Gabbar’s with its desi bolly swag and quirky plating is always one of those places I greatly look forward to dining in. It’s what I call “fun dining” from start to finish because the food tastes as good as it looks.

I was recently invited for a preview of their Summer Menu and was as always delighted. They have wisely stuck to crowd pleasers and popular choices but served up in the typical quirky Gabbar style. They have also introduced a Cocktail & Drink Menu called “Anarkali Bar Chali”. There are ten varieties of Chamak Challo Cocktails served in country liquor style bottles aptly named and labelled. Yes we tasted (please note only tasted) all of them and it was quite a heady experience. Our top picks were hands down the Luscious Laila (watermelon & vodka), Mirchi Munni (mango&white rum) and Mehbooba mein Dooba (lychee&tequila).  There are two “daaru ka tankers” each of 1500mls each of Beer OK Please and Dekho Magar Pyar Se LIIT. The beer is served in a mock gas pump bar dispenser and the LIIT in a tanker literally. The teetotalers should not despair as all the Chamak Challo Cocktails are available without alcohol in virgin form as well. There are also Alphonso Mango & Chocolate Milkshakes for those so inclined. Summer is thirsty business and Gabbar’s is a great place to go quench your thirst!

Now we come to what is always my favorite part… the food. I love that Gabbar’s serves up an amuse bouche… this one looked like eggs in a birds nest and no I won’t tell you what it was because half the fun is the discovery. We dived into some delicious snacky delights starting with a Mezze Thali with falafel, pita, hummus and the works. Next up was the sinful deep fried Mac n Cheese … a dish a cheese lover like me can’t go wrong with. Another one that caught our fancy was the rather unusual looking Charcoal Bhajiya. We enjoyed the Golden Fried Babycorn tossed in Hot Garlic Sauce and Chilli Honey Prawns which made us lick our fingers clean. The Bharwan Aloo & Chand ka Tukda Paneer were both excellent and I really liked them despite being a hard core non-vegetarian. There was also an interesting take on the Galauti which had the kebab mixture piped onto miniature sheermal rotis and then baked. The final dish will make lots of people happy… it is the very popular Chello Kebab v2.0 which consists of 3 small skewers of assorted chicken kebabs and three of mutton seekh kebab served in a mini coal brazier on your table with a side of rice topped with a sunny side up egg.

Overall a rather cleverly thought menu with a good mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes on offer. Light bites perfect for summer and also a wonderful choice with their excellent bar selection. The regular menu is still very much available to their patrons and these new offerings pair well with the existing ones.

The curtain came down on a yummy preview with two delectable desserts. Dhoom Macha Le which is a lovely chocolate ball filled with mango, mango mousse and nougat and makes for an explosive end to your meal (order it and see the fun) and my personal favorite Yeh Dil Maange More …. Fresh raspberry mousse covered with chocolate truffle which truly did leave me wanting more though I did not have an inch of space. Great balance of flavors and pairing chocolate with a berry is a combination that I adore. Talk about a sweet ending. Culinary Commentator Khush Hua!!!

DISCLAIMER : I was invited to this preview by the Management but the views expressed are entirely my own.

PICTURE CREDITS : Suneha Saha

Except for one step up to enter the restaurant it has complete access for those with limited mobility.