Čtvrtek 28. března 2024, svátek má Soňa
130 let

Lidovky.cz

Dilli-Delhi: tasty and cheap, but once is enough

  15:17

Prague’s Indian restaurant Dill-Delhi serves up good food at a nice price, but we won’t be going back into this cave again soon

Indická restaurace na pražských Vinohradech Dilli-Delhi má dobře zmáknutý marketing. Není však v souladu s realitou. foto: ČESKÁ POZICEČeská pozice

If your mood permits it and the weather is less than inviting, by all means venture inside the dark cave that Dilli-Delhi, but brace yourself for the wafts of incense and hookah pipe smoke that masks the ubiquitous odor of the cellar in which this Indian restaurant (and cocktail bar!) is situated. The inhospitable two-room interior, poorly lit with paper lanterns, is otherwise marked by standard Czech-Indian décor (figurines, painting and rugs) so that neither culture feels alienated (or quite at home).

In fact, after poking our heads into the cave, we were ready to beat a hasty retreat. But the waitress was so friendly that after twice declining her invitation, we followed her in like obedient sheep. Though outside the sun was shining brightly, we had to squint to make out the menu, let alone our surroundings.

To put it plainly, there wasn’t much to see, anyway. The blue padded chairs didn’t sit well with us, nor did we in them. Together with the floor tiling, we felt rather as if in a waiting room. But the tables were lovely, and as that’s where the action is, what’s there to complain about, really?

For starters we ordered soup and paratha, Indian flat bread, and at the same time perused the menu, and were pleased to discover that the prices were indeed friendly, especially as concerns the daily lunch special. Some dal vegetable soup or sabzi (a dish made up of different combinations of vegetables and spices, which may be stir fried, spicy or sweet) and rice costs just Kč 69.

The Small Vegetarian Menu (lentils or vegetable mix, soup, rice or Naan) goes for just Kč 69 while the Big Vegetarian Menu (Lentils or Vegetable Mix, Soup, Rice or Naan, Salad, Raita or Sweets) will set you back Kč 79, which if still peckish can be supplemented with a bit of papadum, the spicy flatbread.

Then there’s the Southern Indian menu, which offers four choices: Masala Dosa (Kč 85), a pancake made from rice batter and white lentils stuffed with masala (Spicy Mashed Potatoes); Sambar Dosa (Kč 85), two such pancakes with white lentils, coconut chutney, and sambar (stewed vegetables and white lentils); Egg Dosa (Kč 95), the pancake a white lentils covered with fried egg, coconut chutney, sambar; and Chicken Curry Dosa (Kč 95), two pancakes with pieces of chicken curry.

Warm feeling, cold cave

The paratha, with its potato filling, was exquisite along with the classic pickled sauce and accompanying yoghurt. The tangy raita seemed authentic even if perhaps missing cumin and coriander. The chicken shorba, advertised as “rich in flavor of herbs and spices” didn’t disappoint; the fragrant broth had generous amounts of chicken and sliced onions alike, though onion was the dominant flavor and the slices a bit undercooked.

For the main course we entertained lamb korma and chicken makhanwala. The Indian waiter brought a selection of little metal pots that always look as if fit for a doll but which invariably conceal more food than can be eaten comfortably at one sitting.

Believe it or not, both dishes have something in common with the Czech staple svíčková (beef sirloin strips in sour cream gravy) at least as far as the color and consistency. The lamb korma, a mystical blend of dairy cream and coconut milk blended with fried sliced onions and tomatoes, unlike its blander cousins, had a rosy hue and a bit of a bite to it, hidden beneath the unassuming raisins and almond slices.

The makhanwala was a tandoori butter chicken dish marked by the flaming reddish-orange tint that should could from paprika or cayenne but is often enhanced by artificial dyes. The meat itself was a bit dry and nothing special, but altogether this mildly spicy dish with its tomato sauce didn’t disappoint.

However, we did rather regret having the basmati rice with green peas (Kč 75), which our sweetheart of a waitress had assured us wouldn’t be greasy in the slightest, as the peas are boiled. But our fears were realized. What a pity that we didn’t opt for something else — maybe even something truly creamy or buttery, as long as we’re ingesting fat.

The bitter end

Truth be told, Indian desserts don’t rank high among our favorite sweets, and we weren’t overly keen to remain in the Dilli-Delhi cave for another course, so we quickly settled the bill (Kč 670, including the stale and overly foamy Budějovický Budvar beers on tap). Also because we started to consider that although the food wasn’t bad, given the state of the floor and certain unpleasant odors drifting about, what could the kitchen look like?

Take our word for it: The photos on this establishment’s website are in stark contrast to the reality. However, you can look forward to rather nice and reasonably priced food, and friendly service.

Dilli-Delhi
Praha 3, U Vodárny 10
www.dillidelhi.com
Tel.: 224 255 369, 608 149 395

Autor:

PAMÁTKY TÁBOR, s.r.o.
Přípravář staveb/rozpočtář

PAMÁTKY TÁBOR, s.r.o.
Jihočeský kraj
nabízený plat: 40 000 - 50 000 Kč