Biting the bullet naan

A slice of Paradise in the heart of west Delhi? Try the Zune at the Hilton

Befor it became the favoured dateline for international correspondents on the south Asia beat, Kashmir was a holiday destination. Tourists, from places as diverse as Bengaluru and Belgium, would flock for their annual summer holidays in shikaras on the Dal Lake. The more adventurous would wait till water on the lake froze and go up till Gulmarg to ski. Life was a picture postcard.



Naan diplomacy
Things went downhill as terror came calling and though the situation on the ground has improved in recent years, Kashmir is not what Kashmir was. One thing though that has retained its pride of place through the years is Kashmiri cuisine. Who can forget those 20 course Kashimiri meals, the Gustabas and the Koftas. So it came as music to the ears when Hilton opened its Kashmiri restaurant Zune. The taste of Kashmir in the heart of west Delhi! We headed for Hilton for some naan diplomacy, braving the evening traffic!

The Hilton touch
Like in Mumbai (where we spent many quiet and not-so-quiet evenings in Hilton's premises), the property in Janakpuri spells opulence. And for a specialty restaurant, Zune occupies a rather large space. But what
surprised us, pleasantly we must add, was that the restaurant, even on a week day, was almost filled. We would soon discover why.

The gluttony and the ecstasy
The food menu is a treasure trove. But we had to start somewhere and we decided the Kebab Platter Non-Vegetarian would be a good idea. It's the chef's selection of assorted kebabs and you would not go wrong with it. We didn't. The kebabs were succulent and spicy, done in a way no Delhi restaurant can hope to emulate easily. A family at the next table were gorging on the Salim Raan (slow roasted whole lamb leg) rather noisily, but we decided to leave it for another day. We however decided on another starter and the chef recommended the Murgh Gilafi Seekh (minced chicken spiced with an exotic blend of spices topped with onion and mixed peppers).

Biting bullets
The real fun though was yet to start. There was a warning which we should have paid heed to. Or may be not. The bullet naan sounded fun, in the context of Kashmir somewhat darkly so. But the spicy red chilies that filled the bread to the brim hit us harder than a boxer's punch.u00a0 Our tear ducts and tastebuds were jolted simultaneously, but with Nalli ka Khasa Salan (lamb shanks braised in gravy enriched with potli masala) it was well worth the torture!
The family at the other table was still at it! We had to call it a day though having stuffed ourselves to the neck. The affable chef though wouldn't let us go just yet. There was the Matka Kulfi (an assortment of three Indian style ice creams). A sweet end to an extraordinary evening out. We will be back for more. Soon.

At zune, hilton janakpuri
Timings 7 pm to 11.30 pm
Ring 41234123
Meal for two Rs 2,500 + taxes