Nakshatra

Critic´s Review

• Food: 3.5 / 5
• Service: 3 / 5
• Decor: 3.5 / 5

-By Marryam H Reshii

One North Indian restaurant in the NCR that is totally focussed on customer satisfaction.
Good old-fashioned North Indian food shows no sign of diminishing in popularity as the crowds in this restaurant prove.

Atmospherics
The one address in Gurgaon that is easy to reach from Delhi, where parking is a breeze. This business hotel has got its formula down pat. There's a simple, fuss-free coffee shop and a North Indian diner on the first floor. Nakshatra is intelligently constructed, so that although it is large, you only get to view that part of it in which you are seated. Large tables and private parties have their own corners. Service is rather more in your face than it needs to be, but is fairly well-informed.

Table Talk
The best part about Nakshatra is that each and every one of the rotis are free! So you don't have to torture yourself about whether to order another naan or not, for fear of escalating the bill. The other great factor is that the menu is pan North-Indian, with no one region predominating. The provenance of Gosht e roghan josh (Rs 595) is not as important as its robustness; similarly, we never get to discover exactly where in the North Shikari sookha maas 595 hails from. All we can figure out is that it is dry enough to eat with a toothpick and spicy enough to go down a treat with a glass of something chilled. Special mention must be made of two seekh kebabs, both excellent. Charminar ki seekh Rs 475 is flavourful and has a hint of vetiver in it. The mince is fairly fine, but it is nowhere near the kakori, and is not meant to be in any case. Sabz ki seekh (Rs 325) has been taken off the menu a while ago, but much to the fury of the staff, they keep getting orders for it. Grated vegetables, khas khas and khoya give it its mildness; green chillies give it an oh-so-pungent bite. It is the one dish that has brought the restaurant name and fame, and expectedly, there is a section of excellent vegetarian food.

Plus and Minus
This restaurant will go down in history for giving each guest as many rotis (parathas, khastha roti, missi roti, chapatti, naan etc) as he wants, all for free! Do not miss their sinfully rich dal e nakshatra (Rs 325).

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Murgh handi lazeez, palak apki pasand, kadhi pakodi.