Pind Baluchi, Nehru Place, Delhi

I love chicken! I mean I just love the bird! The bird lovers and animal rights activists might hate me for saying so but I believe that the bird was just created so that the homo sapien could breed it, eat it and drool over the many wondrous preparations that emerge out of it. I have eaten more than my fair share of chickens and the two preparations of the bird that I absolutely adore are the Fried Chicken, and the Tandoori Chicken. Not just any fried or tandoori chickens however, but specific ones. If you want to have Fried Chicken, it has to be at KFC, thanks to the Colonel, the standardization is great and chances are that you will have one very near wherever you are. If you want to have Tandoori Chicken, it has to be in Delhi, either at Karims or at Pind Baluchi.

Pind Baluchi has an iffy entrance to say the least. It is right in the middle of a bazaar and is located on the first floor of the market, unless one has been there before one is really not sure if the winding staircases are leading into a high quality restaurant or to a shop for electronics repairs. The interior however is a lot better. They have modeled the interior on the village or the “pind”, there are makeshift trees and décor on the walls trying to impart a village atmosphere and doing a reasonably successful job. The seating is comfortable and the waiters are prompt as is the pace at which the food is delivered on the table.

Apart from the obvious Tandoori chicken, we ordered the other specialty of the North, the butter chicken. Combined with the butter naan, it made for a great meal, albeit slightly high on the cholesterol count. But when in Delhi, especially in winter, cholesterol count should not be on your priority list. The tandoori chicken was all a great tandoori should be, just the right amount of masala, soft, yet not at all undercooked, carrying the flavour of the tandoor yet not with a single unwanted char of carbon. Totally delightful and somehow a version that at least Mumbai and Kolkata have been completely unable to replicate or reproduce. Down right awesome!

A meal for two at Pind Baluchi without drinks will cost you approximately Rs 500/-.

How to get there: Pind Baluchi is located on the first floor of the main market at Nehru Place. You have to ask around a bit, but the Tandoori Chicken will make it all completely worth your while.