Chicken On Sugarcane Sticks and Lamb In Your Dal At Kopper Kadai

Kopper Kadai rides on the current wave of reinterpreting favourite and trusted Indian {in this case North Indian} cuisine with a contemporary makeover. Expect plenty of surprises and a tinge of nostalgia.

Ganna Chicken, Challi Kolmi Kebab, Mastawa

Kiwi Ambi Panna

Bringing some timeless favourites in a new jazzed up avatar and not compromising on favours.

Keeping it laidback yet elegant, the place is ideal for a family dinner. While they do have tables and booth seating, their separate quick service seating area is more casual. Wooden spoons {172 of them, representing the number of spices used} and large glass containers filled with different pulses and spices are all part of the decor here. Oh, and Bollywood music to set the mood.

Bringing his culinary expertise to the city, Akshay Nayyar {chef, TV host and cookbook author currently based in Dubai}, recently turned entrepreneur with his first venture, Kopper Kadai. Having trained under Sanjeev Kapoor, Akshay’s Kopper Kadai menu seems like a nice tribute to his teacher {the menus are pretty similar in sensibilities to Sanjeev Kapoor’s Yellow Chilli}. Apart from the focus on the plating {served in kadais, pressure cookers or on a sword-like skewer!}, the team apparently ensures minimal use of oil, salt and sugar.

We sipped on the Kiwi Ambi Panna, a refreshing and tangy drink, served in masala rimmed glass, before starting off with the flavourful Nawabi Galouti Kebab {lamb tikki}. But what really caught our attention was the Ganna Chicken, minced chicken kebabs moulded around a sugarcane stick {much like the Vietnamese Chao Tom}. The sweetness of the cane was an interesting foil to the hint of spices in the meat. But, whether you’re a meat lover or not, do try the Challi Kolmi Kebabs – corn and potato kebabs with a crispy outer layer, piled onto a stick made of fried biscuit. Lovers of cocktails and more, they only serve mocktails to really keep it a family favourite.

Moving onto mains, the creamy Warqi Dal E Dastan {similar to dal makhani} was easily overshadowed by the Ralli Anakoot Murg {their version of Palak Chicken}, with the spinach-based gravy complementing the juicy chicken chunks. Our favourite, though, is the Mastawa, a gooey haleem-like combination of lamb and urad dal, cooked with almonds, and a dash of crispy onions and mint. All to be mopped up with parathas or rotis. Top it off with the Dilli Wali Fruit Cream, a fruit salad of sorts served with rich cream.

A word of caution: the place can get crowded over the weekend and service can be a bit slow too. But, if you love north Indian khana with a glam twist no less, just like us, this is a place you should check out.