Delhi's Navratan

BUKHARA

Such is the hold of this �brand� on the popular mind that the word is synonymous in Delhi not with priceless rugs, but with an eatery of the same name at the Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton. A restaurant, like humans, has a kismet. What started out as an �appendage� to the coffee shop became the nation�s first �Destination Restaurant�. The way we enjoy a meal here is by insisting that kebabs be served in a sequence - and not all together. Even though the vegetarian carte is limited, for the first course combine Tandoori Jheenga and Paneer Tikka. Then, Murgh Malaai Kebab with Tandoori Salad. Conclude with Raan-e-Sikandari, the leggy kebab, which is more tempting than the high-kicking can-can dancers at Moulin Rouge, and Daal Bukhara. Such is the mystique of this daal that it has launched a million imitators - in fact, the ubiquitous Maah di Daal and Daal Makhani, is now listed as Daal Bukhara.

CHOR BIZARRE

The name, Chor Bizarre, doesn�t give you a clue as to what is in store. It�s Chor because owner Rohit Khattar, his wife and sister, both Rashmis, rummaged the flea markets of Delhi, Calcutta and Bombay, for just about everything. The trio then mesmerised food lovers by displaying the bizarre collection in the family�s at-the-time derelict dining room at Hotel Broadway on Asaf Ali Road. Fortunately, Chor Bizarre�s fame doesn�t rest on the exotic decor, but on the diversity of its cuisine. Even though there is an exotic waazwaan on offer, it is impossible to resist the kebab temptations: Reshmi Pardeh Mein, a seekh of finely minced chicken, fresh coriander and cardamom and presented under a purdah of spun sugar, that puts any other such skewered �sausage� to shame; Gazab ka Tikka, bite-size cubes of chicken, dipped in a rich and creamy shahi zeera-scented marinade and then grilled; and, Murghi se Pehle, a unique egg kebab roasted in the tandoor. My best advice: start with the kebab and follow it up with the wazwaan. But remember, no meal at the restaurant can be considered complete without either Goshtaba or Rista.

GULATI

When I was a student at Delhi University, late night pangs of hunger inevitably propelled me to Pandara Road Market. My favourite place was Gulati, for selfish (payable when able) reasons, of course. Towards the end of the month, when I was broke, the eatery�s venerable owner, the late Fakir Chand Gulati would feed me with: �Kabrah na, Puttar. Agle mahine jad paaket money aaye gi, paise de jayeen.� It is my belief that it is Gulati�s barkat that made the empire, including the 45-seat gem Veg Gulati, grow exponentially.The menu at Veg Gulati has been prepared in consultation with the renowned Vaidya Bhagwan Dash, who practices in Pahar Ganj. As prescribed by the doctor, the spices are ground in imaam dasta (mortar-pestle) fresh every day. The food is cooked in desi ghee, which is made from freshly churned butter, also every day.At non-vegetarian Gulati, I recommend the two delicacies that Indian restaurants in the deluxe hotels are petrified of putting on their menu: Kheema Mattar and Magaz Masala, both are not only tasty, but runaway bestsellers.

HOUSE OF MING

It is difficult to imagine a more beautiful Chinese restaurant than the House of Ming, at The Taj Mahal Hotel on Man Singh Road. Ming�s man-at-the-wok is Sundy Ding, who has come to India after longish stints in Canton, Sichuan and Beijing. He does two standout starters: Lotus Root with Honey & Chilli and Sea Bass Fillets in Spicy Oyster Sauce.For the main course, nine times out of ten, it just has to be Beijing Duck. There are at least four different ways of roasting the duck, but what is common is the pre-roasting treatment. The dressed duck is hung on a hook, �bathed� with boiling water until scalded, showered with diluted molasses before it is left to cure for a few hours. Then, it is filled with water and transferred to an oven, where the unique two-in-one cooking - baking on the outside and boiling on the inside - renders the duck crisp and succulent simultaneously. The delicacy has to be eaten immediately. The first course comprises slices of the lacquered skin, eaten after dipping them in sweet bean paste and with thin, fluffy wheat flour pancakes. The second course is the meat, traditionally served in China with lotus leaf cakes and sesame buns.

IMPERIAL GARDEN

Imperial Garden, in Greater Kailash Part II, boasts of two impressive pedigrees. The culinary one - the Ling Brothers, Titi, Baba and Nini. And the entrepreneurial one - Queenie and Raja Dhodhy, the progeny of two of Delhi�s leading business families. Good food is in the genes of Imperial Garden. Don�t be surprised if you have a throng waiting outside for an opportunity to partake of the fresh seafood delights brought in from Bombay by air every single day. Whilst the menu warns you that some items may not be available, at this moment there�s a run on the steamed Supreme King Crab, which is not surprising considering their Nanking lineage. On the visit, I ate Crispy Lamb and Steamed Salty Chicken, a treat of range-bred chicken, stuffed with ginger and spring onions, marinated in salt and five spice powder for seven hours and then steamed for 45 minutes. Try them out. They taste different from the other restaurants, perhaps because the sauces are prepared in-house.

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