Charcoal-grilled vegetables with an exotic dressing on the table, and some warm sun to bake under is just what Naresh Madan, the co-owner of the recently launched restaurant Informal in Connaught Place, needs on a chilly winter afternoon. Sumptuous portions of zucchini, apple, lettuce, arugula, raisins, parmesan and cherry tomatos, soaking up every bit of the fruity-flavoured extra virgin olive, spread out on a shining silver-coloured try, placed inside a grilling oven specially brought from Spain, makes the best kind of food during winters, says Naresh. That’s why, when he sat down with his head chef to work on the menu, the dish featured right on top. Needless to say, it’s a restaurant speciality the restaurateur suggests everybody to try.
Informal serves a dual purpose. It’s a café during the day, and a nightclub after sundown. True to its name, it’s an informal dining spread over 6,000 sq ft, and three floors. “While clubs are a good weekend stressbuster, cafés serve guests through the day. At Informal, you get the best of both the worlds,” says Suresh Madan, the co-founder.
Serving north Indian, Spanish and Mediterranean, the restaurant has some quirky attractions. “The first thing you’ll notice as you enter are the barber chairs with wigs and capes wrapped around them. Nope, you’re not in the wrong place, since this is all part of fun here. Taking a cue from barbers, the team here has concocted a spirited way of getting the party started. You choose a seat, put on a wig and wrap a cape around your neck, before the bartenders start pouring tequila and vodka down your throat till you give up. A quick cleanup and then you are packed off to your table where the revelry continues,” says Suresh.
Once you move away from the barber’s chair, the food offerings are a more sober bet. Charcoal-grilled Chicken Salad with Exotic Dressing, Lamb balls, Zucchini Braised in Charcoal Grill with Cous Cous and Exotic Herbs served on a Flat Bread, Grilled Garlic Bread with Three Cheese, Spanish Paella Seafood and more can be tried. “My best food memory associated with paella is when I was in Spain, at a beach-side restaurant called Aitona. It was perfect. We had to recreate something similar, but we’ve managed something much better,” says Naresh, who hopes his guests will appreciate the effort they’ve put into the restaurant.