Nadoo

I had a vague idea of Nadoo’s premise when I walked in for dinner: that their philosophy is an open defiance of Delhi's usual fare of South Indian food, one which typically lets dosas, idlis, and uttapams take over all tables and social media feeds – admittedly with the result of good business. 

That philosophy is clearly gleaned from the formidably long menu alone, spanning multiple states of the South and some clever twists and homages, like the moniker of ‘Dunken Doughnuts’ for vadai. 

But then, you look thoroughly away from the table. (There’s no situation in which you don’t.) The meditatively terracotta brown and caved interiors, a copper-encased fountain and perfectly volumed jazz that ran gentle on the ears, sectioned eating areas and two actual separate bars for their kaapi and cocktail offerings. Does this place deserve even more than being defined as a mere subversion of stereotypes? It takes not a long while to find out.

Chef Shri Bala’s inventiveness is everywhere from the several chutneys and rasam offerings that taste like they could constitute entire gravies, the soft crunch of the amusing caviar idli, egg puff and fried-parotta nachos with in-house hummus repurposed from Tamil Nadu's sundal, to dishes like the green chilli chicken, which she tells me is a recipe from the hands of cooks who take leftover ingredients from the houses they work in. It’s a delicious Andhra dish – pachi mirapayakaya – but at Nadoo, it comes with fluffy baos and a slice of coconut that the chef remembers is there with an important role before I even point it out. I’ve been working up my spice tolerance since I moved to Chennai for a year, but I’m still grateful for this intelligent pairing that rounds off the heat just subtly enough.

Cursing my tastebuds, weaned for years on bland, cream-forward food, is a routine exercise. But that thought is extinguished when the curry leaf lobster arrives, brilliantly hued, and then is impossibly soft when eaten. Flavours (that, surprisingly, do not overtake the taste of lobster) and the texture of the seafood meat – one you’d be hard-pressed to find well in this city – do an equal amount of heavy lifting that you can confidently pair with some other savory dish. Or even alone, with a tequila-based cocktail.

Speaking of which, I could recommend specific cocktails and coffees from the bar, but your honest best bet is to ask the waiters what would go best with your choice of food. The range is not a joke here. Two other dishes we tried and loved: the ‘Russel Market’ raan – Chettinad-spiced goat and parotta, inspired by the over-hundred-year-old namesake market in Bengaluru – and the Bengaluru military donne, a regional biryani born from the iconic several military hotels in the city. Clearly, a tremendous amount of thought has gone into the list of dishes.  Even if I had to be an obscene amount of critical, any complaint would be mitigated by one of their chutneys on hand (in my case, a pineapple one).

As my night came to an end – since, unfortunately, the wild range has outdone me – it was time for desserts. I tried the forbidden rice coconut pudding, which I’d expected to be unbearably sweet, but is in fact more reminiscent of a hug of a porridge – just as well after my meal. The other was the crispy pongal pouch (jaggery and edible camphor, topped with ghee dust), which doesn’t leave as much of an impression. It's good for you if you’re always complaining about how croissants aren’t crunchy enough.

My night being good isn’t a surprise, given that Nadoo is also entrepreneur Sahil Sambhi's sincere tribute to his Tamil mother. He’s been behind some of Delhi’s more personality-driven spots, such as Japonico, Bawri, VietNom, and Latango. Here, I shall, shamelessly, use the word ‘range’ once again.

How to book: Call +91 9217679217 or +91 9217499217. Reservations are mandatory!

Nearest metro: Greater Kailash station (Magenta Line)

Time Out tip: Parking is available nearby and slightly less stressful than the typical GK high-end restaurant fare.