Sweet Surprise

“This is our 30th outlet,” says B Ajikumar Nair,the restaurant’s corporate general manager. Tucked away at the far-end of the mall’s ground floor,the 60-cover restaurant has been done up in cheerful,earthy colours. The staff,dressed in Gujarati attire,welcomes one in with a traditional tilak and buttermilk drink.    

Once you are seated,shiny steel thalis with multiple bowls are placed on the table. “A single thali provides as many as 27 different items,” says Nair. Working on a buffet-on-the-table concept,the thalis are priced at Rs 199 (excluding taxes) for adults and Rs 99 (excluding taxes) for children between four to eight years of age.

We start with snacks like Dahi Dhokla and Moong Dal Chilla followed up with Methi malai mutter,Cauliflower Capsicum,Aloo Raswala and Jaipuri Gatta. Teamed with bite-sized puris and ghee-laden rotis,it is quite a spread. The thalis at Rajdhani offer a much-needed respite from regular fare,given that most places seem to offer gravy-based dishes and non-vegetarian fare. However,the Punjabi palate might take a while appreciating the sweetness associated with such fare. The rather sweet dal and khichdi were definitely very new to the palate. “To retain the appeal,we rotate our menu every day and also organise special food festivals,” says Nair.

Meal for Two: Rs 400 (excluding taxes)

Contact: 0172-4010444/ 4010555

Location: Shop No 15 & 16,Ground Floor,

DLF City Centre Mall,IT Park,Chandigarh