Taste the Tango

In the warren of corridors and alleys that make up Hauz Khas village,exist a multitude of tiny eateries,all aiming to do something different in terms of cuisine.

In the warren of corridors and alleys that make up Hauz Khas village,exist a multitude of tiny eateries,all aiming to do something different in terms of cuisine. II II Tango,a miniscule 12-cover restaurant,which opened a few weeks ago,is an attempt to make Latin American fare more accessible to the masses. After climbing two flights of stairs,one enters a small,dimly-lit room with red as the predominant shade and a slew of small lamps on each table. While the music is suitably Latin,the décor doesnt really trigger a recall of the tempestuous South.

As the main courses are much the same like one sees in any Western fare establishment,we decide to make a meal out of appetisers. First up is a serving of lamb empanadas (think savoury gujhiyas ) accompanied with a pique sauce. The empanadas are average,nothing to write home about,though the raisins in the lamb mixture add an interesting dimension to the pastry. However the sauce,while not really resembling its Puerto Rican namesake,is great. A medley of parsley,vinegar and pickled onions really hit the spot. Next up are chicken quesadillas accompanied by guacamole,sour cream and pico de gallo (uncooked salsa). Cheesiness in anything is always welcome so the quesadillas taste good and go quite well with the sour cream,though not the other sauces.

The quesadillas are followed by tarta de setas wild mushrooms and Manchego cheese tarts served with aragula leaves in a balsamic reduction. The mushrooms and Manchego with the salad leaves make a great combination,but the tart shell is disappointingly thick.

Our penultimate course is the arrachera a la parrilla,a grilled buff(alo) flank steak served with a chimichurri sauce (an Argentinian steak sauce). The flavour is quite good,but the meat is rather overdone and as a result,terribly chewy. After some strenuous jaw exercise,we admit defeat sending back the last few pieces. At this stage chef and owner Bhuvanesh enters the restaurant,and tells us about his plans of including a tapas hour between 4-7pm where all appetisers are half price,and the additions hes putting in the menu.

Finally there is a trio of ceviche: shrimp and mango; salmon and pineapple; and squid and avocado. While the shrimp sans mango has excessive lime,the mellow-flavoured avocado fails to mask the slightly bitter after-taste of the squid. Salmon and pineapple is quite good,the sweet tartness of the pineapple complementing the smokiness of the salmon. So while the menu does need some fine-tuning,II II Tango should be a welcome edition for the villages habitue of gourmands.

Address: 13-B,second floor,Hauz Khas Village Meal for two: Rs 1500 (excluding alcohol) Phone: 011 49422222

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram