Mixed flavours

Priyanka Sharma checks out a new eatery that pegs itself on the “Indo-Pak” connection — but does not quite get it right.

Delhi’s tony Hauz Khas village has a new eatery — Raas, which offers what is pegged as “Indo-Pak cuisine”. Located between Turkish eatery Masha, and Ritu Dalmia’s Italian trattoria Diva Piccola, Raas has tough competition. Besides, there are several restaurants offering various exotic cuisines dotted all over — Kashmiri at Tarami, Malaysian at Lah, and Nepalese at Yeti.

Raas, hopes seasoned restaurateur Priyank Sukhija, will tap into the nostalgia associated with Lahori food and culture. Sukhija, who owns around 18 restaurants and lounges such as Boombox Café and Lazeez Affaire has a strong understanding of the city’s culinary trends. Which is why he flew in 40 cooks from dhabas in Lahore to ensure that the dishes at Raas were authentic Lahori fare.

The menu isn’t extraordinary — dishes like Paya Shorba (Rs 195), Lahori Tangri Kabab (Rs 575) and Peshawari Burra Kebab (Rs 555) are easily found in neighbourhood dhabas. So we, a party of two, set our hopes on the ambience. The restaurant is well-lit, with an appealing view of the Hauz Khas greens — the orange velvet furniture takes some getting used to, though.

The manager (unlike the rest of the staff clad in blue kurtas, he is dressed in a dinner jacket) suggests we begin with the Galouti kabab, “the quintessential Lahori delicacy”. Spread out on small slices of buttered naan, the kababs (Rs 485) arrive on a white platter (we were hoping for more traditional cutlery) and are served with an assortment of chutneys — the predictable pudina and another tangy one made of hung curd. The kababs impress with their moist texture and wholesome flavours, the result, says Sukhija, of being cooked on a charcoal grill instead of a tandoor.

Our food arrives in 15 minutes — Raas doesn’t see much action on a Monday afternoon and our reservations were unnecessary. The Raas Rajwari gosht (Rs 575) is full of masala and makes an enticing picture alongside Kashmiri Dhingri mutter (around Rs 400) and butter naan (two for Rs 250). The lamb is tender, cooked as it is on a slow fire, we are told. All the meat is sourced from Delhi’s INA market.

Which beverage complements Lahori fare, we wonder? Tongue-tied, the staff says their drinks menu is still under consideration.

As we bite into the soft naan, a testament to its buttery goodness, we can’t help but notice a layer of oil covering all the dishes — which might put off those who count their calories. As we struggle to finish the large helpings, we realise this might not be the ideal option for a working lunch. We suggest the Raas kitchen go easy on the oil, without compromising the flavours.

For desert, we recommend the kesar phirni (Rs 255) — sweet and creamy, you can’t go wrong with this traditional delicacy.

The word Raas refers to a blend of contrasting elements — in this case music (Coke Studio Pakistan’s “paise da nasha” by Bohemia) and food. While neither disappoints, Raas lacks novelty and doesn’t strike the right chord. To be fair, the restaurant is only three weeks old and is still getting its act together.

For a meal costing nearly Rs 2,900 (without alcohol), the flavours weren’t radically different from other eateries (such as Lahori Shah in Hauz Rani, hailed as an alternative to Kareem’s) that offer similar fare. While you might want to try its Rajwari gosht, if authentic Lahori experience is what you’re looking for, you won’t find it at Raas — not yet.