Khi Khi Menu, Kulcha Thali by Tarun Sibal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The word khee khee means ‘giggle’ in Hindi-Punjabi. And that’s how Khee Khee co-founder Tarun Sibal hopes his new bar will make guests feel the same.
Every drink at Delhi’s newest watering hole has a story: Delhi 6A gimlet filled with flowers while Thandai Liqueur, Mango Shaved Ice and Tequila bring together , Maybe the whole garden is a semblance of a gin-cocktail of flowers. It not only comes with a bouquet of flowers in the drink but is also served with a tray full of fresh flowers.
Khi Khi Meenu, flower pot by Tarun Sibal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
We start with a clean and refreshing The Clarified Punch, made with three types of rum – Bacardi Carta Blanca, aged Bacardi Curato (four-year-old) and Bacardi Eco (eight-year-old) – and a hint of guava. The Gimlet is delightfully sweet yet not overpowering, subtly floral and reminds you of all the sharbats in Delhi. Offering a spicy flavor profile is the Yes Chef, a cocktail where Sibbal seeks to represent the hard-working kitchen team. The refreshing Grapefruit Drink, named after the Himalayan pomelo, with mezcal and sugar cane, is a show-stealer. Sweet, sour, with notes of lime and served with fresh pomelo, it lingers on your palate and works perfectly for the dry May heat.
Indian Flavors With International Touch
At Khee Khee, Sibal insists that the food is gourmet casual and the menu is a mix of small, medium and large plates. ,
Khee Khee Menu, Delhi by Tarun Sibal 6 | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Like all good Delhi food, our dinner starts with chaat. Maloon potatoes served with chaat, coriander and tamarind sauce, yogurt caviar and a crispy Maloon potato (a German way of cooking potatoes). The Prawn Stuffed Chicken Wings, wrapped in momo-chutney, is another classic taste of Delhi, hit the right spot – the sauce is strong, the wings are crispy and the prawn inside is soft.
“Delhi is a taste-forward market, and you need to give your guests everything the first time around,” says Sibal. Everything we taste reflects this ideology – whether it’s complex dishes like the Salem Spice Pork Belly, inspired by Salem’s Garam Masala, or the Tandoori Spiced Lobster, where lobster bisque comes with mayo and fish roe. , or topped with simple cream. and Onion Chicken Malai Tikka, a homemade take on Delhi’s favorite street food that includes cream and onion chips, among other things.
Chef Tarun Sibal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“It’s my sincere effort to make familiar food more exciting and more approachable for the uninitiated diner,” says Sibbal. They have brought regional influences to the menu – Crab Pongal, Khi Khi Haleem, Chicken Ghee Roast, Thalipeeth Cracker and Chicken Kharda with Bhakhri are some unusual items for Delhi’s menu.
Local desserts with global adaptations
It’s rare to see a bar with such an extensive dessert menu. But Sibal knows Delhi loves its sweets and wanted to present the typical Indian sweets in a delectable avatar. We order the Pistachio Lodge Bombolini expecting a traditional Indian burfi, but are greeted with a donut pastry filled with pistachio cream, covered with pistachio dust and adorned with gold leaf. The Pineapple Badam Halwa is served with katlama crumble and is in honor of the halwa-katlama that came to Delhi from across the border during Partition and is not as heavy as you’d expect. But it’s the Fruit Cream Roll, Sibbal’s Cream Roll and Fruit Cream Take on what many of us grew up eating, that we predict will win maximum hearts. Not for nothing does your heart flutter like nostalgia and at Khi Khi it comes with a generous helping of deliciousness.
F-02, 1st Floor, 61, Basant Lok Market, Vasant Vihar (Above PVR); 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Price for two: INR 2500 + taxes
Khee Khee menu by Tarun Sibal, Pista Lodge Bombolini | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement