Sep 22, 2014 11:05 AM
5627 Views
(Updated Sep 26, 2014 08:28 AM)
The tandoor. So simple in concept, so brilliant in execution. It takes the simplest of things, some dough, and transforms it into a hot melt-in-your mouth naan or roti. Of course, its magic on other items cannot be overstated, especially on marinated non-vegetarian treats.
Food in Moti Bagh
Moti Bagh is a bit of barren wasteland for food. Given that there are mostly houses and the occasional market thrown in, the only food you can seem to get is roadside momos on one end, to the expensive five star restaurants on the others. But there is an oasis in this desert. Scratch that, there is a tasty smorgasbord in the middle of the desert, and its name is Al Quresh.
Al Quresh – Location and Ambience
Al Quresh is located in the South Moti Bagh Market(basically on the other side of the road from RK Puram). The market is pretty good in meeting all your requirements, but I am here to talk about the restaurant. Ok, it is not a restaurant. There is absolutely no seating. It is basically a large hole in the wall with a few tandoors thrown in. You can eat at the place standing on in your car, but I would not recommend it. Instead, go there and order a takeaway or call for home delivery. It remains opened from 12PM to 3PM and 7PM to 11PM.
Food is amazing
Food is what this place is all about, especially non-vegetarian tandoori delights. They have an extensive range of options, but not all are available at all times. I have listed down the items I have tried from them, and the prices for each.
1. Chicken Malai Tikka(Rs. 180) – Easily my favourite. You get ten large pieces of tikka marinated in a creamy sauce. It is further doused in an oil – cashewnut-cream mixture, in case you doubted the amount of malai in it. The dish is very suitable for those who do not like spices, yet its flavours are not bland but subtle. I especially love the creamy feel it leaves in my mouth after every bite.
2. Chicken / Mutton Sheek(4 pieces/plate)(Rs. 120/140) – Very well done sheikh. Both the chicken and mutton are juicy and succulent. They are thick and the quantity is enough to feed one person easily. The best part is they are not overdosed with chillies like some other sheekhs but rather mid-way in hotness. Served with a dash of lime, they are amazing dip food.
3. Chicken Tangri Kabab(4 pieces - Rs. 200) – Till date the best Tangri I had was at Hyderabad House in Bangalore around 7 years ago. Well, Al Quesh blows it out of the water. You just cannot believe how succulent this meat is. With just the right hints of spice, saltiness and garlicky goodness, this Tangri is something you can eat again and again.
4. Tandoori Chicken(Rs. 220 / full) –The most simple of dishes, the Tandoori chicken is done well, with a spicy marinade. However, this is just around average for me and does not distinguish itself much from the other tandoori chickens in other restaurants.
5. Tandoori and Butter Roti(Rs. 5 / 8) – The Tandoori rotis are also done well. Hot, they are a delightful warm soft bite which is especially soothing on wintery evenings. However, by the time they are delivered, they are just lukewarm and start to get hard and crunchy.
6. Keema Naan(Rs. 60) – Not always available the Keema naan is a brilliant stand-alone item which will fill you up and leave you happy. A naan is stuffed with a generous helping of mutton keema and you feel like just tearing into it as soon as it comes out of the tandoor. The keema provides a nice juicy stuffing to counteract the dryer roti exterior. Have 2 of these and you won’t need anything else.
Al Quresh also sells vegetarian dishes like vegetable, paneer and soya tikkas, and curries. But given non-veg this good, I haven’t even though of trying them out yet.
Delivery is not fast
I would not really recommend this place for Delivery as its timings are not always reliable. They claim to deliver within a 3km radius, with the minimum order being Rs. 300. I have tried their delivery service a few times. Half the time they were at the door within 45 minutes(when they claimed 30), while the other times they took just over an hour to reach. Luckily the food was still hot when they delivered it.
Verdict
You can easily order non-veg for two for around Rs. 400 – 500 here and it will leave you feeling stuffed and content. Al Quresh is all about the tandoor and the excellent non-veg that emerges from its confines. It is a carnivores delight.
