After the central Delhi market’s facelift, the many, many gastro-bars that have opened and since shuttered in Connaught Place cast a long shadow, and Station Bar is definitely sequestered among that number. Now occupying the former space held by Vault Café, Station Bar is supposed to be a terminus of sorts, through which many of the world’s most significant train lines intersect. Each former vault is, well, still a vault, but the entrances are marked with famous railway lines.
When we enter, this Station is surprisingly silent, with us occupying the only table. Understandably this is because the Station is more an evening habitué, while we visited during a damp (not dank), raining winter afternoon. Having previously visited Station during the evenings, during which it’s usually packed, this emptiness is all the more surprising during an afternoon delight.
Corresponding to our culture shock, the food menu is just as non-partisan when it comes to cuisine, and includes some dishes from everywhere.
We go ahead and start with the Mixed Meat Platter, which comprised Tex Mex Chicken Wings, Lamb Albondigas (meatballs), Chicken Satay, Garlic Prawns, and Chicken Shish Taouk, alongside hummus and salsa. It is at this early point, in which things became almost scripted.
Our personal favourite, the garlic prawns are firm yet tender as well as pliant yet saucy, much like the second female lead in a vintage trans-continental adventure, while the Chicken Satay is unfortunately overdone to the point of being burnt, much like John Wayne having played Chinggis (Genghis, if you’re being pop cultured) Khan.
Turning to the new world, the Tex Mex Wings have the characteristic tang and twang of jalapenos and Mexican Texas respectively, without committing fully to each side, while the Lamb Albondigas are tragically warm on the outside, yet (frozen) cold to through the center.
Talk about Disney villains.
That being said, our ordered cocktail, Blue Train, chugged up first, and being a bar-rage of gin, tamarind, puree (presumably tomato), and Blue (counting on Curacao), all coddled, and topped, by egg white, is a potent potation. Given the strength of their cocktails, it’s no worry this station is packed during the evenings.
Next, we decide to go basic and pick out our very own Fungi Misti Pizza. Apparently, the chefs took a leaf out of the afternoon clientele’s book, and was missing in action, because it took us half an hour to get a pizza in a restaurant that was empty.
The end result kind of makes us kind that they had lost the pizza in the forest (or the station, or the kitchen pass). Again though, this place is a super-jumping bar (I believe they call them nightclubs), and their cocktails are pretty LIT, so maybe you should visit and form your own opinion.
Where: F-60, 2nd Floor, Connaught Place
Meal for two: Rs 3,000 (with alcohol, and taxes)