I sell only what I eat, says Kuldeep Gupta, the man behind an organic store in Chandigarh. Recently, he brought his passion for clean eating along with his son Arjun and daughter Saru to Delhi by opening Organic Bistro in Khan Market. During my visit, he proudly showcased the organic ingredients used in the kitchen like A2 cow ghee and milk, seasonal vegetables, dals, and cold pressed oils.

The name Organic Bistro might suggest a predictable spread of salads, smoothie bowls, and detox juices. But this cafe is full of surprises. The menu, curated by celebrity chef Nishant Choubey, offers an impressive variety including well executed non vegetarian dishes. In my opinion, this is among Nishant’s finest work, and there may be two reasons for that. First, Kuldeep is a seasoned restaurateur, and the synergy between him and the chef has resulted in a product that is greater than the sum of its parts. Second, as Nishant admits, he is not under pressure to cut costs, allowing him to use the best ingredients and it shows on the plate.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is currently one of the most reasonably priced cafes in Khan Market, even without factoring in the premium cost of organic produce. Perhaps it helps that the property belongs to Kuldeep, so rent is not driving up the prices.

Located on the first and second floors, the cafe’s interiors are minimalist and predominantly white, a design choice that echoes its clean food philosophy. However, with a lively group of guests, I noticed the space quickly became noisy due to low sound absorption.

We began with a buckthorn and fermented turmeric mocktail, refreshing and well balanced.

Then came the hot purple aloo chaat, three pieces of naturally fermented purple potatoes atop crisp vadas, topped with chilled sweet yogurt. At Rs 425, it was delicious and, in my opinion, excellent value.

The sweet potato tikki followed, topped with Korean gochujang sauce, torched at the table to release its smoky aroma. It rested on a Japanese spinach sesame sauce, paired with an extraordinary black garlic jam. The jam, made by fermenting garlic for six days until it turns rich and sweet, deserves to be the star of a dish in its own right rather than an accent.

Next came the beetroot kebab on an ulta tawa parantha, accompanied by a raw mango salad. Paper thin beetroot slices gave it texture and flavour, and my friend and I polished it off quickly.

The Burrata Salad, lightly live smoked with cinnamon, was flavourful though I feel smoking it in a covered vessel could intensify the aroma.

Until this point, we had stayed vegetarian, but then arrived the prawn balchao with buttery pao — tangy, spiced, and well worth ordering. When I asked Chef Nishant about using non vegetarian ingredients in an “organic” cafe, he clarified that this is more about “clean eating” than claiming absolute organic purity. Around 70 to 80 percent of their produce is organic, and the rest is simply the best quality available.

The menu also features crowd pleasers like Choley Bhature and Butter Chicken.

We wrapped up our meal with ragi makhani mani, a comforting dessert akin to suji halwa, but made with ragi and desi ghee. Simple, warm, and satisfying.

Organic Bistro is a product of love, passion, and respect for ingredients. The food is flavourful, the pricing surprisingly fair, and the experience refreshingly honest. Next time you are in Khan Market, step in. You might walk out as pleasantly surprised as I did.

Address: Organic Bistro, 1st Floor, 38, Khan Market, New Delhi | Phone: 9667799446

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Royal China at The Chanakya, New Delhi, has long been a favourite for those who take their Chinese food seriously. On a recent afternoon, I revisited this elegant 100-seater to catch up with an old friend over lunch—and left reminded of why this restaurant continues to hold its place among the city’s most reliable Asian dining addresses.

This wasn’t a tasting of their newly launched menu; instead, it was a deliberate dive into some of their classics. We ordered what we felt like eating, chose on instinct, and let the table fill slowly—no pressure, no pretension, just good food and conversation.

A Dim Sum Prelude

We began with dumplings, of course. The Lobster and Caviar Dumpling was a showstopper—luxurious and perfectly steamed, with just the right brininess from the caviar. The Prawns and Black Pepper Dumpling brought in a pleasant hit of spice, wrapped in a delicate casing. While one of the dumpling wrappers arrived a little torn, it didn’t take away from the overall finesse of the offering.

From the cheung fun section, we picked the Asparagus and Shitake Cheung Fun, a silky rice noodle roll layered with texture and flavour. What caught my eye was the extensive cheung fun selection—I counted at least ten varieties on the menu, which is rare and commendable.

