Hachi Ba
It’s technically not “new” new, but if you had to discover a gastronomical beauty that’s right under your nose, then it’s not a minute too soon to get to Hachi Ba. A Chinese-Tibetan restaurant quite literally off the beaten track, you have to get on to a little dirt road off a decrepit exit to get here {but it’s still on Golf Course Road, phew!}. And scaling the heights will definitely be worth it – they won our hearts and stomachs over with their lamb in hot garlic sauce alone, which is actually hot {not sweet} and with visible chunks of garlic. Don’t get your chopsticks in a twist because they don’t deliver; instead, be very grateful that they care enough about piping hot Chinese yumness being eaten fresh off the stove that they insist you dine at their tasteful and cozy quarters. Or pick up your order from the restaurant if you’re cool enough to risk a less-than-perfectly heated meal. But with the liberty of bringing your own drinks to Hachi Ba, why would you even do that?
Where: Opposite Alchemist Hospital, Off Golf Course Road, Gurgaon
Contact: +91-98183 17963/+91-98183 18064 or find them on Facebook here
Price for two: INR 1000
Lean Chef
Just in case you didn't catch on with the 'lean' in Lean Chef, they're the newest healthy restaurant in town. And when we say healthy, we aren't referring to quinoa salads, sprouts with no salt, and one too many cups of green tea. We mean healthy renditions of real food, so the next time you're eating out, you can know you tried your best to stay healthy. The good news is, the menu has everything from pizzas, pastas, an all day breakfast, to salads and burgers. Their sandwiches are made of gluten free flat bread, and the tortilla wraps are all whole wheat. Bookmark the steamed burgers made from whole wheat bread, protein pancakes and ragi dosas. The better news - each option on the menu comes with a calorie count, and on an average barely exceeds 350 kcal, so if you're counting calories, you know exactly how much you're consuming. Lean Chef has paid equal attention to their selection of drinks, with a crazy variety of breakfast beverages, entire meals in a glass, and rejuvenators. Besides the clean eaters, it seems their focus is also on gym rats and weight loss aspirants. For the iron pumpers, Lean Chef has a special smoothie and juice blends section {ideal for pre-workout}, and a range of smoothies and juice blends under 100 kcal {to aid weight loss}. You ask if there is dessert, and we have to say yes! Think Banoffee Pie made with yoghurt instead of cream!
Where: M 22 Greater Kailash II
Contact: 011 46536666
Price for two: INR 800 {approx}
Follow them on Facebook here.
Farzi Cafe
If you've watched enough movies over at PVR in Citywalk, on exiting, you've walked by Jiggs Kalra's Punjab Grill, one too many times. Fresh from Jiggs Kalra's kitchen and banner comes Farzi Cafe, a modern Indian bistro and tapas bar. Farzi Cafe essentially serves Indian food, but stays away from any version of a traditional Indian restaurant. Farzi fuses different Indian cuisines, and is quite evidently contemporary in its presentations. Carefully curated by the father and son duo, Farzi offers up innovative and unique versions of staple Indian food {read deep fried balls of Daal Chawal on a bed of Salsa, topped with southwest sauce}. We recommend trying the pulled pork bun, Karela Calamari {there is such a thing}, and the Maggi with duck liver; almost reminiscent of Indian Accent in its style of dishes, but definitely a more relaxed version.
Where: DLF Cyber Hub, Gurgaon
Contact: 8800690418, 0124 4922273
Price for two: INR 2000 {Approx}
Follow them on Facebook here.