One of the most endearing facets of Delhi is how you stumble upon the most magical food in a seemingly uninspiring corner of the city. Though our neighbour Gurgaon does not share much with Delhi, it too has the same magic. Qutab Plaza in a largely residential area, DLF Phase I, doesn’t have much to recommend itself. A few ‘alteration’ tailors occupying corridors and a series of stationery stores. In a blind corner, however, there is Kurry Souk. A tiny outlet with no seating space, it bustles cheerfully with orders coming in from all parts of Gurgaon. Owned by Chef Sheikh Arif, who was the opening Indian chef of Set’z, the kebabs are insanely, freaking fabulous. They are quite possibly the finest in the NCR. Two riders: Chef Arif has to be in charge of operations (there are three others in the team) and you cannot have it home-delivered if you want maximum freshness. A friend and I sat in her car in the carpark of the market and kebabs were brought to the vehicle – a distance of about 10 feet. While the Khumb Galoutis (Rs 215 for 4 pieces) were tasty with the interesting texture of the mushrooms that had been intentionally kept a bit coarse, the Mutton Shami (Rs 295 for 4) one of the best versions I have had: melt in the mouth with a hint of the natural texture of the mutton, just enough dal to bind the kebab and a light spicing, just the way traditional shamis are meant to be.
However, if you want to sample the greatness of this little hole in the wall, try 
their Karare Mutton Chops (Rs 325) that manages to be succulent, fully cooked and oozing the marinade while being utterly tender. Or the almost-falling-apart-with-tenderness Chicken Mulayam Seekh (Rs 215) that oozes flavour and juiciness down to the last bite. I missed out on Patiala Ghosht and Bombay Mutton Tikka because I wanted to sample Chicken Nihari (Rs 195/375 for half/full) which was just about ok: it lacked the subtle spicing that I was expecting. And the last dish was Tawa Ghosht Biryani (Rs 225/305) which would not, ordinarily, be my choice of biryani, especially when Arif, who hails from Hyderabad, is cooking. However, Kachche Ghosht ki Biryani has to be ordered a day in advance. The surprise of the day was the delicious Kali Dal (Rs 175) that was in another league from the usual suspects around Delhi. The low prices and the unbelievable quality make this place unmissable.
Open 7 days from 11 am to 11.30 pm. Home delivery to most parts of Gurgaon. If you want to sit in your car and eat, carry your own plates.
Call +91 9555450600, 0124 4526663
