[Rated : 2/5]
Punjabis love their chicken and we were in the mood to treat ourselves with sumptuous chicken preparations. Searching for a restaurant, we noticed ‘Dhaba’ in Rajouri Garden, which had ‘A Punjabi Theme’ written under it’s name. The name struck a chord and we entered the restaurant.
The ambience was striking with its high ceiling. Wooden furniture made with rope, pickle jars on a wall, life size replica of a Dhaba kitchen with a truck parked in front of it, waiters dressed in ethnic Punjabi dress and bronze cutlery added to the feel of a village Dhaba.
Menu was made out of wood in shape of a hand fan. I was rather amused to see the menu for ‘A Punjabi Theme’ restaurant, having Chinese dishes listed in it. We ordered Chicken Seekh Kebab (Rs.225), Boneless Butter Chicken (Rs.325) along with breads. Among breads, we also ordered Sarewan Ki Roti (Rs.45) which is a ‘Dhaba’ specialty, made with onion stuffing in Red Chili based spices.
Our Kebabs arrived after 20 minutes and looked nicely done. The Kebabs seemed to have been heated a tad longer as they tasted rather dry. We noticed big garlic chunks in them, which overpowered other spices. Our Kebabs were served with diced vegetables in a strange concoction of mayonnaise and ketchup, which was not palatable. We ordered for lemon pieces and raw onions rings, which complimented kebabs well.
We wanted boneless pieces in our Butter Chicken but ‘Dhaba’ seem to serve it with only
shredded pieces of chicken. We reluctantly agreed to their version when advised that it will take them longer to prepare to our specification. Soon, our Butter Chicken arrived and it smelled and looked inviting. Our taste buds were soaked in the rich gravy made from tomato, onion, curd and cream. The spices used in it stood out with aromas and distinctly tasting cardamom, ginger, garlic, coriander and almonds made the dish really delicious. The shredded chicken pieces melted in our mouth. The spicy Sarewan Ki Roti complimented the butter chicken extremely well.
We were thoroughly enjoying out meal till I felt a searing pain in my teeth. A staple pin somehow found it’s way in to my mouth. I called the manager and pointed to the twisted piece of metal in my hand. He tendered a brief apology and took my plate away. I was offered a lame explanation as to how a pin might have gotten mixed with dough for roti, as it is stored closer to the packing area in the kitchen! That, was the end of my meal. They offered 10% discount on the bill, which I did not bother to discuss.
The waiting staff did not bother to change our plates after our starter were finished. Nor did anyone cared to serve our food. We did not notice any alacrity on reporting a foreign body in food. ‘Dhaba’ experience while offering promise ended on a very painful note. I only hope I am the last one to have gone through such an ordeal. The restaurant management will gain by improving service standard and cleanliness in the kitchen.
Rating :
Ambience – 3/5
Food – 2/5
Service – 1.5/5
Meal for Two : Rs.800 / Credit Card : Yes
Address : #A5, Vishal Enclave, Rajouri Garden, Delhi – 110027
Phone : 011-25460101, 25420302, 25430303
Punjabis love their chicken and we were in the mood to treat ourselves with sumptuous chicken preparations. Searching for a restaurant, we noticed ‘Dhaba’ in Rajouri Garden, which had ‘A Punjabi Theme’ written under it’s name. The name struck a chord and we entered the restaurant.
Menu was made out of wood in shape of a hand fan. I was rather amused to see the menu for ‘A Punjabi Theme’ restaurant, having Chinese dishes listed in it. We ordered Chicken Seekh Kebab (Rs.225), Boneless Butter Chicken (Rs.325) along with breads. Among breads, we also ordered Sarewan Ki Roti (Rs.45) which is a ‘Dhaba’ specialty, made with onion stuffing in Red Chili based spices.
Our Kebabs arrived after 20 minutes and looked nicely done. The Kebabs seemed to have been heated a tad longer as they tasted rather dry. We noticed big garlic chunks in them, which overpowered other spices. Our Kebabs were served with diced vegetables in a strange concoction of mayonnaise and ketchup, which was not palatable. We ordered for lemon pieces and raw onions rings, which complimented kebabs well. We wanted boneless pieces in our Butter Chicken but ‘Dhaba’ seem to serve it with only
shredded pieces of chicken. We reluctantly agreed to their version when advised that it will take them longer to prepare to our specification. Soon, our Butter Chicken arrived and it smelled and looked inviting. Our taste buds were soaked in the rich gravy made from tomato, onion, curd and cream. The spices used in it stood out with aromas and distinctly tasting cardamom, ginger, garlic, coriander and almonds made the dish really delicious. The shredded chicken pieces melted in our mouth. The spicy Sarewan Ki Roti complimented the butter chicken extremely well.We were thoroughly enjoying out meal till I felt a searing pain in my teeth. A staple pin somehow found it’s way in to my mouth. I called the manager and pointed to the twisted piece of metal in my hand. He tendered a brief apology and took my plate away. I was offered a lame explanation as to how a pin might have gotten mixed with dough for roti, as it is stored closer to the packing area in the kitchen! That, was the end of my meal. They offered 10% discount on the bill, which I did not bother to discuss.
The waiting staff did not bother to change our plates after our starter were finished. Nor did anyone cared to serve our food. We did not notice any alacrity on reporting a foreign body in food. ‘Dhaba’ experience while offering promise ended on a very painful note. I only hope I am the last one to have gone through such an ordeal. The restaurant management will gain by improving service standard and cleanliness in the kitchen.
Rating :
Ambience – 3/5
Food – 2/5
Service – 1.5/5
Meal for Two : Rs.800 / Credit Card : Yes
Address : #A5, Vishal Enclave, Rajouri Garden, Delhi – 110027
Phone : 011-25460101, 25420302, 25430303
5 comments:
i think u r too sweet to be excusing people for blunders as well....these restaurants learn a lesson when we make a issue about it...not accepting just a reluctant sorry...it can cause a big problem if swollowed by mistake.......again i wll say we r learning a lot from ur blogs
The décor appears very good with a truck - I went to similar restaurant in Jhallandar - Punjab - called "Haveli" food was excellent though service by expressionless waiters was not upto standard.
Your food rating for this is 2/5 - You appear to have enjoyed the chicken though had metal pin inserted in your jaw - Is that the reason the rating went down.
Karam
@BramptonArtJournal : Karam, to answer your question on rating. Yes, the butter chicken dish was good. However, the service standards and food hygiene one would expect at the price point at Dhaba, left a lot to be desired. Hence, the rating. I could relate to your expressionless waiters look. I have been to low key joints but a good waiting staff who is eager to help, guide and serve you makes your day even if the food is ordinary. Here it was the opposite.
Dhiraj, sorry to read about your ordeal... just wondering if you tipped the waiter handsome enuf so next time they have lotta emotions...
@Anonymous : An afterthought after your comment. I feel outraged at having paid the service charges in the bill. The service experience was ordinary. Tip is out of question mate.
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