Definition of Café is constantly changing since my childhood. Earlier a café meant a small eatery that served light snacks. My association of the term was more with fast food like pizzas, burgers and sandwiches. It’s not long since well-stocked liquor serving places started calling themselves Café. Now the term is almost synonymous with a pub or a bar, only difference being that pizzas and burgers have still retained their popular spot on the menu. I am not talking about America where since the very beginning the concept of a Café meant a place serving hard liquor.
This is Umang Tiwari’s third project in CP after super successful Vault Café and Garam Dharam. I was expecting nice interiors and on entering the place my mind was blown. Below are some of my observations about the Café:
Good
The designers have worked a lot on the décor and their creativity is showing. The skill, time and effort that has gone into the designing of interiors is spectacular. The gigantic area of the café houses an innumerable and indescribable quantity of junk like old tyres, wheels, typewriters, trunks, drums and old bottles among other things, all of which have been used to create beautiful structures. The designer has created or procured some brilliant pieces of art totally made of junk including some creations inspired by Transformers and Da Vinci’s Monalisa. The highlight for me was a full fledged airplane mounted on top. Though the interiors are made of junk but were certainly not devoid of aesthetics and character.
They have a wide menu consisting of two parts, one for the weightwatchers where nutritional information is provided along with every dish, and the other consisting of junk food. Dishes that stood out for me were BLT Salad, Cold Mezze Platter, Onion Rings (which I think were coated with Aloo Bhujia), Falafel and Bhatti ka Murg Tikka.
Not So Good
The menu lacked originality and most of the upcoming cafes in NCR are offering the similar mix of Indian, Italian, Lebanese and continental dishes, staple being overloaded nachos, unoriginal tikkas, dry burgers and the omnipresent thin crust pizzas. I was excited to see veg & non veg Sushi Platters. Although Sushi was well made but the Wasabi served with it was extremely salty rather than having that kick n punch.
Conclusion
Just like many other cafes in CP this place is a welcome entry in the CP’s food scene with brilliantly done interiors and some great drinks. The funky presentation of cocktails and the food adds to the experience. Overall it a good place to unwind and their wide menu shall leave you craving for more and will ensure that you keep coming back.
Quick Facts
The Junkyard Cafe
91, 2nd Floor, N Block,
Connaught Place, New Delhi
Phone – 9599947642 9599947643
Meal for Two – INR 1500 ( excluding taxes)
Disclaimer – This review was done on an invitation from the establishment. Views expressed in the review is entirely ours and without any bias. Pictures of the dishes are not the standard portions, they are sample portions.
