Saturday, September 12, 2015

THE CHOR BIZARRE POP COMES TO GURGAON @DRIFT, EPICENTRE THIS SEPTEMBER

It was an invigorating afternoon, where I was attending the Chor Bizarre ‘pop up’  lunch at Drift at the Epicentre, Gurgaon…yes you got it right….the famed Chor Bizarre food in amchi Gurgaon!
Mother and I decided to sip on kahwa, a refreshing sweet tea, fragrant with saffron, spiced with cardamom and afloat with crisp almond slivers, from a samovar, which bubbled ceaselessly through the lunch. As the whiff of kebabs, spice laden curries and hot ghee began to weave its way across the restaurant I sat down for my ‘Chor Bizarre’ experience. The starters were delicious and impressed I was impatiently gearing up for the ‘Tarami’ aka an elaborate plate including an overwhelmingly generous meal integral to the Kashmiris. Traditionally people sit in fours to eat this meal, which is considered auspicious.
Soon came the much waited plate (Tarami), piled high with rice was topped with a dash of cooked ‘Hak’, ‘Tabak Maaz’ flat rib cuts cooked in spiced milk and then fried in pure ghee till they are dark and crackling, and Gushtaba, soft mutton meatballs cooked in a gravy of fresh curd, Rajma, Rogan josh, fiery with red Kashmiri chilies and lots more. From the vegetarian Tarami (I took a bite from mother’s plate as well), my vote goes all out to the delicious ‘Tamataar Chaman’, delectably spongy paneer in a rich tomato sauce. Phirni was served at the end of the meal, a yummy dessert of semolina thickened in milk set in earthenware cups with nuts.The chefs have strived to stay true to the authentic source of each dish, reliably re-forming flavours that one would normally associate only with home cooked food.  Not surprisingly I couldn’t move an inch after I was done, yet I couldn’t say no to some more kahwa!

FAST FACTS
As Chor Bizarre celebrates 25 years of being in Delhi this year, it brings to you a selection of the signature dishes at the Chor Bizarre Pop-Up at Drift at Epicentre Gurgaon.
WHERE? Apparel House, Sector 44, Near Huda City Center, Metro Station, Gurgaon, Haryana 122003
FOR RESERVATIONS? 0124 271 5100
All in all I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this one; it’s delicious and absolute value for money!
Tabak Maaz- flat rib cuts cooked in spiced milk and then fried in pure ghee till they are dark and crackling

TOP 10 DISHES
Dum Oluv -potatoes cooked in yogurt gravy.
Hak- a local variety of greens.
Rista -meatballs in fiery red gravy.
Rogan Josh -tender lamb cooked with Kashmiri spices.
Tabak Maaz -ribs of lamb simmered in yogurt till tender, and then fried till they crackle.
Daniwal Korma -a mutton curry with lots of coriander.
Marchwangan Korma -an extremely hot lamb preparation.
Kebab -minced meat roasted on skewers over hot coals.
Gushtaba -a velvety textured meatball in white yogurt gravy.
Yakhni -delicately spiced yogurt curry.