Indi Cheeni Bao Bhai

When you think of eating out habits of people in Delhi NCR, there are two cuisines that can never lose their charm- Indian and Chinese. We do flirt with the fajita and preen with the pizza but when we are truly famished and wanting heart-warming good food, nothing can beat the lure of a crisp tandoori roti or a well made stir-fry. Invariable the ladies of the group gravitate towards Chinese, but often men want their dal roti fix which makes selecting a restaurant difficult.

Now it is possible to have the best of both Indian and Chinese under one roof in Gurgaon. For the first time in Delhi NCR, this unique concept of "Confluence of two worlds - Indian & Chinese" has been introduced by the renowned restaurant chain "Veda". Veda, which is already a very popular brand for high quality Indian food in Delhi, have gone a step further and granted the wish of every food loving family or group of friends.

I recently attended the pre-launch Blogger's Meet hosted by Veda and Djingg's, Gurgaon and came back truly satiated. Apart from the well thought menus from both "Veda" & "Djinggs", right from the sumptuous authentic Pan-Indian cuisines to delectable Chinese dishes in Sichuan style, the restaurant has a lot to offer. The expert chefs of the two respective cuisines bring a perfect balance of traditional food with contemporary style cooking in their respective domains. Introduction of fresh and unique concepts like ‘clay pot’ cooking from China(for the first time in this region) with delectable herbs offer tenderness and richness to cooking, which is also healthy at the same time.

The ambiance and decor of the restaurant have been done keeping in mind the two varied cultures, cuisines, people, etc. The reflection of two different regions is most visible on the the ceiling and walls with trendy dim lights and beautiful sun-umbrellas on one side whilst preserving the classic look of Veda with chandeliers and mirrors on the other. The restaurant transports you to an intriguing world.

 

Speaking of food, we started with a very unique Radish Cake. I was happy to see my 12 year old daughter savour a vegetable like radish with relish! Next came the dimsum which were exquisite with a choice of sauces. I particularly liked the Pokchoy Spinach Cristal Dumplings. Another Chinese starter I liked was the French Beans Dry Chilli and Garlic. In Indian snacks there was a crunchy Palak Patta Chaat and Paneer Roomani, very subtly flavoured and different presentation of paneer, a relief from tasteless paneer tikkas in usual restaurants in which the marination almost never reaches the centre.

In the main course, the Chicken Claypot Rice definitely stood out with its delicate fragrance and flavor. For the hard core spice lovers, there was of course Rogan Lamb Shank and Gosht Biryani, with succulent pieces of lamb and perfectly cooked rice. Mathania Chilli Paneer Khurchan was a great dish for vegetarians and again such a relief from the usual Kadai Paneers that has actually made me hate paneer in restaurants. In Chinese the Stir Fried Green Beans were truly spectacular.

The dessert choices were the best of Indian and Chinese, tried and tested classics- Shahi Tukda and Darsaan with Vanilla Icecream. You cannot go wrong with these, if they are made to perfection. It was such a welcome relief to try food that was genuinely well cooked and well presented, retaining all the tastes and aromas, without any gimmicks of molecular gastronomy or some such, for a change. Veda and Djingg's is sure to be a popular place for some authentic food, tastefully served.