The Commonwealth Games are sure to flood Delhi’s restaurants with foreign patrons. Why not take a cue from South East Asian restaurants and treat them to spot of Indian culture while they’re tucking in?

On a recent trip to Bangkok, I chanced upon a concept that is perfect for our conditions: Maya, a restaurant in Millennium Hilton, has been conceptualised as a venue for evening performances. Millennium Hilton is very clear that the


Millennium Hilton has tied up with Patravadi, a dance-theatre-cultural centre across the river. It was started by an iconic Thai actress called Patravadi Mejudhon whose daughter performs at Maya. One act involved each guest shaking an ethnic bamboo tambourine in time to a beat that the ‘conductor’ mimed. In a few minutes of chaotic practice, we were all playing Jingle Bells on an instrument that none of us had set eyes on before that. Prior to that, we saw a slow, languorous performance of a sarong being unfolded and worn in a variety of ways, some resembling the sari. The entire sequence was set to music. Even the 14 courses of food — traditional Thai served in small plates — were presented, it seemed, in time with the evening’s sequence.
Having a similar dining experience might be just what the Indian culinary scene needs. It’s easy to put together a three-hour programme of music and dance that appeals to a cross-section of

It’s probably a combination of factors. Primarily among them is sheer lack of imagination. Ghazal singers have become the default entertainers in many less-than-fashionable Indian restaurants. The second aspect is that most Indian restaurants have a mixed profile of patrons. They’re visited by tourists from overseas, from within the country, and local guests. The challenge is catering for all these groups simultaneously. Restaurateur Marut Sikka tells the story of a party he attended in Delhi in which a senior artiste from Pakistan performed. Hardly a soul listened to the world-class performance. Most were busy propping up the bar, exchanging stories of their next trip to the Greek islands.

attentive. And many Indians would probably not feel the need to mix cultural performances with their dinner. Rajesh Khanna, Executive Director, Abercrombie and Kent sighed when I approached him for his views on eatertainment as it is called in food and beverage circles. Khanna’s series of high-spending groups all seek at least one evening of cultural entertainment that’s not necessarily classical or high brow. Their only specification is that it should be representative of the country. Khanna needs to marshal all his resources to go hunting first for a suitable venue, then for a caterer and finally for performers. There are a number of pitfalls, he rues. First among them is that senior artistes decline to perform when alcoholic beverages or food is being served.
Marut Sikka, owner of the fashionable Indian restaurant Kainoosh, which serves modern Indian food in small plates, agrees with Khanna. Most classical dances started out in temples as an act of devotion, so mixing it with a cocktail of alcohol and non-vegetarian food is not entirely acceptable. Sikka strongly feels that the time for eatertainment will come. Once upon a time, restaurants were strictly functional. Then came the need to treat them as part of an evening out, and in the future, live entertainment — whether ethnic or international — will be the trend. This is already happening, Sikka says, offering Vishalla in Ahmedabad and Chokhi Dhani in Jaipur as examples. In Mumbai, Blue Frog and Comedy Store, which is yet to open, are eateries where food is only one component of an evening out.