Dilli Dilli, a new restaurant led by Chefs Gaurav Anand and Vipul Gupta aims to celebrate the culinary heritage of Delhi in the heart of New York. Located near Times Square, the surroundings of the newly opened restaurant mirror the hustle and bustle of the Indian capital, offering patrons specialty dishes inspired by both Old Delhi and New Delhi.
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Local Sandhya Bellur who stopped by for an early dinner with a group of friends before the Broadway show English was charmed by the setting, “Dilli Dilli offers a cozy, convivial vibe with a few Old Dilli touches.” Diners huddled around groups of tables set just far enough apart to offer snug private spaces but allowed music and chatter to create a friendly, welcoming ambiance. Food was served in stoneware and brass bowls and katoris with a distinctly Indian flair, that was “not gimmicky or pretentious,” added Sandhya.
Her table sampled some nicely proportioned appetizers from the Small Plates menu, including the Bhindi Jahanpanah – crispy, delicious okra fritters, a melt-in-the-mouth Dilli Potato Tikki, and a delicately flavored Shammi Kabab, which were all outstanding. Then the group chose a selection from the cleverly crafted menu – 5 Chilli Prawn from Dilli Dilli’s Signature Dishes, and from the Large Plates, a serving of slow-cooked Dal Maurya, Kwality Channa Bathura featuring a tea leaf chickpea masala, and a tender Gobi ka Salan.
How tasty was the food? Sandhya and friends arrived at 6 pm, by 6.45, every dish was wiped clean! The warm rounds of Dhaba Roti (they had run out of Rumali Roti) helped with scooping gravy remnants from each platter.
The inspiration behind the menu comes from the two different culinary characters that the city of Delhi embodies. The Old Delhi dishes pay homage to the age-old recipes and long-forgotten cooking techniques associated with the royal kitchens of the 18th century, while the New Delhi-inspired offerings blend the culinary traditions of the communities that settled in the city post-partition, namely the Punjabi Khatri, Kayastha Mathur, and Baniya groups.
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Service was swift and the efficient waiter, attentive but he never hovered; Chef Anand even stopped by to say hi. “The staff were warm and friendly and you don’t feel rushed,” said Sandhya.
Prior to Dilli Dilli, Gaurav Anand had already established three acclaimed Indian restaurants in New York: Bhatti Indian Grill, MotiMahal Delux, and Baazi. He also manages a luxury event catering company called CGA Events.
Vipul Gupta is a seasoned chef who has spent the last two decades redefining Indian cuisine, leading kitchens for reputed hospitality brands like Starwood Hotels, ITC, and Andaz. After training at renowned restaurants like Bukhara and Dum Pukht, he launched acclaimed venues in Delhi like Delhi Pavilion and Annamaya. He was also recognized as one of the Top 50 Food & Beverage Industry Professionals of India and was the subject of a feature at The James Beard Foundation.
If there was one thing that failed to impress – it was the desserts – Kulfi Raviraj (dull), Chavanni Jalebi (too dry), and the Royal Tukda (a bread pudding that did not rise to the occasion.) In their favor, none of the desserts were the sickly sweet concoctions often proffered by Indian establishments. The milky, lukewarm masala chai was unfortunate.
But Sandhya felt Dilli Dilli showed promise and is definitely returning. “You do leave feeling satisfied and happy with the appetizers and entrees – those count the most- and they were both flavorful and Dillicious!”
Read more about Dilli Dilli here.