If you guys know about Cyber Hub, you will be happy (or jealous 😛 ) to know that I work right next to Cyber Hub (like millions of other people, so don’t be jealous 🙂 ). What is Cyber Hub, you ask? Well, it is a new hangout place in Gurgaon that has taken Delhi-NCR by storm for its internationally famous food chains and beautifully constructed architecture. It is situated in Cyber City, the heart of Gurgaon, if you may. Cyber City is actually the corporate hub of Gurgaon, it is where most of the offices are situated in nice, posh buildings built by DLF. These buildings, of course, have their own pros and cons, which all you environment conscious people already know of 🙂 . Anyway, so Cyber Hub is situated in Cyber City and my office is also in Cyber City and that too in the building next to Cyber Hub. So the moment I get down the stairs (mostly the lift 😛 ), all the unaffordable restaurants call out to me. 😛 While all these restaurants are famous in some or the other way, the one that has really garnered a lot of hype is ‘SodaBottleOpenerWala’. Before you all kill me for not coming to the point, I’ll start discussing my visit to this restaurant and this won’t take long for what I experienced here was just what I had perceived before visiting.
Nobody exactly knows the reason as to why this is one of the most hyped restaurants at Cyber Hub, but I would like to attribute that to two reasons mainly:
- The name and the decor. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by a restaurant whose name is ‘Soda Bottle Opener Wala’ and which has kettles, pictures of Parsi uncles, furniture and tiles like in a vintage Bombay Cafe for decor? This is totally something that would make heads turn.
- The Parsi and Bombay Cafe style food. I think there are hardly any restaurants in Delhi offering Parsi cuisine, add to that the fact that this was conceptualized by restaurateur AD Singh and we have a reason why people would take notice.
Ice Cream Soda
Now comes the most important question, how was the food? As I already mentioned, I had a preconceived notion about this place and I was proved right. That’s because I had heard rave reviews about this place but the dishes mentioned in people’s praises were mostly non-vegetarian. I also noticed on Zomato that the menu has limited options for vegetarians. So, I had expected that this would be a good place only for non-vegetarians. This came out to be true. 🙂 We ordered thick cheesy masala fries, Vada Pav, Chicken Baida Roti and Ice Cream Soda. ‘Thick cheesy masala fries’ were basically french fries served with a dollop of Cheese spread. Err, I am sitting in a fine dining restaurant paying through my nose, I don’t expect that when the menu says ‘Thick Cheesy Masala Fries’. They were delicious but why would I pay so much for french fries with Cheese spread? Vada Pav was pretty average again. The ‘Chicken Baida Roti’ looked extremely tempting and it almost made me become a non-vegetarian again! The person by whom it was tasted gave full points to it. I don’t remember how the Ice Cream Soda tasted but I guess it was good enough. So, yes, only the non-vegetarian dish tasted great. Having said that, the menu has dishes with pretty quirky names and I really want to try them. 😛 Also, there are many dishes like ‘Chicken Berry Pulao’ and ‘Keema Pao’ which have been raved over and over again by many people. So, I am guessing they must be good.
Thick cheesy masala fries
Chicken Baida Roti. I know the picture doesn’t do justice to my praises.
Love the attention to detail. See the Parsi Uncle logo on tissue? 🙂
Overall verdict: The food is not out of this world, but we hardly get to taste Parsi cuisine here in Delhi. Hence, there are many new things to be tried here and the non-vegetarian dishes taste extremely good. I think it is worth a try. 🙂
PS: I hope this gives some ideas to you, Tatsat. 😛
Life of Srish 
Pars is. Ahhh… I spent a lot of my childhood staring at Perizad Zorabian posters. So, I have reason to believe that I might be a bit biased as well.
