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Business News/ News / Business Of Life/  A three-day picnic
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A three-day picnic

Over 70 stalls will offer gastronomical experiences, with music and cooking demonstrations on the side

Over 90,000 people visited the festival last year at Nehru ParkPremium
Over 90,000 people visited the festival last year at Nehru Park

NEW DELHI :

It’s a perfect picnic setting: a sprawling park, warm winter sun, and food from some of the best eateries in and around the city. So this weekend, skip the mall and head to central Delhi’s Nehru Park, the venue of New Delhi Palate Fest 2015.

Starting today, the second edition of the three-day festival will be a one-stop gastronomic experience, offering traditional delicacies with a twist. Think chocolate panjiri tart, bacon-stuffed kachori and dark chocolate with Amritsari aam papad.

Over 40 restaurants, including Farzi Café, Jehan Numa Palace, Wok in the Clouds, Kathputli and Gastronomica, will bring to the table what they believe best represents their food.

“Like last year, this time too the participating restaurants will tailor their menus, serving up to 10 dishes which they think showcase their food best," says Ruchi Sibal who, along with Aditi Kapoor, is the organizer of the festival.

What distinguishes the festival from the other food events now crowding the Capital’s culinary calendar is the fine-dining experience it offers. According to the organizers, bringing together various restaurants in a non-food court like space makes for an “attractive concept". “Each restaurant will have its own seating arrangement, ranging from minimal to 30-40 covers. There will be some common seating areas as well," says Kapoor.

While one side of the nine-acre park will sport “elegant" white tents, the other side will host a market square—an add-on in this edition—to give the festival a carnival-like feel. The square will have 30-plus stalls by eateries like Granny and Me, Sancha Tea and Ghaas Phoos, offering gourmet products and ingredients. Among the must-go places at the square is Granny and Me, a café in Amritsar that offers grandmothers’ recipes with a twist. It is bringing its “Seasons Greetings" flavours, which include Roasted and Caramelized Almonds with Chinese Five Spice and Roasted Walnuts with Jaggery and Fennel Seeds. “Although we Indians love our food, we are not as adventurous as we think. Such festivals help promote bespoke food," says Granny and Me’s owner Abhimanyu Mehra.

The market square will have its own seating area. “People can come, sit, eat, even do takeaway at the market square," say the organizers.

Also on the menu are free cooking demonstrations by chefs like Kunal Kapur, Vicky Ratnani and Ranveer Brar, and live performances by various bands, including Menwhopause and Euphoria.

Among the highlights this year are the two stalls that will have mezzanine floors—one by The Taj group, comprising Machan, Kafe Fontana and Indus Express restaurants, and another by Farzi Café. “We will be coming up with a customized design to help guests enjoy their food and also get a direct view of the live performances in absolute comfort," says Zorawar Kalra, founder and managing director of Massive Restaurants Pvt. Ltd, which is participating with two of its eateries—Farzi Café and Made in Punjab. The café will be serving dishes such as tandoori wild mushrooms with an element of molecular gastronomy, and smoked bacon and pyaaz ki kachori.

The organizers are expecting a good turnout like last year. And this year too, there is no entry fee. “About 90,000 people attended the festival in 2014. It got so crowded that we had to stop entry a couple of times," says Kapoor.

Sunita Vaid, who came last November with her two children, had to wait for 40 minutes to get a chance to eat at one of the stalls. “We went around 4pm, and it was jam-packed. Traffic outside the park was in a mess as well," says Vaid, who plans to reach before 1pm on one of the three days.

Kapoor says the eateries are better-equipped this time to manage the crowds. “There will be traffic marshals to ensure that everything is in order," adds Sibal.

But do plan ahead if you intend to visit.

The New Delhi Palate Fest 2015 is on from 27-29 November, 11am-11pm, at Nehru Park, Gates 1 and 2, Niti Marg. Prices, starting from 100. The festival will travel to Chandigarh next month. Click here for details.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pooja Singh
A journalist with over 15 years of experience. A Chevening fellow and graduate of Columbia University, New York
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
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Published: 26 Nov 2015, 07:47 PM IST
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