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Once upon a time popular as Sangam cinema, the building has now been converted into Sangam Courtyard, a restaurant complex slowly and steadily filling up with promising eateries. One such restaurant that has only recently opened up on the ground floor of the food complex is Ziu- an applaud worthy Thai restaurant run by its young and talented chef- Gurmehar Singh Sethi. Gurmehar can be seen at his venture at all times, either whipping up mind-blowing dishes or interacting with the customers to collect valuable feedback. Not just the owner, but the entire staff at Ziu works toward ensuring customer satisfaction. The wonderful experience begins with a warm welcome, and continues till one exits the premises after a hearty meal.

We visited Ziu on a Thursday afternoon with a huge appetite. The polite lady at the front desk escorted us to our seats inside. The restaurant isn’t massive; in fact, one can say it has limited capacity. Having said that, the space provided has been used wisely and decorated tastefully: the kitchen has been strategically constructed on a platform, has a glass window and is located where all the guests can view their dishes being prepared; the wooden furniture has been placed to accommodate the maximum number of guests yet not appear cluttered; the lighting is dim to complement the soft music; and the false ceiling (the most catchy part of the decor), along with the walls are filled with elements that transport you straight to Thailand.

After being comfortably seated, we dove our noses into the menu and ordered a variety of dishes. Out of the appetisers, we called for ‘KanomKrok’, which is basically coconut cremebrûlée shots. They arrived on the table dressed like tiny cupcakes and we were asked by the server to gulp each down like a shot. We did, and what a flavourful shot it was! Even if you just ate but happen to cross RK Puram, we seriously recommend you to try this dish (yes, that’s how amazing it was). Next came the Chicken Glass Noodle Salad, a regular Thai dish that was well-prepared but not extraordinary. Not too impressed with the existing list of cocktails, we decided to make our own. The manager patiently understood our cocktail - a vodka based drink with cucumber, lime juice, and elderflower extract. He personally brought it to us, waited for us to try it and left only when he saw a huge grin on our faces. The cocktail was refreshing, contained the right amount of alcohol and sweetness, and tasted better than we’d expected it to. Our main course comprised of Prawn Red Curry Rice and Veg Pad Thai Noodles. Though the umpteen amount of chilli in the red curry rice left our eyes watering, we couldn’t stop eating it because of the unique flavours. It is worth mentioning here that the manager took notice of our intolerance for spicy food and got us a pineapple juice shot to cut down on the chilli. The only thing we need to say about the pad thai noodles is that they were bang on in terms of texture, quantity, taste, and everything else a delicious dish should be. Even though our bellies were bursting, it wasn’t possible to leave without dessert. We were disappointed to see the absence of dessert on the menu but pleasantly surprised when our server walked toward us with a generous portion of coconut and jaggeryice-cream. It was delectable enough to satisfy our urge for ‘something sweet’. At the end of our meal, Mr. Gurmehar himself came to us to ensure we left his restaurant with a smile.

Needless to say, Ziu is a complete package of excellent staff, transparent cooking, a cozy ambience, and of course, mind-blowing Thai food. We were unable to spot any teething problems, probably because Gurmehar has an impressive background boasting of huge names like Nobu and Le Cirque. Go on and take a bow, chef.

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Delhi, it’s time to drool. From our all-time favourite shopping and food destination, HauzKhas Village, comes yet another sinful offering: Choco Vault. With a huge circular vault-shaped door at its entrance and ‘Choco Vault’ written prominently on top, this hidden treasure manages to catch the eye. In a limited space, a lot has been successfully accommodated: seating for about 10-12 people, which includes a private little nest for two near the entrance; an elaborate and neat display of most of their offerings; a separate quirky exhibit of the various flavours of waffles on sticks; and comfortable red couches accompanied by cushioned chairs made to look like muffins. With chocolate dripping from the tables, off the ceiling and walls, it’s evident that they have incorporated the chocolate theme not just in their food, but also in the interiors.

