Restaurant Spotlight: This new restaurant in CP lets you indulge in curries from around the world

It’s no secret that Connaught Place in New Delhi is a melting pot of cuisines- with restaurants and pubs scrambling to offer every dish imaginable.

But, save a few, none of these restaurants (which more or less end up having similar themes and resembling each other) serve anything memorable- an unfortunate fact that a new restaurant nestled in the heart of CP is all set to change.

Located right opposite PVR Plaza, Piali The Curry Bistro has brought an unique concept for all its guests- a chance to sample curries from across the world.

From the Srilankan Chicken Curry, which had the reputation of being the staple curry of the ancient kings and Indonesian Muslim Curry, a unique chicken curry cooked with potatoes, coconut and tamarind paste to Assamese Black Sesame Curry, a special chutney prepared with garlic, chillies and mustard oil and Chiang Rai Curry Noodles, a type of Thai curry prevalent in Northern Thailand, Piali’s menu has something to offer for every palate and we’re happy to report that the food holds its ground.


First thoughts:

Climb up two flights of stairs and stand face to face with a little over two rooms that is Piali The Curry Bistro. The design is an eclectic mix between Victorian and a bachelor pad- with wood and glossy leather dominating the interiors. You’ll also spot an artificial fireplace and some fake roses here and there.

Thankfully, the menu printed on beautiful paper will keep you distracted from the strange mix of old and new for the better part of your evening. The varied options of curries in the menu is a testimony to the lengths the management has gone to ensure that they have a thoughtful array of curries from all over the globe taking guests on a culinary journey rather than a mish-mash of highlights of cuisines from a few countries.

It goes without saying that the highlight of the menu is the main course with its abundant (and confusing) curries, but the selection of starters and salads do put up a good fight.


Soups and salads:

We sampled the Roasted Red Peppers and Tomato Soup (Rs 145) and were pleasantly surprised at the smoky and slightly sour makeover that the folks at Piali have given the good ol’ tomato soup. We’d absolutely recommend this soupy delight.

Next, on our table was the Orange and Watermelon, Feta Cheese Salad (Rs 195), which was served inside a scooped out watermelon. Thick round balls of feta cheese perfectly complement the fruitiness of freshly cut watermelon and orange making it a dish that you don’t easily forget about. We were bowled over by the distinctive presentation and so would you.


Starters:

When it came to starters, the Roast Chicken and Caramelised Spring Rolls (Rs 345) and the fiery-grilled and understandably spicy Kohlapuri Pomfret (Rs 375) pack quite a punch. Piali also does a mean Italian Tomato Basil Bruschetta (Rs 265), so we’d also advise checking that out.

More or less, the starters section comprises street-side finds from across the country, and at first glance, it does look quite promising.


Curries everywhere:

And, at last we came to the star of the menu- the main course. We personally love how Piali hasn’t stereotyped the selection of curries only to known desi favourites but has also includes several North-Eastern and Asian delicacies.

We went for the Srilankan Chicken Curry ( Rs 355) and the Chiang Rai Curry Noodles (Rs 345) for our main course and judging by how fast we licked it off our plates, it’d be safe to say that Piali is walking the talk.

Served with pol rotis, the Srilankan Chicken Curry is a delightful curry boasting rich flavours and won’t take one long to finish off, while the Chiang Rai Curry Noodles are everything we want curry noodles to be. Tangy well-coooked noodles whose taste is not overpowered by coconut milk? There’s hardly anything to not love about this slurp-worthy dish.

We’d however advise you to steer clear of dessert and instead sip on their interesting choice of mocktails or go the LIIT way instead.


BI Roundup:

Either way, bookmark Piali for cosy well-stuffed dinner dates whenever you’re in CP. We have a personal wishlist of all the curries we want to sample on our next visits.

Rating- 8.5/10

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Cost for 2: Rs 2000 for two (with alcohol)

Timings: 12 pm to 1 am

Address: Piali, K-147, first level, opposite PVR Plaza, Connaught Place.

Nearest Metro Station: Rajiv Chowk (Blue Line)