Rendezvous At The Tandoori Village

It is interesting how food allows you to bond like very few other things. I was meeting a friend for dinner after two years wondering what sort of conversations we would possibly have and our unplanned visit to The Tandoori Village in DLF Mall of India, Noida made everything easy. The environment and the food were ideal for multiple discussions!

My friend and I had spent a better part of the evening looking for the perfect place to dine. It was totally unplanned when we stumbled upon The Tandoori Village and decided to check it out as none of us had eaten there before. I have to admit it that from the first step itself, I knew we had made a good decision.

We were greeted a few steps from the entrance as colourful votives lit our path. We took one of the tables towards the corners and ordered Dahi Ke Kabab for starters. These curd filled fritters were the perfect spheres that stole our hearts at the very first bite. The perfect balance of salt and sugar was enhanced with a dash of vegetables like onions and bell peppers. These were served with a red hot and sour dip. We also had a lemonade and an Inverted Bird. The latter is an interesting cocktail of rose water, apple juice, vodka and beer.

Our main course comprised of Mutton RaRa and Shahi Pulav. The pilaf was a flavorful treat to the senses, loaded generously with roasted cashew nuts and peas and garnished with a subtle blend of spices.

The mutton was spicy without being hot-a rare and welcome combination that deserves all the praise. Though the taste of the meat seemed a little off, the overall preparation was excellent.

The ambiance could have been better with a more soothing choice of music. Also, if the meat didn't taste suspicious, we could have made room for dessert too!

I hope that our next visit turns out to be even better!