Going back to basics with 'Chinjabi' food

New restaurant

Wide space, comfortable seats, light music and food that tastes typically ‘Chinjabi’ is what many Delhiites crave for. But the restaurants and cafes in popular hubs like Hauz Khas Village and Connaught Place might not cater to all the above requirements.

But all these are the highlights of ‘Circus’, a two-month-old restaurant in south Delhi’s South Extension II area.

Spread across 10,000 square feet, the restaurant is well-lit and has an environment which is welcoming. The high ceilings, the deck and the al fresco bar all come together seamlessly to ensure you have a memorable experience.

The restaurant’s decor is inspired by vintage circuses, and incorporates stripes, stars, hoops and mirrors. One can start with drinks on the high tables and chairs inside, or choose to dine comfortably on one of the booth seats outside. The romantic setup of lights and the pleasing whether made Metrolife opt for the open dining area.

Their food is inspired by the unique concept of global street food, and their menu comprises Indian and global street food favourites with one single aim, “back to basics”.  And since we were craving for spicy Chinjabi food, we picked ‘Chicken Wings’ and ‘Crispy Corn’ for starters.

‘Chicken Wings’ had two variants, spicy atomic and schezwan. We preferred the latter, which were perfectly cooked, accurately spiced and as sticky as we wanted them to be. ‘Crispy Corn’, a dish of corn fried in cornflour, came in as a salad, with a surprising tinge of lemon flavour. This dish was a pure delight to try.

We were then suggested to try ‘Palak Patta Chaat’ and we couldn’t say no to this interesting dish. Crispy fried spinach leaves, drenched in ‘aloo bhujia’, dahi, green chutney and imli chutney was a dish we savoured till the end of the meal. Substituting ‘gol gappe’, ‘papdi’ and ‘bhalle’ in a traditional chaat, spinach leaves have never tasted this good!

The ‘Dilliwala Chinjabi’ and ‘Tiffin Meals’ on the menu then caught our attention and we ordered ‘Keema Mutton with Jeera Pulao’ and ‘Andhra Chicken Curry with Malabar Parantha’.

Both dishes were served in ‘steel ka dabba’. The ‘Keema Mutton and Jeera Pulao’ had a thick gravy and was slightly on the spicier side. Jeera Pulao was cooked just like we wanted it to. The dish took us back to the times when we loved having ‘meat chawal’ at home.

However, the Andhra Chicken tasted quite like butter chicken and there was very less Malabari flavours in the malabar parantha.

Other dishes worth trying on the menu are ‘Panko Prawn’, ‘Hyderabadi Kadhi Pakoda’, ‘Pork Vindaloo’ and ‘Makhni Lahori Tikka’. The flavours of these dishes are exactly like you have always known them to be.

A casual lunch, romantic dinner, networking drinks, or late night party, Circus is suitable for all  occasions. So head to this new place in the town, it’s worth it.

FAQs:

n Address: D-14, third Floor, South Extension II

n Meal for two: Rs 1,250 plus taxes

n For Reservation: [phone]