Defence Colony has always enjoyed a high recall in a Delhiites mind,what with Defence Stores and Defence Bakery,Moets Sizzlers and the best (in our humble opinion) Sagar in town,making it a market essentially concerned with food. It is here that Bonne Bouche,a new Continental restaurant,has opened shop. The restaurants interiors are novel,in the literal sense of the word. The main dining area is a Georgette Heyer with a total Regency recall: white and blue wooden carved furniture settled amongst floral patterned wallpaper on walls festooned with bone-china plates and other Georgian bric-a-brac. Meanwhile the bar upstairs is more Victorian,a Conan Doyle-esque space complete with smoky wooden counters,exposed brick walls and naked light bulbs. The lounge area on the roof which doubles up as a hookah bar and private dining area is far more contemporary and could have been transplanted from any of the bars that dot Hauz Khas Village. The menu is Continental with a capital C,with the usual litany of pastas,ravioli,pizzas,salads and grills. The outdoor area also has an Indian menu,numbered with kebabs and other mouthfuls to go along with your fruit-flavoured smoke. Without much thought we settle on the Foie Gras and the Morel Mushroom Croutons. The former comes peasant-style,a couple of thick slices of chilled,moulded duck pate accompanied by a salad of leaves,tomatoes and gherkins in a simple oil and vinegar dressing. The sour,fresh and crunchy salad and the gelatinous meaty pate come together to create a pleasing contrast of both flavours and textures. The croutons comprise three crisp pieces of bread drowned in a hot,mushroom sauce the colour of clay and a corresponding earthy flavour,making for an apposite appetiser for the winter. For our mains,we concentrate on the grills,ordering a Stuffed Chicken Breast with Ham,Mushroom and Cheese topped with Peppercorn Sauce and Pan Grilled Sole Fish in Armorricaine Sauce served with Char Grilled veggies and Mashed Potatoes. The chicken in unsurprisingly the more staid of the two dishes,a warm and simple stuffed chicken roulade garbed in a buttery pepper sauce,an admirable winter fare. The wedges sole fish come dressed in a red,slightly bastardized version of the Sauce Américaine,an astringent medley of tomatoes,onions,white wine,cayenne pepper and lime juice,with a bite in every,well,bite,all making for a sole with spirit. For dessert,we are recommended Homemade Crepes with Chocolate and Bananas served with Chocolate Icecream. The crepes come folded like Diwali envelopes,crammed with melting chocolate and desiccated nuts. Combined with the bananas and ice cream it makes for a rather festive offering. Meal for two: Rs 2,000 (excluding alcohol,including taxes) Address: 16,Main Market,Defence Colony