After a quick glance at the place, you are tempted to indulge in their food. At this point however, you are bound to face a dilemma: what not to eat? It’s not your fault: the desserts on display look yummy and the ones described on the menu sound mouth-watering. Plus, their menu just doesn’t seem to end. They have on offer a wide variety of fondues, chocolate pizzas and chocolate ice-cream sandwiches. To try any item from their ‘mess to share’ part of the menu, an empty stomach is a must as it is a blissful combination of about 7-8 desserts. For those who do not have a separate stomach for dessert, the chocolate shot, the chocolate syringe or a simple scoop of the chocolate ice-cream will satisfy the sweet tooth. We ordered the chocolate shot, which was a complete burst of chocolate. However, using dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate to go with the sweet cookie cup would have kept the level of sugar in the dessert in check. The waffles sticks, available in different flavours- red velvet, brownie, mango and coconut, gulkand, rainbow, after eight and many more- deserve a special mention as they are one of the crunchiest, yummiest waffles you will find in any part of the city. The red velvet waffles stick disappeared from our plate as soon as it arrived as it was perfect in every way: quantity, texture and taste. Their in-house chef has designed the menu keeping in mind the ones who believe that there’s nothing such as ‘too much chocolate’ as well as those who prefer a balanced combination of chocolate, nuts, fruits, caramel etc. To wash it all down, they also have shakes in different flavours, coolers like mojito, iced tea etc. and coffee.

As is evident, Choco Vault is no ordinary cafe. It carries you gently into the divine world of chocolate and you come out only wanting more. Quirky, colourful, and an absolute treat to the eyes as well as the taste buds, there is no reason for it to not take the top spot in your list of ‘favourite dessert parlours’. Next time you are in HKV, let your nose lead you to ‘Chocolate Vault’.

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Ever loved a place in an instant even before experiencing it? If not, Delhi Club House will be a first for you. This newly-opened restaurant in Sangam Courtyard is proudly owned by MarutSikka of Keya fame and just like all his other offerings, it exceeds expectations. The cuisine on offer is a commonly practiced (maybe even safe) combination of North Indian and Chinese. However, the reason for the choice of cuisines is mentioned in their menu and makes for an interesting read: since the idea behind this restaurant is to recreate the dining out experience of the days of the British Raj, the menu comprises of hand-picked dishes- belonging to the most popular colonial clubs across the country- that were relished by the Britishers and the affluent Indians.

It isn’t just the menu that gives you a taste of that era; the interiors as well take you back in time. With the chairs, tables, window panes, and even the bar- all dark wood, the classic vintage look is created. As you enter through the red curtains into an airy room with simple, classy furniture, dim lighting and a soothing ambience, you can feel the old-world charm but also can’t help imagine the evening ahead to be pleasant.
We were greeted at DCH with a warm welcome and politely escorted to our seats. First, we ordered the cocktails that didn’t just sound interesting but tasted delicious too. From the classic Whiskey Sour to the more trending martinis, their drinks are absolutely high on flavour. Don’t stop at alcohol as the food here is equally tasty. On our server’s recommendation, we ordered the Masala cheddar toast, Yam galouti kebab, and Prawn cutlet. All the appetisers (yes, we ate more), made their way to our list of ‘always order dishes’ but the succulent Galouti kebab stole the show. Even though our stomachs shouted out ‘no’, we listened to our greedy hearts and went on to carefully study the entrees. We rightly called for the Amritsarichanakulcha, which led us to unknowingly lick our fingers, and the Prawn masala with corn rice, which had just the right amount of spice and a subtle yet remarkable flavour. They say, ‘There is a separate stomach for dessert’, but in our case that space had been taken up by the savouries. So with a heavy heart, we skipped dessert. If it matters, the Old fashion fruit cream would have been our pick as it would be interesting to try out their version of this age-old dessert.
Their music collection deserves a special mention as it kept us swaying through the night. It could be too contemporary for one’s liking, but to be fair, they play the lesser heard versions of the popular tunes. The staff gives you the right amount of space and at the same time ensures you are taken care of. Not to forget, the bar has been magnificently designed and rightly occupies the centre of the restaurant. At Delhi Club house, conversation and drinks just keep flowing. Before you know it, the magical evening ends but with the promise of a repetition the next time you visit. Lastly, we are sorry to paint such a rosy picture, but we aren’t to blame- the experience was such.