Big Chill is a name popular amongst the people in Delhi, ok south Delhi. It has emerged as one of the most popular casual eating places in the past few years and its success has made the owners expand and open more outlets. They have been able to maintain their quality in all the restaurants and so its extremely rare to find a walk in table at any of the Big Chills. The food is good and the pricing makes it affordable for repeat visits, a meal is usually about Rs. 500 per person. The ambiance is like a casual cafe and the many retro movie posters all around give it its own charm. The food is sorta Italian with Pastas, Pizzas, sandwiches and grills, they havent changed their menu in the past few years but then if something is working, why change it. And working it is, its extremely rare to find a walk in table at any of the outlets and on weekends the wait can be hours long.
There was a rumor that the owners were working on a new restaurant, a rumor that surfaced 2 days back in the form of a pan asian restaurant called "Mystic in Bali".
Some friends and I were scouting dinner places last night when someone said something about a new place that had opened up in East of Kailash (again south of Delhi). Learning that it was from the owners of Big Chill we needed no further persuasion and we set off for it. Its located where the original Big Chill used to be, which has moved to the Kailash colony market close by due to the recent sealing issues of the Delhi government. The interior of the place is very Bali-like, but not overdone and its not a high end Bali restaurant, the prices are a proof of that, and it was a nice interior . I also loved the fact that since it was a 2 day old restaurant and they haven't advertised anywhere, it was practically empty. But like the old saying "if you build it, they will come" people were trickling in.
The menu is LONG and that always leads to trouble when you are not sure what may be good and what to avoid. Its a mix of some Malay, Indonesian and Chinese with some Yakitori and Teppenyaki thrown in there. Since we were about 8 of us, we were able to gamble and order many more items than we needed and improve our odds, usually thats always the case with me :). So the food began to arrive pretty quickly, that might change depending on how much rush they are handling. The first thing i had was the Hot and Sour soup, it was indeed very "HOT" and cleared up my sinuses good and the flavor was great so i did end up finishing it. The appetizers were going around and everything we ate was tasting pretty good particularly the prawn dishes, they have certainly done their sourcing and research well. My main course was a grilled fish with Indonesian sambal sauce served with rice. Good stuff, spicy yet flavorful. I also heard good things about the Laksa and the Khao-swe though i didn't taste those.
The desserts were from Big Chill, and why not, people go there especially for their sinful desserts. I am known to dig into their strawberry meringue often, in-fact i have one in the fridge right now :). So those too were an instant hit at the new place.
I am a foodie not a food connoisseur, i enjoy food for what it is not what it should be. If the food tastes good then it gets a thumbs up from me, its authenticity doesn't impress me at all. Many people like to point out that in Bangkok Thai food is different, in Japan the sushi is better. Well DUH! Indian food is different in India. The point i am trying to make is, if it tastes good then anything else shouldn't matter. Treat it like a separate cuisine if you will, just like our very own Indian Chinese, which ironically one restaurateur wants to sell in China (that would be the Mainland China restaurant).
All in all i think they have another hit on their hands and we should prepare ourselves for some wait time when going to this place to eat.
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