A name that evokes nostalgia, Kwality restaurant has recently reopened its doors to Delhi after an extensive refurbishment. Established in 1940 by PL Lamba and IK Ghai, its one of the oldest restaurants of the city. Do you know they started this venture by selling snacks to American GI’s during the second world war and manually hand cranking ice cream and selling it from door to door ? Since then, the Kwality brand has come a long way and the current generation has not left any stone unturned to ensure that the restoration is classy and tasteful.
The interiors of this 94 cover restaurant are super luxurious with vintage wallpaper, Italian tiles and wooden furniture that gives it a very old-world Victorian feel. 70 timeless photos of Connaught Place from the last 40 years by the famous photographer Madan Mahatta adorn the walls of the restaurant and capture the essence and charm of Central Delhi. Also,they now have a cosy piano lounge at the back of the restaurant that adds on to the vibe of the place.
The menu at Kwality features a selection of Indian and continental delicacies. You can savour iconic Indian preparations like Chana bhatura and Taar gosht to continental favourites such as Chicken Ala Kiev. I ended up trying quite a few dishes when I paid a visit recently and loved the fact that the taste of the signature preparations has remained consistent since the early 90’s, the time I first visited the restaurant. My personal favourites are the Cheese balls, Chana bhatura, Masala chops and Chicken Gilafi kebabs. Also, the “Tutti Fruitti” took me back a few years. Have really fond memories of digging into a glass of mixed ice creams with chunks of fruit. They also have a fully stocked bar and I strongly recommend the Kwality cocktails especially the “Gin and Tonic” and “Indian Collins” which is infused with rose essence.
All in all we had a fabulous meal. The staff is polite and well trained and the service is warm and efficient. Its hard not to fall in love with the place as it has “something for everybody”. And I am not talking about Elvis! Its an excellent place to relax with friends over drinks or have a lazy and lavish meal with family enjoying old Bollywood tunes being played at the Piano lounge in the background. Do check it out !