 NOV 23: Few know that
filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra – the man who gave Amitabh
Bachchan his break in commercials and directed him in the music
video ‘Eer Beer Patte’ and blockbuster film ‘Aks’ – is a
restaurateur par excellence. That said, there’s nothing glitzy or filmi about his eatery;
‘Baujee Ka Dhaba’, located at Hauz Khas
Village and MGF Mall-Gurgaon, offers a homely milieu where the aroma
of desi ghee and achaar makes your mouth watery. If you’re planning a
trip to Delhi, drive down to the NCR for a taste of desi exotica!
From the décor to the paraphernalia to the food, everything is
informal. That’s not to say it’s stark or lifeless – National
Award-winning artists have etched the Madhubani paintings that adorn
the walls of the ‘Dhaba’.
Spread over 3,000 sq ft, the ninety-cover
Indian restaurant boasts of a jukebox which belts classic Bollywood
numbers at one end while the open kitchen at the other end offers an
insight into what’s cooking.
‘‘I want our guests to feel at home.
That’s why we have done away with square waiters’ uniforms or a
snazzy décor,’’ says Rajan Mehra’s wife Anupama, who is the
marketing head for ‘Baujee Ka Dhaba’. It’s no small wonder
then that the dhaba won an award from the Ministry of Tourism for its
ambience!
The restaurant serves North-West Frontier cuisine, and the
delicacies range from handi and dumpukht dishes to Tandoori
platters.
For the sweet-toothed connoisseur, the dessert offering
includes rabri, halwa and sizzling brownies. What’s more, the prices
are easy on the pocket!
At the Gurgaon outlet, a vegetarian
combo meal that offers you a choice of kababs, a dal and rotis comes
for only Rs 77 while the non-veg option with kababs, chicken biryani,
raita and dal is yours to savor for a mere Rs 99.
 The Mehra’s future plans? ‘‘We want to form a chain of Indian fast
food outlets around Connaught Place and Defence Colony in New Delhi
and would eventually like to take it to Mumbai,’’ says Rajan Mehra.
“I am waiting for the release of my forthcoming film titled ‘Rang De
Basanti’. After this, I might go to a small village in Cambodia or
Thailand in my quest to learn how to cook exotic dishes,” reveals
Rakeysh Mehra.
The brothers didn’t digress into the food business by accident. “My
father hails from Old Delhi and he was the one who launched ‘Baujee
ka Dhaba’ in Hauz Khas Village in 1988. The food was a bit expensive
and was aimed at the upper-middle class. Soon, however, we wanted to
take the food to the masses. So my brother Rajan and I opened the
Gurgaon outlet, which serves authentic Indian dishes like Kadhai
Paneer and Murgh Dhaba at affordable prices.” Amen to that!
For NRIs who are planning a trip to New Delhi in the near future,
the dhaba is a great Bollywood-themed restaurant in town, which
whips up scrumptious North-West Frontier cuisine. Perfect for the
NRI who misses authentic Indian desi veggie or non-veggie food or
both.
‘Baujee Ka Dhaba’ - located at Hauz Khas Village and MGF
Mall-Gurgaon.
(Despardes.com Staff ) |
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