Trolleys, Khan market's new concept-restaurant!

Trolleys, Khan market's new concept-restaurant! 

Restaurant review: Trolleys

One of the very common (and sometimes annoying) things that you may encounter while eating out is the 'wait' for your food to arrive. From the time you place an order to the time it actually arrives on your table, the period of wait proves to be testing to your patience and teasing to your appetite. It is, therefore, seemingly surprising when a restaurant makes up for the 'wait' by serving you exclusive, on the house tidbits, each of which is a delightful bespoke creation in line with the owners' culinary preferences. Enter, Trolleys!

The latest addition to the rows of eateries in New Delhi's posh Khan Market is Trolleys, the brain child of three friends, Prabhat Adhikari, Sandy Chugh and Vasu Chugh, who were strangers until they met through common acquaintances and realised that they shared a common dream - to be their own boss; to break away from the monotonous corporate work-life to pursue something bigger and better. The concept is a result of basic common sense, which is to never make the diners wait. And so, the moment you enter, pick your table and place an order, a trolley comes by with portions of that day's special. It could be a 'martini puchka' (gol gappas in Bengali), an alcohol infused chuski or a plate of simple bhalla chaat papdi. The first serving is of course without charge but second and third helpings will be billed.

Mediterranean concept, Indian food

The plan was to have a traditional start to an Indian feast and so, two varieties of soups, one hot and the other cold, were brought to us. Tamatar Dhaniya Ka Shorba, a flavourful concoction of tomato and fresh coriander was a delicious introduction to the dinner. The Celery and Cucumber cold soup, however, lacked a tad bit drama as far as the flavour was concerned.

Having tried an umpteen number of rather boring Mezze platters I was hoping that Trolleys would do something different. Just then, two spectacular Mezze platters were brought. But before I could cringe and say "No More Mezze Platters", I realised it was only the platter that was in place; the constituents were completely different.

The vegetable platter comprised little portions of the following - Khadey Masala Ka Paneer Tikka (cottage cheese marinated with secret spices, finished with whole crushed spices), Tandoori Bharwan Mushroom (slow cooked mushrooms, stuffed with spinach, cashew nuts and raisins), Makai Aur Mirch Ki Seekh (soft flavours of giant corn kernels, spiked with jalapenos and Indian herbs), and Kache Kele Aur Anjeer Ke Kebab (crispy patties of raw banana and dried figs, flavoured with ginger and mint). The corn seekh kebab and the raw banana patties stood out in this platter!

While the vegetarian servings boasted novelty, the non-vegetarian creations were reminiscent of the Old Delhi aromas - Murgh Tikka Kesari Malai (farm fresh boneless chicken coated with a rich marinade of cream, cashew nut and saffron), Pathar Ke Kebab (piccatas of baby lamb leg marinated with special mix of spices), Maachi Basil Tikka (succulent morsels of fresh water fish marinated with fresh basil), and Sharabi Kababi Tikka (succulent chunks of chicken cooked in the Tandoor and flambeed with rum). The concluding portion, the Sharabi Kababi Tikka is a specialty found in the bylanes of Old Delhi. Chef (name) at Trolleys has attempted a rendition of the same and has been successfully well-received.

Another appetiser that deserves mention is the Grainy Mustard Chicken Wings - simple chicken wings made extraordinary with a generous coat of grainy mustard sauce, much like the kashundi that Bengalis use to cook their Hilsa in, smeared over them.

And for those who prefer other cuisines over Indian, there is the classic Mezze platter and a fine choice of pastas, pizzas and risottos.

Main course was a stunning looking Murgh Lahori, a dish from across the border. Tender chicken had been cooked with chickpeas in rich gravy that looked and tasted equally delicious. Besides this was their signature Nihari Gosht, a rendition of the popular delicacy that marks its origin in Old Delhi. These came accompanied with a basket of Indian breads.

We finished off with a fitting dessert, the classic Kashmiri Kesar Phirni (semolina pudding infused with flavours of saffron and pistachio).

Colourful couches, mirrors on ceilings...

While one part of the ceiling has mirrors of different cuts reflecting from it, the other part has bottles with LED lights hanging down, while the bright blue couches look ideal for a big group, the gorgeous multi-coloured chairs are ideal for a couple or two - all of this is courtesy Vasu Chugh, the third brain behind Trolleys who is planning to add more idiosyncrasy to the place.

Recycled glasses steal the show

What do you generally do with a Grey Goose vodka bottle or a Johnny Walker whisky bottle or for that matter other such bottles after they're poured out of liquor? The obvious answer is to junk them but for Prabhat and Sandy, those bottles served a greater purpose. They recycled them to be used as glasses! "We have not purchased a single glass for our restaurant. All guests are served in the recycled glasses," says Prabhat. Branding their recycled products as 'Reciclar', which means 'to recycle' in Spanish, they now plan to associate themselves with an NGO and develop their endeavour into something more meaningful.

Must try:

In starters: Grainy Mustard Chicken Wings, Makai Aur Mirch Ki Seekh, Pathar Ke Kebab

In main course: Murgh Lahori, Nihari Gosht

Trolleys

Venue: 7, First Floor, Middle Lane, Khan Market, New Delhi (Right behind Subway)

Timings: 12 noon to 11.30 pm

Meal for two: 1200 INR plus taxes (without alcohol)

Rating: 8.5/1
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