Vault Café: A Perfect Place to Unwind After a Hard Day at Work
By Maneesh Srivastva
@urbanescapades
I live a life similar to what most Delhites live. I work hard every day in an office located in close proximity to a busy market, which in my case is Connaught Place. At the end of working hours a couple of drinks are always welcome. Some good food makes it more pleasurable.
Vault Café has been in Connaught Place for a while now. I went there after reading some nice reviews about the place esp. the view from its terrace. No doubt the view was nice but the ambience of the indoor seating area is also fabulous, even underrated. It has a massive seating area and an impressive bar. Additionally, there are separate dining areas in the shape of Vaults which actually caught my attention. Every vault has a different theme and seating capacity with a combination of classic and modern furniture.We decided to sit outside and enjoy the view. The menu is quite large consisting of dishes from various cuisines. The bar menu too had a huge selection and an interesting medley of cocktails. First we tried a whisky based cocktail - Lynchberg Lemonade with Lavender and Cinnamon. Both lavender and cinnamon have a sweet aroma therefore the sweetness of the lemonade, being mild, went well with these ingredients. The other cocktail Daiquri with Star Anise and Leechi had a very distinct flavor. The fruity and spicy combination in this White Rum based cocktail was unique and pleasant, and the level of sweetness was just ideal. In a tête-à-tête with the Head Chef I got to know that the kitchen has separate departments for every cuisine. Till early evening they also serve some delectable street fare. He made us try two versions of fish fingers. Both of them were freshly prepared using different batter. The first one was the traditional batter. It was very crispy on the outside and the fish inside was soft and flavorful. It was a bit spicy and certainly would appeal to Indian palette. The batter of the other variant was less spicy and consisted of black and white sesame seeds.He also made us try the smoked cheese balls. As I took a bite of these crispy heavenly balls the molted smoked cheese came oozing out of it. I could also taste some mature cheddar in it. The accompanying mayo and barbeque sauce complemented it well. Another entrée we tried was Sumac Spiced Grilled Chicken. Sumac, a spice derived from a fruit, is widely used in the Middle Eastern Cuisine. This Lebanese style chicken was very mild in flavor but had a distinct taste. It went nicely with Hummus, Tzatziki and the salad which were really well made.In the mains we tried Shredded Lamb Sriracha Sauce and Veg Pad Thai which, though well made, were indianized to a great extent. No one’s complaining, in fact I consider it a good move as we Indians always want our mains to be hot and full of spices. Sriracha sauce, the main ingredient in the lamb dish, is commonly used as a condiment in Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinesecuisines. Its vinegar-red chili combo flavor has become a rage in the US and other western countries, and chefs all over the world are incorporating it in many of their creations. I am a fan of thicker cheesecakes but the soft blueberry cheesecake served here deserves a special mention as it tasted very fresh. They call it a Café but I would still term it a pub, due to dim lighting, funky music, a wide range of drinks and snacks where every office goer would like to unwind after a hard day at work.
Quick facts
The Vault Cafe
F-60, Second Floor,
Connaught Place,
New Delhi 110001
Meal for Two - 1500(Approx) without alcohol