Café Delhi Heights is a cozy space with a variety of moods in a single area. I chose the colourful Indian lounge area with gaudy cushions on a jute lookalike cushion that topped a “sofa” fashioned from bricks. Elsewhere, you can opt for bar seating, booths or low, comfortable-looking swivel chairs. The café embodies the quintessence of Delhi, a city where you could be drinking a banta or a martini, and be equally at home. The menu matches the décor: there’s lal maas, pizza and juicy Lucy burger, all in one glorious jumble. Far from being an annoying mish-mash, Café Delhi Heights has put together a fitting tribute to our great city.
Whatever beverage you try is bound to be great. Peanut and jelly shake (Rs 155) sounds just the thing for those not watching their weight. I had a thandai (Rs 125) expecting it to be like the tall glasses you get in Chandni Chowk. Café Delhi Heights has gone one step further: it makes a smoothie, whose taste is the exact rendering of Delhi’s first cold drink: imaginative and ingenious. The banta soda (Rs 95) is exactly what you’d get at street-side stalls, except that this version has hygienically prepared ice and well-washed glasses! Best of all the drinks I samples was Hot Chocolate Frozen (Rs 225): chocolate shake in a cup where the flavor of chocolate was satisfyingly strong and the shake itself was cold to the point of being a slush.
Apparently, Café Delhi Heights is famous for its all-day breakfasts, for which there is an extensive menu. I didn’t try anything from the enormous range. Instead I tried the enormous juicy Lucy burger (Rs 275) that is a good choice for hungry youngsters on a budget. They can get their dose of fresh vegetables too, as the lamb patty is on a bed of rather misplaced juliennes of cabbage and carrots with mayonnaise.
It’s not one of the shining stars of this particular show. Still less was the Delhi burger (Rs 245) that featured a burger bun that had been deep-fried to make it crisp. Unfortunately, the oil was too cool to flash fry the bun, which ended up being soggy with stale oil. If only the restaurant would tweak their burgers a bit, they could have best-sellers on their hands. The Delhi burger has a vegetarian patty, in line with what you and I used to devour during our college days. Bacon rashers, cheese, jalapenos and a fried egg are add-ons, available at a price.
The scarmoza pizza at Rs 245 (smoked chicken, smoked cheese) was a treat. Generously studded with generous slices of smoked chicken, it was well worth the price, as indeed was everything else in this bastion of value for money. Out of their Indian dishes, Rajasthani lal maas with bajra roti (Rs 375) was authentic; galouti kebabs (Rs 325) were not even close to the original.
Desserts include a good key lime pie (Rs 175) and a great chocolate fondue (Rs 275).
Ratings
Food 3.00
Service 2.75
Décor 2.75
GL 121-123, 1st floor, DLF Cross Point
DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon
Tel: 0124-4119797, 9911154033
Open from 9 am to 1 am
Credit cards accepted; alcohol licence awaited
Meal for two: Rs 1,200
