The newest addition to Delhi, The Potbelly opens its second outlet at Bihar Niwas, Chanakyapuri. With a lot of love and fame garnered at their Shahpur Jat outlet, opening another outlet and that too at Bihar Niwas was their best call.
The place is done up in nice bright colourful interiors. It is really one of the prettiest interiors ever. The cloth on chairs, the paint on the walls, the furnishings, the furniture, the beautiful lamps hanging from the ceiling - the place is just very pretty! Doesn't look like a state bhavan at all! The outdoor seating has such cute white chairs, with a huge garden and a small passage that leads to the other side of the bhavan. It's like dining under the stars - perfect for a winter afternoon or a pleasant evening.
Visited the place on a weekday night and apart from another table occupied, we were the only ones in the restaurant. We stated by ordering for Meat Pakora Basket (my absolute favourite) and a Dehati Fish n Chips.The Pakora Basket had a very yummy thick coriander chutney along with the pakoras, and the pakoras consisted of stuffings of keema and chicken. Lip-smacking flavourful stuffings with perfect crisp exteriors. A must must try!The Dehati Fish n Chips consisted of slices of fish fried to golden crisp and served with Phataka Fries. The Phataka Fries were to die for!! Tossed in a mix of capsicum, onions and tomatoes, with being slightly sweet and slightly spicy, they were an instant hit! The fish too was very delectable. This platter came with two chutneys - tomato based and garlic based. No praise for these two chutneys is enough. Very very delicious, with bangs of flavour! Only the presentation in this one could have been a little better (stains of the phataka fries being moved to one side of the plate).For mains we ordered Champaran Style Mutton that came with two Moong Dal Paranthas, Boondi Raita and salad. The mutton was boneless and very supremely soft - a major plus for any place. The gravy was pepper based and was really delicious. The other main ordered was Khada Masala Chicken that had a nice tomato based thick gravy with a gorgeous consistency. We opted for this with rice. Very very good in taste!For desserts they had 3 options, one being Makhaane Ki Kheer and the other one being Pineapple Upside Down Cake (the third one I don't remember). We asked the server whaat we should go for and he suggested the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Believe me when I say, I haven't ever had a better Pineapple Upside Down Cake in my life! The caremelization on the side, the moistness and softness of the cake, the tiny pineapple chunks inside the cake, the amount of sweetness that was just right - the cake excelled at all fronts! We tried their Apple Lemonade, Mirch Masala Lemonade and Apple Cinnamon Iced Tea, and all the three drinks were excellent! Very refreshing, perfect balance of cinnamon and apple in the iced tea, and not at all overly sweet.
The place impressed me thoroughly and there's not one thing I can point at and say that was average. The service was too sweet and courteous, the food was sensational, the place is pretty, the prices are okay. Our entire bill for all this came up to 2400, and it was money spent well. Will be coming back real soon!Address: Plot 15, Bihar Niwas, Behind Yashwant Place, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Reviews for other State Bhavans (click on them to read more):1. Andhra Bhavan
2. Gujarat Bhavan
3. Karnataka Bhavan
4. Goa Bhavan
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