Restaurant Review: {Niche} – Lounge & Bistro

With Garam Dharam on ground floor, Chew Café on the first and countless ‘unique’ eateries in its neighbourhood, can this restaurant define its niche?

What I Liked:

The ambience: With large, comfortable leather chairs in one corner, wooden tables and chairs in the centre facing a small stage, and a beautiful patio, you can “choose your own niche at the restaurant”. A busy spot for kitty party ladies in the afternoon, it transforms into a lounge by the evening. The afternoon I went with my friend, there were two kitty party groups giggling away and a couple enjoying a quiet lunch in one corner. The huge space allows that kind of a mix.

Cocktails: One look at the menu and you know that beverages are the real hero here. I haven’t seen a more extensive bar menu at a restaurant offering three pages full of choices for whiskey alone. We tried two cocktails: African Daisy and Dillinger.

The former – presented with a refill in perfume shaped bottle – is a blend of Chamomile Tequila, Organic Chamomile Honey, Citrus, egg white and grapefruit bitters. While I found the blend quite unique, I did not relish the ‘egg-y’ note. The second drink was the one for me. A concoction of dill-infused vodka, a bay leaf Gomme, cucumber ribbons, citrus and grapefruit bitters, this is a must-try.

Presentation: Generous use of liquid nitrogen tempts us to use the word ‘molecular gastronomy’ but “progressive cuisine” is how the owners like to describe it. With the words becoming a trend at most restaurants around, it’s difficult to be awed easily by the presentation. Yet it was delightful to see the presentation style especially of the cocktails.

Food: I’d recommend this place more for drinks than for food. However, there are a few dishes that stand out. For instance, the French take on Malabar Prawns – served with olive tepanade, caper kachumber & toasted sesame wafers. Pappu Chicken, chef’s interpretation of Chilli Chicken, also is a good choice for starters. For main dish, we tried and liked Hari Saag {chef’s interpretation of makki ki roti & sarso ka saag}. Polenta crusted fried yoghurt ball, corn bread, jiggery chips and white butter made for an impressive dish.

Niche CP review — Hari Saag with mint air

What I Didn’t:

Although delicious, Pulled Kathal Tacos served with salsa and kasundi sour cream reminded me of Indian Accent. Presentations of a few dishes lead to a déjà vu of my meal at Molecule, Gurgaon. Perhaps, the non-exclusivity took away a little charm.

I am not a big fan of beetroot so excessive use of beetroot sheets in most of the dishes I had didn’t work for me.

Overall:

I wouldn’t go to CP especially for to eat & drink here but it will certainly be one of the top options if I am looking for places in CP to catch up with friends over a couple of drinks. Watch out for the live shows at the restaurant.

Info:

Where: 2nd and 3rd Floor, M-16, Outer Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Meal for two: Rs. 3,000 (with alcohol)

Timings: 11.00 a.m.- 1.00 a.m.