Delhi is soon proving to the key hub for gastronomical innovation and experimentation. With concept launches every week and immersive themes ruling the industry, there is no shortage of ‘It’ restaurants. Classics, on the other hand, embody history and with the power-packed duo of comfort food & memories, hit the nostalgic note with every mouthful. Sitting atop the epitome of ‘iconic’ is Pandara Road, with gems like Pindi, Veg Gulati, and Havemore, it is home to cult classics which form the foundation of #OurCity’s culture culinaire.
With the current weather bestowing fuzzy feels and not the usual scorching heat, we head down the memory (a.k.a food) lane to explore how the legends of Pandara Road have evolved with the capital city. Run by the founding families till date, the restaurants now see second and third generations taking lead, priding themselves on the same values and principles as their fathers and forefathers began the venture with. The hygge so evident in the establishments, inspires us to dig further (not just the bowlfuls on our table, but their genesis).
Havemore: The place you can never have less of!
Reminiscing about the bygone days, Vaibhav Bajaj (third generation owner of Havemore) shares how his grandfather, Shri. Ajeet Singh Bajaj, founded the name of the restaurant, “Customers couldn’t get enough of the food here and asked him to name the establishment in line with always wanting to have more of his food!” The restaurant has had Delhiites under its spell since 1959, a time when the capital city wasn’t flooded with options, and a meal here leaves you beaming, but not willing to bid adieu.
Image: Havemore Restaurant; Mutton Saag Wala
Butter chicken, dal makhni, tandoori chicken, mutton saag wala are classics and then there are personal favourites like mutton burra that keep us going back to this restaurant. Over the years, maintaining consistency and quality haven’t been easy, “Everything is prepared with the same good ol’ recipes but, there is a major difference in produce nowadays. Earlier everything used to be organic (even when not claimed to be) and the vegetables had their own taste that lent flavour to the dishes, adding that touch of magic! Now, a lot of effort has to be made in order to achieve that similar taste,” shares Bajaj in this DSSC exclusive. With multiple hurdles and Indian contemporary cuisine raging around town, the simplicity of the food served at this restaurant still triumphs, luring Delhiites everyday for a full house. Almost 58 years later, Havemore is rightfully part of many family traditions, “We have patrons who have been dining here since childhood and then senior citizens who now bring their grandchildren along,” shares Bajaj.
Pindi: The place we dare you to leave without tasting the kebabs
While butter chicken might have lured us to Havemore, no visit to Pandara road is complete without Pindi; for it is synonymous with kebabs and the namesake chana. Established in 1948, it is the oldest restaurant on the block with its roots stemming from Rawalpindi. Founded by K.L. Wadhwa, it all began as a roadside stall dishing out channa-kulcha at India Gate. As part of the Partition compensation, Pindi was allotted a shop at Pandara Road in 1954, resulting in its evolution into a dhaba. The market soon soared and became a hotspot, prompting Pindi to transform into the fine-dine restaurant we now know and love. Always buzzing with a crowd, the third generation of the Wadhwa family has taken reins, ensuring the food is as delish as the patrons memories claim them to be.
Veg Gulati: The place that promises to please even the carnivores
Punjabi fare isn’t limited to non-vegetarian and the restaurant that stands out amidst the plethora on Pandara Road for this very reason is Veg Gulati. Boasting of a menu that represents humble beginnings, Veg Gulati takes their saying of pure, delicious, and divine with utmost sincerity. “The idea for Veg Gulati was born to fill Delhi’s need for a pure vegetarian restaurant; there were only a handful of them at the time,” shares Praveen Gulati (owner of Veg Gulati). With the next generation partaking in furthering this cause, the restaurant saw a refurbishment few years back and is now graced with a queue of waiting customers everyday.
Image: Veg Gulati; Dilbagh Kofta
Founded in 1997, Veg Gulati has evolved with the changing palates, including healthier options in the menu, “We have tried to incorporate the suggestions from customers, while staying true to our values and style,” shares the gent himself. The vast menu written in dual languages (hindi and english) is one to explore over multiple visits, however, a few all-time favourites are the epitome of comfort food, “Dilbagh Kofta, Paneer Afghani, and Veg Ksheeram (kheer made with carrots and bottle gourd) are the most ordered dishes on the menu,” he adds. The combination of carrot and bottle gourd is one to stun and against all culinary logic goes together beautifully, prompting us to wipe the goblet clean in seconds.
Pandara road will always have DSSC under a spell and we know we’ll be back for more, not just for the food but the historical indulgences.
Featured Image Courtesy: holidify.com
