Bhatti Kabab Company – The Review

If you’ve entered the restaurant in a happy mood and manage to leave happy, I would think that the restaurant did justice to the food that they serve. On a rainy Thursday afternoon the husband and I walked into Bhatti Kabab Company, located at Cross Point Mall to enjoy a quiet birthday lunch.

The first thing that hit me as I stepped in was the open kitchen. The kitchen to a restaurant is what the heart is to u, and to open the heart up for everyone to peer into speaks of a lot of courage.

Restaurants and their owners often have a tales to tell, and Bhatti Kabab Company (“BKC”) was no different. Anirudh, one of the staff members at the restaurant told us how the kadchi (cooking ladle) was used innovatively as a door knob. The décor inside the restaurant also stands out – inverted bathing buckets have been used as light shades, and wire mesh separators gives it a grunge look. The only thing that left me disappointed was the cutlery. When so much detailing has been thought of for the interiors, it would have added to the place if the cutlery kept with the theme of the place.

Even as we placed our order, we noticed that the innovation is not restricted to the décor. ‘Naanza’, ‘Naanwich’, and ‘Naanger’ were their takes on the pizza, sandwich, and burger using Naan as the base. Having heard good reviews of their kabab package, we decided to order that. Priced at Rupees 550/- excluding taxes for the Vegetarian package, it comes with a wide array of kababs, their much acclaimed Kali Dal Bhatti, and an assortment of breads.

Steering clear of the normal practice of serving papads before the meal, BKC served us bite sized portions of garlic naan with fresh cut onion rings, green chutney, and a refreshing mango chutney. Full points for trying something new. This certainly did whet my appetite.

The meal consisted of 7 different kinds of kebabs. Cherry sized potatoes, skewered mushrooms, two different types of melt-in-your-mouth paneer kababs, vegetarian seekh, and two kinds of soya kebabs was what we were served with. The Hariyali Paneer Kabab deserves a special mention. The paneer was so rich and the flavours so subtle that I could go back for just this one kabab. A conversation with the owner, Mr. Bhuvnesh Khanna revealed that their paneer is sourced from a vendor who uses double cream milk. “We place a great deal of emphasis on sourcing our products well,” he told us. If the vegetarian kebabs were so good I can only imagine what a treat awaits the carnivores. What I stayed away from were the soya based kabas. Personally, I am not a fan of this mock meat but my husband relished it.

This was followed up with the Kali Dal Bhatti, their signature dish. Anirudh very proudly told us, “all we do is let it slow cook the entire night and what you have before you is just that – pure and unadulterated. We add no tomatoes, no cornflour, no cream, nothing, to this.” The Pudina Parantha and Garlic Naan were made to perfection – neither too crisp nor too soft.

Complimentary portions of Paneer Lababdar and Soya Chap Roganjosh were also served to us. One bite of the Soya Chap  Roganjosh left me questioning my vegetarianism. The rich gravy was packed with flavours and what a punch it left in my mouth. The prominent ingredient of this gravy was saunf (fennel) we were told. The Paneer Lababdar that had good chunks for paneer with gravy of tomato and onion finished a close second.

As mothers our concern when we pick a place is always whether the restaurant is child-friendly and the food suitable for them. There is no denying that the food at BKC is packed with flavour and spices. However, having said that, the chefs at BKC will certainly be more than happy to whip up treats that will suit the palate of our little ones.

What were the negatives? Initial days and hence there are some teething troubles that they are going through. Kababs and beer usually go well; unfortunately owing to reasons best left unsaid, BKC still awaits its liquor license. However, on the food and taste front we had no complaints. If they work towards maintaining this standard, they sure will remain popular.

What made the afternoon even more special was the warm hospitality that was extended to us by the owner. With a satiated palette and absolutely no space left for desserts, we left the restaurant with the assurance that they have two loyal customers in my husband and me.