This Paharganj Café Where Dev D Was Shot Has A Great Terrace

At Club India Café and Restaurant you can watch the world go by at Tooti Chowk. You can also write, and use Sholay, Mother India and Marilyn Monroe posters to break the ice with strangers. And yes, the menu has Japanese, Israeli, Chinese, Indian and Asian – but everything takes its own sweet time to come.

The little starstruck part of us was happy to find grainy photos of Abhay Deol hanging on the wall. But what really sealed the deal was their air conditioned floor that offers a good view of the bazaar downstairs.

There were ageing posters, a guitar, a glitzy, old-fashioned bar {so uncle-ji it could put Volga in CP to shame} and occasional Bob Marley from the unobtrusive speakers—all of which wasn’t too bad a setting for after-shopping respite.

Sadly, it was too hot to sit on their terrace the day we visited, but if the weather permits, we recommend the gazebo with hanging planters and a lantern – a Paharganj spin on a Goan shack.

We usually don’t complain about variety but the menu at Club India had us super confused. After much deliberation, we zeroed in on fresh lime soda, chicken schnitzel and veg thali.

Schnitzel was okay but the accompanying fries and salad were desi good. The veg thali was mighty late to the party, but we loved the non-stretchy naan and sweetish paneer.

The smiling manager, however, told us later that we should have sampled their Japanese and Chinese and as if to prove his point, he quickly pulled out a Japanese guide that had recommended their restaurant {we.are.sold}.

Point taken, Sir. Wait for us this winter. We’ll see you at the crack of Udon.

The food and a good soak in the sun take the sting away from Club India’s slow service. If you’re going to go all crazy Dev D on them, pick some place else. As for us, we’ll sure walk that stairway again.