As I scamper down the steps of Epicuria, resisting the temptation to dive into the closest bar alive with good music, there is one thing on my mind - pizza. It’s been weeks since I last had a delectable slice and well, most places in the capital now seem to disappoint with their half-baked chewy rendition of this Italian delicacy.
My sight is on The Chatter House. I had never been here before, but from what I heard, this avenue, in the heart of the buzzing Nehru Place market, has been given a fantastic facelift; its wooden accents and cosy nooks for couples do justice to the ambience. The music is moody, the vibe is perky and the atmosphere sings of a pub culture that seems to be on the rise in Delhi.
I pick a quiet corner for myself (I think I’m getting too old for the ‘let’s dance it out’ vibe). Right from the get-go, the best aspect to the Chatter House is its emphasis on not becoming a dimly-lit pub with loud music; there is room for people for walk, an outside-seating that is, as of right now, too humid to be considered, and good food. But more on that later.
Every restaurant has a reigning element, something that makes it memorable. At The Chatter House, that responsibility lies on its cocktails. Their new syrup-free menu is a worthy competitor to cocktail menus around the city. All the liqueurs, syrups, cordials, and essences are made in house with natural ingredients, laced carefully with ingredients & concoctions that actually align with your gut in this harsh heat and humid weather. A crafty concoction by head mixologist Rufash Lepcha, the House Special cocktails menu is fresh, quirky and just what the summer needs.
We dip our toes in Munich Negroni, a nutty riff on a negroni with bourbon whiskey, homemade hazelnut liqueur, spiced with orange peel, clove and cinnamon. My next pick for a heady delight is Cocomero, which feels like summer poured in a hurricane glass with its tropical blend of vodka, white rum, orange liqueur, fresh watermelon juice, holy basil mixed with lime juice, and condensed coconut milk. For those who like to stick to the classics, TCH also offers classic sangria along with an array of sangria concoctions using fresh berries, coffee, green apple and grape fruit. Additionally, rum-based Tiki Cocktails, created with tropical fruit juices, will leave you buzzed yet fresh and rejuvenated.
We start our pub grub experience with appetisers. Our server very kindly recommends the chicken lovers platter; laden with bbq chicken wings, chicken chorizo croquettes, butter chicken spring roll, peri peri chicken and chicks in the blanket, the platter is more than enough for your immediate cravings. Yet, I decided to also sample their prawns, and it is safe to say that they were succulent and delivered the perfect spice.
A quick info that I must share - The creative kitchen team, led by Chef Ravindra Rawat, makes all the dips, sauces, dressings, burger buns and pastas from scratch on site. The next offering, the pan seared sea bass fillet – served with quinoa, baby potato, edamame, green pea, and white wine lemon butter caper sauce – is the perfect companion to the gamut of dishes on our table. The winner though is TCH’s fresh hand stretched gourmet wood fired pizza. The pepperoni pizza is a melt-in-your-mouth cheesy surprise, complimented perfectly by the galouti kebabs that came wrapped in soft paranthas with a delicious green chutney on the side.
Wrapping up a grubby meal with dessert may seem like a lot, but we do give in to our hankering for something sweet. The Irish Coffee Cheesecake is rich in flavour but the crust is too hard, forcing us to quit the endeavour mid-taste. Nonetheless, we’d recommend TCH for the vibe, the hearty meals and of course, a game of foosball with your pals, over the weekend.
Details:
Location: Nehru Place & Khan Market, Delhi
Timing: 12.00 pm till 1.00 am
Meal for two: INR 2100 ++
