“There is no love sincerer than the love of food” said George Bernard Shaw. Today, food today is about all things visual and attractive interiors are sure to catch anyone’s attention. So here are some unique design centric eateries that are sure to elevate your dining experience to another level.
The Turkey Project, New Delhi
Located in Defence Colony, The Turkey Project is the place to head to for Italian – American comfort food. Designed by Delhi Collective, an architecture firm, this place has an earthy tone courtesy its brown and beige colour scheme. The entrance to the space is through huge glass doors framed with teak wood that gives you a sneak peek of what lies ahead. The contemporary, chic interiors are accentuated with greenery so you have an abundance of indoor plants – potted in interesting planters, hanging plants, interesting lights fixtures and pastel hued pattern flooring. The restaurant is aimed at today’s professionals and comes with gadget friendly amenities like laptop-charging points, free wifi and availability of mobile chargers. All the upholstery here is hand-stitched by rural women working through The Pink Foundation, an NGO.
Must Try: Italian Nachos with Cheese, Trio Tomato Arrabiata- Pasta, Strawberry Cheese Tea.
Ohri’s 70MM, Hyderabad
If you are in Hyderabad, the best view you can possibly get has to be of the Hussain Sagar Lake or the Tank Bund Road. And if you are a movie buff who likes food with this kind of view, the place to head to is Ohri’s 70MM. The restaurant has a complete Bollywood theme and the posters on the walls will take you through the evolution of movies across different eras. You can even see mannequins of several characters from movies and humorous one-liners about the food. You pay for the food before entering the restaurant at the booth that is done up like a movie ticket counter. The colour palette has a rich tone thanks to the deep red walls as well as the crystal curtains that are bound to transport you to a 70s Bollywood cabaret scene.
Must Try: Silsila Fried Fish, Haleem, Paneer Pakora
Village- The Soul of India, Thane West, Mumbai
This is the place to head to for a rustic, village ambience complete with bright colours and good Indian food. The restaurant has several sections with different themes ranging from cinema, railway station, beauty parlour, classroom as well as a play area for games and puppet shows. The place serves an unlimited buffet and has little nooks complete with cane seats, bright coloured walls done up with handicrafts from across India and a roof that is covered with brightly coloured festoons. In the middle of the restaurant you even have a small clock tower model made with colourful blocks. Benches, chequered flooring and colourful artefacts make this place both vibrant and cheerful.
Must Try: Batata Vada, Kothimbir Vadi, Bhindi Bhaji
Café Down The Alley, Bengaluru
Comic buffs – check. Super heroes – check. Well, if you are in Banashankari in Bengaluru, Café Down The Alley is the place where you have the city’s only comic themed café. If you love Marvel and DC, comic book characters, this well-lit spacious café with superhero murals and posters that dot the walls and pillars is the place for you. The seating is comfortable and you also have bean bags to lounge around. An al fresco situation is available for smokers too. The walls have imagery of the Justice League gang, Joker, Wolverine and more. There is a window – more like a large hole in the wall from where the food is served as the kitchen is behind and the entire menu is on the wall surrounding it hand written on a black board.
Must Try: Hulk’s Own Chicken Burger, Crispy Chicken, Strawberry Soda
Nature’s Toilet Cafe, Ahmedabad
Have you thought of how it would be like to sit on a toilet seat while enjoying a meal? Well, probably not but if you want to see how that feels head to India’s first toilet-themed café next to the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. The concept is aimed to inculcate the habit of hygiene and importance of toilets and has been founded by Jayesh Patel who continues the legacy of his father Ishwarbhai Patel who built the toilet garden in 1967. The toilet garden here displays over 21 urinals and lavatories that date back to the 1950s. The greenery and cemented floors are dotted with commodes and latrines that are the main kind of seating here and the tables contain Indian type of commode in which the food is served. In fact if you use the washroom here you are paid Rs. 2 and all the toilets are connected to bio-gas and waste is used to create electricity.
Must Try: Coffee, Finger Food
Kaidi Kitchen, Mylapore, Chennai
If you fancy eating in a jail, well an environment that mimicks one Kaidi Kitchen is the place to head to. The staff here is dressed as inmates (in black and white attire) and as jailers (in authentic uniform) takes your order for a complete vegetarian menu. The main entrance of the restaurant resembles the gates of the central jail. The minimalist décor has simple black chairs and beige hued tables as well you also have private dining spaces with grill doors that resemble a prison cell. The walls have models of guns, hand prints and also prisoners sharing food! So if you want to be prisoned by food, this is the place to head to.
Must Try: Spaghetti Carbonara, Sweet Corn Soup, Chocolate Fondue
Central Perk, Chandigarh
Based on the theme of the hit television series F.R.I.E.N.D.S, Central Perk is a café that has a nice cozy ambience with plush seating, a bar counter and interesting nooks that is sure to uplift your dining experience. If you loved Chandler, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross, Joey and Monica and Joey’s white dog, this is the place to be. Designed as a place “Where Friends Meet”, you will find the same orange couch that the characters usually sit on. The monochrome pattern bar stools, focus lights lends a warm vibe to the decor. And what better place to hang out with your friends while you tuck into delectable food than this one?
Must Try: Sandwiches, Scones
Terminal 10, Indore – The Airplane Restaurant
You have probably eaten several times on a plane, but how about a meal on a plane on the ground? Well, if you are in Indore, Terminal 10 – The Airplane Restaurant is a fully intact Airbus A-320 plane with 180 covers that provides great vegetarian food, unlike the inflight meals. The main structure is a defunct Indian Airlines plane bought in an auction by Delhi-based Standard Products that has been converted into this sleek restaurant. The cockpit has disco lights and is a favourite with selfie takers. There is also an al fresco seating area outside the plane where food is served so you can experience a meal next to a plane too!
Must Try: Dahi Kebab, Dum Aloo Bhojpuri, Triple Fruity Ice cream
This story appeared in the April issue of Travel3Sixty here:
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