Zo Cafe Review, 1, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi
The historic Hauz Khas Village may be a honking loud and overcrowded, but it sure is the place in New Delhi to be seen, shop, eat and overall have a great time. The burgeoning “village” today plays host to more than 50 restaurants and eateries of all shapes and sizes with each trying to find their place in the Sun. I am here today to review Zo Cafe.
As I manoeuvred into the alley leading to Zo Cafe, I was a bit sceptical about what we were getting into. However, as the glass doors opened to “Zo Cafe and Kitchen” I felt cheery. Zo Cafe is unique in its own sense – Sui Generis I think is the term to describe it.
Done up in white with tapestries, old paintings and antique statues that added to the candlelit decor, Zo gave me a feel of dining in a stylish museum. A huge chandelier hung over the entrance to the basement provided a very chic look to the entire ambience.
My first reaction to the presented menu was that it was limited. It sure was a mix of Mediterranean and Italian cuisines but in my opinion, Zo Cafe could have offered a wee more. This is when Saurabh, our host, assured us that while the menu was limited; we were still in for a treat. Saurabh proposed an ensemble of Zo Cafe’s best.
First to appear were half and half of the crispy, cheesy and delicious Pizzas – Verde & Pepperoni. This was immediately followed by a beautifully done Grilled Rainbow Trout in a lemon and mustard sauce served with grilled vegetables on a bed of mashed potatoes. The trout is one of Zo Cafe’s signature dishes and I think discerning fish lovers will absolutely adore this one.
However, this is when we realised that with just two dishes and four dinner plates on the table, it was becoming a tad difficult to accommodate stuff comfortably. We figured that the table was a bit small for four diners to eat their meal comfortably. The clearance was also a bit slow and led to the addition of table clutter that is what I mentioned to Ankit, the suave owner of Zo Cafe who had just walked in.
Next on the table was Funghi Imbottiti Fritti, panko crumb-fried mushroom caps stuffed with jack cheese, mozzarella & spices served with spicy tomato salsa. Hot as they were and not realising so, a careless bite burnt my upper palate. The mushrooms are yet another one of their signature dishes and a must-have.
But please do it slowly and carefully lest you want to suffer the same fate as mine. We went into a tizzy about what to order next. While I wanted to have yet another one of their fabulous pizzas, others on the table were deliberating with their own choices. In the end, the Meat Lovers Pizza won and we were served another lovely piece which disappeared in no time hungry that I was.
The Chocolate Coulant with vanilla ice cream served at the end was a fitting finish to the lovely meal that we had just savoured. I tried hard(ly) to resist this sweet rhapsody but eventually succumbed.
To Sum-It-Up: Zo Cafe is a great place with equally good food for you to spend a lazy afternoon or a romantic evening without feeling a massive pocket pinch. I hope Ankit gets bigger tables and polishes the rough edges around the service staff which is when I would like to go back once again and try the remainder of the menu.
1, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi
Open from: 12:00 Noon to 12:00 Midnight
Happy hours: No
Vegetarian: No :)
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Bar: Yes!
Loo on-premise: Yes & Clean
Air Conditioning: Yes
Credit Cards Accepted: Yes
Do they deliver: No
Takeaways Offered: Yes
Host Parties at Venue: Yes
Parking: Streetside/ Around the Cafe
WiFi: No
Live Music: No! Piped music is available
Television Screening: No
Outdoor Seating: No
Smoking Allowed: Yes! Outdoors
