The flight of steps leading down from the main porch of the glitzy Chanakya leads you straight to Delhi's favourite new luxury dining destination - The Kimono Club! Inside, The Kimono Club wears a plush red velvet kind of look, with high-energy music and modern Geishas sashaying their way through the restaurant, making it quite the it-spot for your nights out.
Designed by ace copywriter-turned restaurant designer, Freddy Birdy, the space combines the glamour of Paris of the 1920s with the buzz of 2019 of Asian cities like Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangkok. Deep red luxurious banquettes, vintage Chinese armchairs, old world paintings and antique stained-glass mirrors and lamps with fringes complete the look with shiny disco balls and few swings suspended from the high ceiling. "The opulent design has been created to transform the space quickly from a classic lunch venue to a vibrant, pulsating nightspot," says Ashish Dev Kapur, director, The Kimono Club. The day lets in ample natural light, making it quite perfect for languorous lunches as well. Split between three distinct areas: the dining room, the bar and the outdoor trellis garden that transform to a pulsating nightclub as the evening progresses, there is a 40-feet whiskey bar at one end and a wine wall at the other.
But no matter how fun the ambience, we believe that any restaurant is only as good as the food on its table. At the Kimono Club Chef Vikramjit Roy brings to you a huge variety of Japanese and Chinese fare sans any smoke or stories - there is simply beautiful and delicious food. Apportioned as small plates, cold plates, raw seafood and salad bar and mains, the lavish menu includes signature dishes such as, Wagarashi Prawns, Duck Carpaccio, Lobster and Truffle Dumpling, Ganmo Steak Teriyaki (a vegetarian delicacy), Tamari glazed Sea bass in addition to caviar, oysters, lobster and duck that is steamed, stir fried or baked to make the dishes a heavenly delight.
We'd recommend you to definitely try the wide variety of dimsum. But do not skip the cold and hot small plates that offer a glimpse into what traditional Chinese households serve their guests. Of these, the boiled peanuts in soy and tofu with house soy and crispy shallots are both addictive and you'll need to remind yourself to stop so that you can sample more of what's on offer. Another must have is the duck carpaccio with yuzu, soy and fresh orange ice. The most 'Grammable dish, and equally tasty, is the tuna tartare with miso cream, cheese, tobiko, barley miso and caviar.
While we could go on about the food, it is important to also mention the drinks. When Ashish Dev Kapur and Joydeep Singh open any restaurant the bar is well represented with expertly crafted cocktails, fine wines and rare whiskeys (after all, they are duo behind The Wine Company and Whisky Samba in Gurgaon, The Wine Rack in Mumbai and Antares in Goa). While you will find great cocktails here as well, even with interesting bar takeovers by global bartenders, champagne is the celebratory choice of tipple here. With champagne buzzers on every table you can beckon your Champagne Butler who appears with the Champagne Trolley to serve you a bottle, glass or specially crafted cocktail with the bubbly. And in keeping with the modern Japanese theme there are sake cocktails on offer as well.
Ever since its opening, The Kimono Club is the place in Delhi to see and be seen at.
The Kimono Club, The Chanakya, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.
Phone: 99107 82198/ 99107 82152
This article first appeared in The Luxury Collection Magazine January 2020 issue.