A gastronomical trip

North Indian delights

Soothing music and a delicious aroma welcome you into the brightly lit interiors of  ‘The Yellow Chilli’. Started in September last year, ‘The Yellow Chilli’ is a chain of casual dining restaurants. The menu bears Masterchef Sanjeev Kapoor’s stamp of authority and has quite a few of his signature dishes too.

“The options to have authentic North Indian food are quite limited in Bengaluru,” says restaurant manager, Vishal Somaya. “People already know Sanjeev Kapoor and have followed him for so many years. So tasty food is guaranteed here.”

The place does live up to the hype. From the appetisers and drinks to the main course and desserts, ‘delicious’ is a common adjective. In drinks, make it a point to try the ‘Peru pyala’, which is a spicy guava drink, or the ‘Blue sparkle’, a refreshing mint flavoured sparkler. In appetisers, the ‘Mixed grill’ options are a good choice in both veg and non-veg. Though the ‘Malai chicken’ and ‘paneer’ options may come across as a bit too chewy, the cutlets and kebabs are fried to perfection. ‘Hare masaley ka bhuna paneer’, cottage cheese with mint, coriander and crackling spinach, is also a favourite with the vegetarians.

In the main course, ‘Nalli rogan josh’ is a great option for lamb lovers as is the ‘Lapta chicken’. For vegetarians, there is the signature ‘Lalla mussa dal’, a blend of black and green lentils, as well as the ‘Shaam savera’, a heavenly creation of spinach koftas filled with creamy cottage cheese. One can choose from a variety of rice-based dishes and Indian breads to accompany these curries. Various options like ‘Mint paratha’, ‘Peshawari naan’, ‘Pyaz mirchi ki roti’ (which lives up to the ‘mirch’ in its name) and the ‘Lasooni naan’ are available to satisfy your cravings. As one can see from this, the food is primarily from the North-West Frontier region with exotic picks from the regions of Punjab and the Mughal era.

For dessert, choose from the ‘Kesari kulfi with rabdi’ or the ‘gulab-e-gulkand’, both of which are sure to propel you into gastronomic heaven.

The crowd mostly

comprises families, says assistant restaurant manager Azeem Khan. “These are people who come to M G Road for shopping and crave some homely North Indian food. Also, though we get bookings for all types of events, ‘kitty parties’ are a common event here because ladies love Sanjeev Kapoor and his style of cooking. We also get some very useful suggestions from these ladies.”

The team of chefs and service staff have been specially trained by the celebrity chef’s team which reflects in the excellent presentation and cheerful ambience as well.

The Yellow Chilli is located on the second floor of MSR Westpark in Church Street.