The standout among the small plates, though, was the Turnip Cake with Burnt Garlic. Soft inside, crisp outside, and served with Royal China’s excellent chilli oil, it was easily one of the best dishes of the meal. Humble ingredients, elevated through perfect execution.

Main Course Harmony

For the main course, we shared the Chilean Sea Bass with Ginger and Spring Onion, paired with pokchoy. The fish was cooked with a light soy and a hint of chilli garlic, letting the natural flavours shine through. It was delicate, comforting, and deeply satisfying.

To go with it, we ordered the Truffle and Scallop Fried Rice—a dish that surprised us with its generous use of scallops. At ₹625, it’s a remarkably well-portioned dish, easily serving three people. The truffle aroma wasn’t overpowering, and the rice was light enough to pair well with the fish.

The Finish Line

We wrapped up the meal with Ho Fun Noodles, broad rice noodles cooked in a chilli sauce on the recommendation of my friend who swears by Royal China’s consistency. He wasn’t wrong—the noodles had just the right bite and heat, and rounded off the savoury courses beautifully.

Then came an unexpected delight: Caramel Custard. It’s a dessert I personally love but rarely find on menus anymore. Here, it was firm, well-set, and lightly sweetened—the perfect end to a leisurely lunch.

A Return Visit is Already on My Mind

While I didn’t try their new dishes this time, what stood out was the consistency and quality of what I did eat. Royal China doesn’t chase trends—it perfects what it knows best, and the result is a meal that lingers in memory long after the table has been cleared.

What I’m looking forward to next, though, is their Unlimited Dimsum Lunch, a weekday special that’s been creating buzz for all the right reasons.

Unlimited Dimsum Lunch – The Details

Available: Monday to Thursday

Time: 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Price: ₹2,150++ per person

Group Size: Minimum 2, maximum 8 diners

What You Get:

Soup of your choice, Unlimited selection of dimsum (steamed, fried, bao, cheung fun), main course, Choice of rice or noodles and Dessert

For someone who enjoys long, indulgent lunches (and clearly, I do), this sounds like a worthy excuse to return. The dimsum menu alone has enough variety to keep me going back a few times over.

Address: Royal China, The Chanakya Mall, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Reservations: +91-8448870872

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Everyone makes resolutions for the new year. After hearing so much about Dal Samarkand from various food groups, my resolution was to start the new year by ordering it. And I did exactly that by ordering it before the midnight of the year ending 2022.

Ordering Process: I won’t say ordering was easy. Initially the website didn’t take the order by giving reasons that it wasn’t accepting orders for 31st night even though I was ordering it for 1st Jan. When it started accepting orders, I couldn’t choose lunch or dinner slot. After making the payment, I received a WhatsApp message that my order would be delivered for dinner.

Quantity: At Rs1050, the pack size says it is sufficient for 5 people. It pleasantly surprised me. This quantity should easily suffice 7 people in my opinion. Quantity is around 750ml, though I didn’t measure it.

Packaging: Excellent! Beautiful martbaan wrapped around with bubble wrap and in a small cotton bag. This can easily be presented as it is to guests. Pack came with the reheating instructions.

Accompaniment: Dal Samarkand comes along with few cocktail onions and a green chilly. May be they tried doing vinegar onion but I could hardly get the vinegar flavour. Perhaps it was kept for a very small time in vinegar. And with just 1 green chilly I fail to understand that if someone says quantity sufficient for 5 people, then accompaniments should also be sufficient accordingly.

Taste: The rich buttery yet subtle taste will leave a slightly sweetish aftertaste. Dal Samarkand has a thick consistency without sitting too heavy once you have eaten it. This is muddled well for a smooth texture. However, big question is if this is the best dal makhani that you have ever eaten. To me it is amongst the good ones that you will eat however it is like any other decent dal makhani you might have otherwise eaten.

Value for money: With the martbaan cost and almost double the quantity of dal makhani from another place, I feel this dal makhani isn’t overly priced. For the taste, quantity and packaging, price of Rs1050 including delivery is well justified.

Would I order it again: May be yes, may be no. Dal is good without being something that I won’t get at other places. For me it tastes as good as dal from Daryaganj (restaurant) or even similar to many other places I have tried. So I won’t wait after giving an advance order. Since this is the only dish that you can order from the company’s website, it makes lot of sense to order from another restaurant that gives an option to order multiple items for the ease of ordering.

I will be happy to read your opinion.

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