Whiling away one of my evenings in South Delhi, I came across the much talked about (in non-vegetarian food circles of course) Rajinder Da Dhaba at Safdarjung Enclave and stopped to give it a try. This unassuming dhaba serves some of the most delectable Indian tandoori I have ever come across and my nose told me that even before I ventured in. The name Rajinder Da Dhaba fits the place perfectly as it is not too off from the dhabas that one comes across on highways. The smell of the tandoori fare lures you in to give it a shot, and once you do give it a try, rest assured you will be hooked.
Now if you are looking for a pleasant evening at a restaurant with good hygiene and candle light, do not even think about going to this dhaba. Rajinder Da Dhaba is strictly for people who mean business when it comes to eating. As it has self-service, be prepared to sweat it out in the long queue, first to place the order and later to get it to your car or table. In true dhaba style you will have a chhotu to clean up before and after your meal; however, how “clean” does it really get is not something you should think about when you are eating out here.
Coming to the food, the place has an immense variety of non-veg tandoori and mughlai food and that too at very reasonable prices. Though it offers a decent variety of vegetarian food as well but who cares about that when you are surrounded with the sights and smells of roast chicken and mutton The butter chicken is simply awesome and once you begin to eat, it just takes you to a whole different place, though after eating I assure you, you will only be able to move in your head and not physically as it is pure indulgence. The rumali rotis and naans are a sinful accompaniment for the lovely chicken and meat dishes.
The chicken malai tikka definitely takes all the points for me as it is just so succulent that you can’t stop with one plate, a second round is a must to show your appreciation. Other great options are the chicken tangri fry, chicken malai tangri, tawa chicken and mutton korma. One of the mistakes made by me on my first visit was that I ventured in for evening snacks, trust me if you really want to enjoy the food at Rajinder Da Dhaba make sure you do so once you have built a good appetite or else you will not be able to munch down as much as you desire.
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