NuDelhi. From a distance you are able to read just the first four letters, which is exactly how the patrons like it. Nude. Not that they mean anything vulgar or offensive by that.
But certainly the idea is to set tongues wagging. Not a very subtle way to do that but maybe it works for some.
“It is the era of marketing,” says one of the partners Atul Kapoor of WG Hospitality. “An element of mystery works. When we opened Q’ba, a lot of people wondered what it meant or stood for. We got asked why we didn’t call it Cuba? Then came our other Connaught Place offering, @Live. Here again the name is unusual and there was a great amount of curiosity around it. Now with NuDelhi, we have managed to arouse curiosity again, particularly by highlighting Nude!”
Curiosity does attract people frequenting Malcha Marg market to check out this new place that is strategically placed and announces itself as a bar and grill joint. However, I am not so sure that has much to do with the name. Located at a stone’s throw from the almost legendary Chinese joint Fujiya, NuDelhi is a much needed new entrant on the block.
Don’t be misled by the name; the bar has nothing that reflects Delhi, either old or new. Walk in past the smiling hostess and the décor is welcoming though a bit distracting. A big ship fashioned like a table holds pride of place, while light fixtures are also shaped like boats. The red ceiling lights have elements of the overpowering Veda in Connaught Place.
Take your seats at the bar. The menu contains many of the same drinks as their other outlets. Classic cocktails are offered up with interesting names though very little sense of adventure. Order your usual tipple and focus on enjoying the environs, the people and yes, the live music. NuDelhi has organised a band all the way from Thailand and plan to make music the USP of the place.
Unfortunately at the time we visited, which was just a week into the opening, though they had all their basic spirits, none of the aperitifs and liqueurs that go into transforming a drink from a basic spirit to an exotic cocktail, were available. So, if you opted for God Mother, they would have Vodka but not Amaretto; for Cassini, they had the Vodka and Cranberry Juice but no crème de cassis; and for lack of Cointreau, you couldn’t enjoy a Mojito Martini. The only beer on tap available was Fosters though we happened to ask for it just as the barrel emptied; we had no choice but to go for the Kingfisher bottles that everyone else in the restaurant seemed to prefer.
However to be fair, it does take a bar time to settle and we did land up at quite a wrong time. Tonight for its grand opening, we are assured the bar is well stocked and fully operational. They also have a fair selection of wines.
NuDelhi anyway is all about music and giving in to your choice of rock, blues or jazz, all of which the Thai band is proficient at. The bar has no designated dance floor but that is unlikely to stop the average client from pushing away furniture and swinging a leg, particularly over weekends.
You are not likely to find any fried stuff on the menu. It’s grills all the way and a fairly good option would be to try their kebabs. Do try the place for its location, the live band and their brand new enthusiasm. For those who stay in the vicinity, a one-time visit is a must and we bet the music will get you back again and again.
As one client from across the road, in the diplomat area said, “They say drunken driving is a crime. Now I can drink and just walk across the road home!”
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