Drink on Wheels

Trolleys in Khan Market is a bit of a misnomer,but theres no such mistake with the food

Written by Shantanu David
August 11, 2013 05:41 AM IST

3 min read

There was a time when Khan Market was a food hub all by itself. Then came sealing,and all those tiny kiosks dishing up a variety of cuisines were unceremoniously kicked out and,despite being one of the most expensive retail spaces in the world,Khan in hipster parlance lost much of its charm. So,it was with a queer mingling of wariness and enthusiasm that we decided to check out a bar called Trolleys.

We enter a warm space think of pop pastels,chintz chairs and,like in Hotel California,mirrors on the ceiling and (probably,given that its a bar) pink champagne on ice. While earlier meant to be a trolley-themed restaurant,the trolley makes only a brief appearance,thanks to space restrictions,when we are served our amuse bouche (a curd laced gol gappa) and serves as a respectacle for crockery

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While there is the usual selection of Indian,Lebanese and Continental dishes on the menu,there is no segregation. In the rice section,Hyderabadi Gosht Biryani reposes along with Black Tiger Prawn and Fennel Risotto,and in the mains,goshts,crepes,middle-eastern rolls and European seafood happily co-mingle in a way that would warm Nelson Mandelas heart. The drinks menu,which is being finalised,has the usual cocktails,with a wide range of martinis and mojitos in particular.

Given that we are in a bar,we decide to exclusively sample the starters,a section boasting both nostalgia and innovation. We order Melting Mozzarella with Wasabi Mayonnaise and Roccula salad,Charmoula Chicken Skewers and Pathar Ke Kabab.

It was a pleasant change to read a menu without the spelling errors that eating establishments lavishly display on their menus. The staff is also a pleasant change,with efficient servers who know the menu rather that the usual gang of mourners who seem unaware that they work at a restaurant. So far,Trolleys has done nothing wrong.

Now,for the food. The Mozzarella is as melting as promised,comprising spherical cheese balls,breaded and deep-fried; the accompanying wasabi mayonnaise sharp,without being cutting (As Anne Robinson from The Weakest Link would be,if she were ever in a good mood). The Pathar Ka Kabab,consisting of marinated lamb leg piccatas,are pungent and spicy and grilled to a mean tenderness. The chicken skewers are,in comparison,rather bland. Though,thankfully,not tikkas masquerading in a faux middle-eastern dress(ing),they nonetheless lacked the requisite punch so beloved of our Dilli palates.