Every gimmick in the restaurant industry
Serves North Indian
Atmospherics: Every time I visit Rajouri Garden, I am convinced that there is no more place for another restaurant, yet at the next visit, I see a few. Kopper Kadai is one of the newer entrants. Situated on two floors accessible by lift, it has paid great attention to its accessories: the menu is encased in copper, beaten to resemble a kadhai, complete with appropriately shaped handles; there are copper implements on the wall, wet towels are moistened with water from a copper ladle and so on. However, the lighting, while not particularly dim, is insufficient to read the menu descriptions, and the presentation of one of the dishes is such that it is almost impossible to serve it efficiently. It is these elements – together with the food itself – that needed to be given greater attention.
Table talk: Nadru ki chaat (Rs 325) was quite pleasant: chips of lotus stem cut diagonally and deep-fried, then combined with niblets of vegetables with the addition of taste enhancer. Patiala fried chicken (Rs 355) called PFC on the menu, was pleasant enough without being startling and mutton hatodi parchey (Rs 425) had been flattened, 
supposedly with a hammer, before being cooked, and were served, to lend verisimilitude to the story, on a hammer whose handle was hollowed out. Personally, I found the gimmickry over the top and the spice level far too high. I was assured that the customers from the locality could not get enough chilli in their food. The two dishes that did appeal to me were Govind gatta curry (Rs 355) and keema baati (Rs 455). The gatta curry was in a mild gravy of the kind you would find in a household in Rajasthan with yoghurt and besan gravy. The keema baati glistened with ghee but the size being smaller than the average, made it not overly filling. Even the keema to dough ratio was in favour of the dough.
Plus and minus: The challi kolmi pasht (Rs 345) were strands of unseasoned cornflour dough wound painstakingly around breadsticks with niblets of corn and spinach in the centre. Meant to be the vegetarian answer to meat-eaters’ kebabs, it was floury and devoid of either moisture or flavour. The Jwalamukhi kebabs (Rs 325) too were dry, devoid of flavour and powdery.
Must try: tandoori paneer momos, beyti seekh, Nutella dodha lava
Food: 3.00; Service: 3.00. Décor: 3.00
J2/6B, 1st & 2nd Floor, B.K. Dutta Market, Rajouri Garden
Tel: +91 9654593593, +91 9810929954
Open from 12 noon to 12 midnight
Credit cards accepted; alcohol served
Meal for two: Rs 2,000
