High on spiritual zest, musical masti and ethnic chic, the nine days and nights of Navratri are indeed a total fun affair, atleast on platter


The thaali at Zambar

Thali(s)man
Join the celebrations of Navratra with special vegetarian, fixed priced Navratra thaal, exclusively crafted for its fasting patrons. Kick off your fast with tomato rasam and pumpkin yeruchery (pumpkin gravy made with roasted coconut and paneer kur-kure). You can choose from other variants like pulikozhambu (tamarind pulp, tomato, coriander and chili powder), southern potato curry, mixed vegetable avial (carrot, yam, pumpkin, raw banana, coconut tempered in ghee), peanut sundal, served with kuttu aata pooris. For a sweet ending to this meal, have sabudana payasam (sabudana cooked in milk and cardamom finished with roasted raisin and cashewnuts).

At: Zambar, Third Floor, Ambience Mall, Gurgaon
Timings: 12 to 4 pm, 7 pm to 11.30 pm
Price: Rs 395 + taxes
Ring: 0124-4665639

Fine fare
Celebrate Navratri with good food and great ambience to make each moment special that you spend with your loved ones. This festive season relish some mouth watering delicacies like khumbh nawabi, button mushrooms sprinkled with herbs and grilled in tandoor and paneer kundan kalian, cottage cheese flavoured with kasuri methi and garam masala. Team it with yaseen vegetable biryani, special rice cooked with beans, carrots, peas, exotic spices and served dum style or with Banarasi dum aloo, fried stuffed potatoes cooked in traditional Banarasi style.

At: N-2, Kasbah, Third Floor, Greater Kailash I
When: Till October 16
Timings: 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm, 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm
Price: Rs 600
Ring: 41635000

Onion out
Keeping the festive season in mind the restaurant has introduced a special menu of Navratri delicacies. To treat the fast observers with an authentic feast, all the offerings are prepared without the use of garlic or onion. You can savour dishes from the special menu like kamal kakdi ki sabzi, kele ke kofte, sitafal ki sabzi, kuttu pakoda, saboodana wada with fruit raita and kuttu ke aate ki poori or roti.

At: Ignis, Kitchen & Bar, B-45, Inner Circle, CP
Timings: Noon to 10 pm
Price: 249 per thaali
Ring: 43081984

Kathal ki biryani, anyone?
On any auspicious nights enjoy the authentic food here. For snacks you can savour dal palak tikki, mattar asparagus kabab, pethi wali keley ki tikki and methi palak seekh kabab. This is not all, for the main course, you can dig your teeth into dhaniya mangodi, govind gatta, subz kachar, gobhi rajwadi, kaju phool makhana curry, kachey kele ke koftey, kadai corn palak methi, dum aloo Calcutta, achari gajjar matter, panchmael dal and kathal ki biryani.

At: Ananda's, Sundernagar Market
Timings: 11.30 pm to 3,30 pm, 7.30 pm to 11 pm
Meal for two: Rs 600
Ring: 43518745