Lucheon At The QLA Restaurant- Contemporary Luxurious Dining

The restaurant entrance

An afternoon in a posh restaurant is generally a well-spent span of time, especially if it is the likes of the Qla restaurant in Mehrauli in Delhi. The reasons are actually quiet a handful, and could vary from ambiance and decor, food, fellow patrons, menu balance, or any special memory of the place. A bunch of food enthusiasts were invited over to this restaurant, and keeping in mind the upper-crust of clientele patronizing the designer label stores around, the Qla was done up to match those standards. Looking at it the other, there was this very western very European rather, feel to the whole designer, something which was noticed on the inside. 

     The courtyard area

Unlike the European semi-casual dining scene, the Indian dining spaces are generally, by-and-large, set inside a restaurant, not that Europe doesn't have indoor eating joints. So, it must have been a challenge to bring something of that international standardization into India, and from what is on display, it has been a good shot. 

  The bar area of the Qla restaurant

The 'contemporary European/ Mediterranean' (as some of us foodies out there called it)  is something the guys at Qla have done to perfection with their restaurant, and it is perhaps the biggest draw of this place, apart from perhaps the menu. The smart use of woody texture natural brown with black, and darker brown is seriously on the spot, with the look of things. 

 One of the central chandeliers

The Qla team is young, have that style quotient which one would expect from the service team of an upmarket place like this. Crisp light biscuit coloured uniforms, the gait, and persona do stand out, and one would not go out without appreciating that, until obviously, the in-built bias remains. 

  The soft cucumber taco with tuna filling and Pimento, 

Fajita, tomato, and lemon seasoning

The menu at the food tasting meet:

- Amuse Bouche

- Qla baked breads

- Soft Cucumber Taco 

(with bean or tuna, pimento, fajita seasoning, tomato, lemon)

- Chicken liver weds port wine
 (Hazelnut chicken confit croquettes, tomato jam)

- Sake & lemon grass marinade long eggplant
(Mascarpone thyme Polenta, Bocconcini)

- Clear pho broth
(Broccoli & cheese crystal or chicken & scallion crystal, tomato & tamarind)

- Stilton meets Waldorf
(Aged stilton, celery heart, chives, Apple Tasmanian walnut, lemon oil)

- Wood fired pizza with works

- Passion fruit & red wine iced sherbet

- Summer organic vegetable plate

(Prune, kohlrabi, sweet potato)

- Line caught baby snapper

(Braised leeks, Paris mash, lemon caper Beurre Blanc)

- Double cooked chicken

(Confit & braised, garlic wine cream, Arborio mushroom risotto)

- Paris mash, Parmesan steak fries, onion rings, sautéed vegetable

Chef’s sweet sampler
(Double chocolate flourless, Valencia cheese cake, Beer sorbet)

 Summer organic vegetable plate
(Prune, kohlrabi, sweet potato)

The best part of good cooking, especially with European fushion style is, that the rich quotient, or the use of spices are more under control, and taste sensitive eaters dont need to be prepared to be on sensory overload, or even disturbed digestion. Good food is all about pleasure, and the chefs at Qla certainly prove how. Soft good ingredients with natural goodness is very much a part of the cuisine menu. 

 Stilton meets Waldorf
(Aged stilton, celery heart, chives, Apple Tasmanian walnut, lemon oil)

When you are at the premium eating hide-out, then you got to try the premium picks of the menu. Apart from the menu list just mentioned above, there was plenty to pick from the bar menu. And when there is premium whiskey on it, it would be a food lovers, or rather drinker's crime to not taste. This time, it was the the Johhnie Walker Blue Label. 

 Johhnie Walker Blue Label, murdered with some coke

When one is not the connoisseur level of drinker, additives to whiskey might be the obvious temptation. Here the Blue Label was murdered, with some Coca-Cola. Not the soft-drink is any much of a problem, but the fact that it was Blue Label in the glass, simply deserved all the attention, straight-up and neat. However, being the whiskey that it is, there was nothing holding it back from maintaining its character.  Profound and seriously beautiful. 

 The bar counter

 To cut the long story short, Qla is meant for great eats, in settings one would like to have the great meals at. Even good for special occasions too! But there was one big dampener; the service timing. Other than making some of the best dishes, one has to desire some quick service on the block, which was what seemed missing. The bar especially can be slow in serving orders, and that can seriously leave a bad taste about a place which is otherwise good. Qla folks, got to buck up here; good food and drinks always take a longer time coming, but then one needs to be prepare well to take orders, and not kill the mood set up by ambiance food, and sleek looking service staff. Killed it here!

Address: Kila, Seven Style Mile, 4 A, Kalka Das Marg, Next to Qutab Minar, Mehrauli, New Delhi, India 110030

Some other glimpses of the place: