Masala House, Sunder Nagar - Delhi
'★★★½' This place doesn't look much from the outside but oh! man, the food is delicious. I had a pleasure of feeding on some scrumptious north Indian food along with my wife and her besties at #masalahouse. It's a 3 storey building tucked in sunder nagar which was earlier occupied by Lazeez affair and is now a fine dining restaurant managed perfectly by the newbies. The place is not huge but they do have ample seating for families and groups. However, prior reservation is recommended on weekends.
'Slide show: Masala House ambience and interiors'
From last week, I was only munching junk food so it was rather a change in diet and I really loved it. The menu looked tempting and was filled with mouth watering dishes. A couple of the starters referred by the server proved to be too tantalising to resist. We ordered Kumbh Kebab, Anarkali Tikki, Bhatti Paneer Tikka, Dora Kebab, Paneer Lababdar, Dum ki Daal, Nalli ka Rampuri Korma. For beverages, we ordered Basil/Cucumber Cooler & Litchi/Grape Lemonade.
'Kumbh Kebab'
Kumbh Kebab: These were the chargrilled mushrooms, fully dipped in explosive sauce. The chewy mushrooms were ferociously hot and I couldn't point out any weakness.
The right balance of every spice made this dish a top notch. The blend of flavours in the sauce was so well and the presentation just elevated the dish.
'Slide show: Dora Kebab'
Dora Kebab: It appeared on sticks covered with a 'dori' (Thread). These kebabs are meant to be cut by that thread only which was a fun way to eat. The video here will describe the fun.
'Video of kebab being cut' I'm at the loss of words, it was almost perfect. Unlike most of the other fresh kebabs, the chef here minced the lamb very finely. Wonderfully seasoned, hot spicy, addictive and the texture of the dish was splendid. I was pleased with the lovely aroma flowing from the dish. It would definitely make an exceptional companion on a wintry night. Even after 20-30 minutes, the kebabs didn't lose any of its character.
'Bhatti paneer tikka'
Bhatti paneer tikka: The paneer pieces were grilled & had a delicious char. It was fantastically soft and garlicky. Paneer tikka was not out of the world but was quite the same served in many other restaurants & that's the reason I don't like ordering paneer. They taste almost same everywhere.
'Anarkali Tikki'
Anarkali Tikki: We were really excited about trying these tikkis as I have read many people ordering this particular snack. It was an effective little starter. Each of these beetroot tikki was packed with all flavours that were both subtle and sweet. They were totally worth the hype. However, I would never order a tikki in any restaurant, but this was an exception and was worth trying.
Before serving the main course, they gave us the taste changer. Nothing special about it, but it was a fun way to start with the main course.
'Nalli ka rampuri korma'
Nalli ka rampuri korma: The rich orange gravy's aroma filled my senses and I couldn't wait from taking a bite from it. The meat was finely cooked but the main concern was the gravy. The excessive use of cardamom in the gravy just overpowered all the flavours. It was impossible to taste any other spices than cardamom. I tried many times but it was getting challenging to eat so just left it. It was a big let down.
'Dum ki dal'
Dum ki dal: This was their signature dal makhani . The service was quick and was served in reasonable quantity. The dal arrived hot , was flavoursome and cooked properly. I have heard that this dal makhani gives a tuff competition to bukhara, but that wasn't the case.
'Paneer Lababdar'
Paneer lababdar was in a sweet tomato gravy. The dish was enjoyable. People with a sweet tooth can definitely give a shot with this one but if ur a spicy kinda loving person than u can try other paneer options on the menu.
'Basil & cucumber cooler'
Basil & cucumber cooler: I'm sad to admit that the mocktails were boring. This was mentioned on their special table cards but it was not at all special. It tasted like chunks of cucumber dipped in cold water. We were 6 and none of us was able to finish it.
'Litchi & grape lemonade'
Litchi & grape lemonade: It got lost somewhere. It was like drinking a tetra pack litchi juice. Both of these drinks were a disappointment.
At last: Masala house has succeeded in creating a nice cozy restaurant serving some delicious cuisines with a difference. The level of service provided was great and very attentive. The food was fresh and was served hot. No other restaurant in Sundar Nagar serves as savoury dishes as this one. The portions are generous enough and the prices are somehow average. Starters were yum and plating was interesting. When it comes to mocktails, you will regret ordering them and it's definitely not worth the price. Altogether the bill came around 8000/- with taxes for 6 people which is not a bad deal.
Cost for two: 2000 INR. | ⌚ 12 PM to 3:30 PM, 7 PM to 11:30 PM | ☏ 011 43583654
My Rating: 3.5 / 5 *
Facebook: http://bit.ly/masala-fb
Website: http://masala-house.com/
Directions: Masala House, 4 Sundernagar
*Disclaimer: MTG have not received any favour/sponsorship from the restaurant. Rating is based on Value for money & Taste.
