Delhi ‘O’ Delhi

By Franz Scheurer

Tucked away off King St, Delhi ‘O’ Delhi can be a tad difficult to find, with all the narrow, overcrowded one-way streets around Erskineville, but it is worth it. Parking’s also near impossible and you need to brace yourself for a long walk once you’re lucky enough to find a space.

The restaurant is sleek and modern, occupying a corner block and offering good seating and tables with paper over cloth and one-size-fits-all glasses. Large, brown, circular overhead lampshades add a touch of softness, as do the warm-toned banquettes. The menu is comprehensive but not huge, the wine list is less exciting, but with BYO at a mere $2 a head, it’s not a problem, and the friendly wait staff do their best to accommodate. The kitchen is semi-open, giving diners a feel for how hot it gets with a haze of smoke filtering out to the dining area regardless of the ventilation. The rewarded for this small inconvenience though is superbly charry tandoori breads, especially the ‘Peshawari Naan’!

In fact on the whole, the food is exceptional. Start with ‘Palak Papri Chaat’ (a combination of crisp battered spinach leaves topped with a spicy yoghurt sauce, tamarind and mint), a textural sensation. Standards like ‘Dal Mahini’ (lentils simmered overnight, flavoured with tomatoes), ‘Saag Paneer’ (young spinach leaves sautéed with cream, tomatoes, ginger and Indian cottage cheese) or ‘Kashmiri Roganjosh’ (the classic, hot and spicy lamb dish in a thick, gelatinous sauce) are better than most-anywhere. While less common dishes like the ‘Chicken Chettinad’ (chicken cooked in a hot sauce with pepper, aniseed and curry leaves) or the ‘Bhindi Do Piyaza’ (meat cooked with lots of golden brown onions) are superb. The dish of the night however was their house special, ‘Goat Biryani’ (basmati rice with lots of spices and diced pieces of baby goat). Firm, yet soft and gelatinous, it was spicy (cinnamon heavy) but never hot and a comforting winter dish, as homely as chicken soup or a French cassoulet. This dish alone makes a trek to Erskineville worthwhile and guarantees my return.

Value for money is exceptional - you’ll be leaving sated, with a huge grin on your face and change in your pocket.

Score: 6.5/10

For more information or bookings:

Delhi ‘O’ Delhi

3-13 Erskineville Road (off King Street)

Newtown

Tel.: 02 9557 4455