked at places like Rambagh Palace in Jaipur was waiting with an elaborate menu. The welcome drink was aam panna, but a little too sweet. The food menu comprised Indian, Continental, Thai, Italian and Chinese cuisines. To stand out, Massey made some changes. We were served something like cottage cheese fingers, coated in thick, crisp batter. And the cream of mushroom soup was one of the best. The flavours were mixed and served in a huge, cappuccino bowl. They have different kitchens. “One exclusively for Indian food, our forte and the most popular with guests,” Massey told us. The chefs are local, understanding Delhi tastes. We tried their Thai curries cooked without desifying the dishes. Whatever you are ordering, remember their dal makhani is a must. It has flavours that will remind you of a grand mom’s cooking. You can try it with cheese jalapeno naan. We were also given sweet cigars with a cup full of whipped cream. It appears that they have experimented with desserts a good deal.