Restaurant Reviews - Written for MIH Web
Napoleon - Le Meridian
The Napoleon is the main Banquet Hall at the Meridien Hotel in Central Delhi. Considered to be one of the best in the city, the hall has a capacity to accommodate up to a 1000 delegates at a time. In addition to this, Napoleon has the facility of being provided with photocopying, stenciling, typing and fax services on request, and as expected these services ensure that your needs can be met in an efficient and professional manner. The Hotel also arranges for special theme lunches and dinners on request, and one can let one's imagination take over completely with the confidence that your ideas will be well-executed. The Napolean Hall is designed to cater to a wide range of occasions be they conferences, weddings or special VIP functions. The hotel staff is helpful and pleasing and the food at the Meridien, though not great, is good enough to be catered for special occasions.Patiala Peg - The Imperial
The Patiala Peg at the Imperial is based on the commemoration of the victory of the Maharaja of Patiala's team over the Viceroy's, in a vigorous tent-pegging game in the early 1900's. One of the most popular bars in the city, its name is also indicative of the larger peg measures of 75ml that typify it; these are opposed to the smaller 60 ml measures that Bars usually consider the standard. The ambience is relaxing and the décor well-designed, with the walls bearing a fantastic collection of the Maharaja's photographs taken during World War II. The Bar is also well stocked with a good collection of wines and liquors. Service is great, the mood is lazy and the snacks just right. It is a great place to go to unwind or even to just enjoy a well mixed drink in great atmosphere. Definitely worth a visit.Portico Coffee Shop - Le Meridian
Portico Coffee Shop remains one of my favorite spots all across Delhi. The extensive and most exotic coffee this restaurant serves makes my mouth water even as I write here. You are treated with smooth Continental, Oriental and Tandori dishes. My favorite was the Italian segment though. With a 24x7 routine, you can get an internationally blended cuppa coffee in the middle of the night. The décor is very contemporary and so is the clientele. You can see people of all ages flock this wonderful dreamland. You ought to reach the lobby level of The Park Hotel to find this beauty. Buffets not only welcome you in the morning breakfasts, you can even get a lunch and dinner buffets here. The Salads here are a vibrant mixture of the most delicious semi cooked and fresh fruits and vegetables.Club Bar - The Oberoi
Club Bar is an ideal place for all your formal and informal meetings. This elite choice café bar is perfect for your breakfast coffee, evening tea and dinner time desserts. On reaching there, you will find, well-behaved and friendly staff serving you with the best of international beverages and snacks. Club Bar has been awarded, the 'Best Pastry Shop' by HT City Guide. This gourmet shoppe is all clad up to tempt you with its luscious menu. The whiff of coffee, freshly baked pastries, aromatic teas will surely appeal to your taste buds and will make you visit this eatery again and again. You can enjoy a sip of coffee while listening to the soothing music. However, the décor of the place doesn't live up to the quality of the food. Regardless of that, this place attracts a lot of people to enjoy hot coffee and yummy pastries anytime they desire.Dublin - ITC Maurya Sheraton
When I entered this Pub I almost felt I was in Ireland with my peers at Dublin at Maurya Sheraton. The Welcome Pub is a visual delight, typically Irish in its décor. It is an extremely friendly bar, and by that I mean even the guests jive in talking freely to any stranger who walks in. The dress code is as casual as the lounge bar feels. Timings though are limited to six o'clock in the evening till one in the morning. Entry to this vibrant lounge bar is strictly by membership or for hotel guests. With strobe lights and pumped up music, this pub also has a great dance floor. Dublin is known to have the largest selection of single malt scotch in Delhi, and the Irish theme décor makes it the most fancied exclusive clubs in Delhi. A tip though - if you wish to enter this exclusive pub, just stand outside the bar and ask a member to sign you in as his guest, which is very easy with such friendly members.Brix - The Grand
Brix, the Italian specialty restaurant at The Grand, offers a wide and authentic range of traditional Italian Cuisine. The ambience is warm and comfortable, with an open kitchen and done up in warm wooden tones. The food is fantastic with the smokiness of wood-fired-ovens adding just that exotic touch that I find so delectable. Since the cuisine is exclusively Italian, you'll find a number of dishes you won't encounter anywhere else, and Italian food lovers have a variety of pastas, pizzas, lasagna and fresh breads to choose from. The selection includes food cooked in the open rotisserie and the char-grill. Named after one of the stages in the wine-making process itself, Brix also offers a wide range of wines - Red, White, Rose, Champagne and Sparkling. One of its unique features is 'La Cava' the wine cellar, which offers a private dining room with seating for 12 persons. But wine cellar or not, the place deserves a visit on all counts -food, ambience, service and prices.Thank Godness It's Friday
For globetrotters, Thank Godness It's Fridays is not an unfamiliar name, although they will be able to distinguish the levels of service here. It started first in the up-market Basant Lok and has now spread its wings in CP, Gurgaon and Rajouri Garden. TGIF is still very popular for its Beer Pitchers, a concept you will not find in many bars in the NCR. The cuisine is essentially American, and not really its strong point - which is its electric Cowboyish ambience and spirits. The look and feel is very vibrant and colorful, due to which you will mostly see here young crowd rather than the older generation. Having food and drinks in TGIF can be quite an expensive affair. You will find here group of friends celebrating birthdays or young office-goers chilling out with beer. Due to the rush in the evenings, you may see the waiters hurrying up with the bill and food, which I think is the downside of TGIF.