Gurgaon k aage bhi chale jaate. Wahi kyu ruk gaye 😦 Poore paise toh wahi pohochne mein kharch ho jaayenge, khaunga kaise? Plus am vegetarian, except for fish (which is fruit of the sea anyway ). Kuch options mere liye hain hi nai kya 😦
But I think the ambience must be a bit different there, as per your description. Have you been to that old coffee house by Rivoli? Lots of old people sitting there with newspaper and having intellectual discussions on every topic on the earth. Indian coffee house, is the name probably. These places are so cool, aren’t they 🙂
BTW, don’t these parsi people eat anything without animals? I mean fries toh McDonalds mein bhi milta hai. I believe I share your expectations from restaurants as well…
BTW you call that “roti”? Deep fried hai yeah toh. Parathe waali gali type…
PPS- so cool, your office place. Nice. Keep it up 🙂 Been there couple of times. Brother lives in Gurgaon…
oh, cool 😀
Lol! they have quirky names. when thick cheesy masala fries can be that, I am fine with roti being like a vegetable puff, at least it tastes good. 😛
Anything deep fried ,is good – says someone who hasn’t had anything fried for over a couple of months. Never took parathas for tiffin back in school. Poori. Rishta hai purana humaara toh fried cheezon se 😉 Bas Ab tum fir se wahi sab khila kar football bana do 😦
hahahahaha! poori daily? and i thought my family was the only one who has poori chane on a regular basis. 😛 earlier we used to have it every tuesday. 🙂 and still have it quite often, like once a week.
Seriously yaar. Poori rocks! In fact, it is better than having paratha, if my cooking-aunty is to be believed. Paratha soaks in oil but it slips off from pooris 😉 I can only have that on national holidays now 😦 Lucky you!
I think this is the first post I have done on Gurgaon 😛 isn’t it? and why money issues? go by metro? 😀
I think there are plenty of vegetarian options, but probably not as good as non-vegetarian.
I have been to Indian Coffee House once in my college days when us friends entered, opened the menu, gave each other looks to get up and immediately we were out. 😛 Back then, it really did seem unaffordable. It still is, but now we anyway go to all these fine dining places, no?
Haha. Metro has become so…boring, after they made separate coach for ladies 😦 Arre dikkat ye hai ki I have been dodging my brother with “busy rehta hoon” every time he invites me over 😀
If its that impressive, I should give it a try. I trust your judgment 🙂
Are we talking about the same coffee house? They served dosas as well. It was rather cheap, at least some 3 years back. BTW, that thing you folks did ( aana,baithna, menu dekhna and kat lena ) – total respect for your group 🙂 At least, you have the right attitude.
of course, it is not something for which you should specifically travel to Gurgaon, check it out when you visit your brother. but when at this place (and most other places in Cyber Hub), it really is a disavantage that we are vegetarians.
Lol. thanks for the respect. I felt really proud. 😛 Although, it was super rude. we have done this in another restaurant as well. 😛
oh yes!! I was wrong. Indian coffee house is not very costly I think, the one I understood was United Coffee House. I want to visit both of them though. 🙂
Haina? Har party mein there is nothing other than paneer for us. I mean really – they should travel around. There are so many things we vegetarians could have. Like fish 😉
Haha. Really. Come on 🙂 Value for money is the only thing I know. United waala I don’t know. There is one (Madras,probably ) in the same block as Sarvana bhavan opposite to Rivoli. Haven’t been there as well. For all I know, these places could be amazing. The touchy classy vintage feel 🙂
PS- Just back from Cyber Hub. It was worth the effort, thanks to you. I ordered whatever I could of course. But I absolutely loved the ambience and service. Shade overpriced but it helps to roam around alone 😉 Thank you so much.
oh wow! Thank you so much 🙂 What did you have? and alone? I thought you would at least visit your brother 😛
Madras wala I have heard about, don’t know anything else about it.
and well, if people do have an intention of caring about vegetarian food, then there are enormous options, i am not commenting on whether there are as many as non-vegetarian but there are many. Mushrooms, potatoes, soya, soya chaap and many good dishes can be made with even veggies like spinach, zuchinni, bell peppers etc. 🙂 Have you ever been to Wah ji Wah?
Arre nai. That would have meant a lot of time, and you know.. the things that come in baggage with meeting people you love: the good fuzzy feeling 😛 Abhi I need to be bitter 😀
I think it might be actually good. Madrasi stuff is genuinely good most of the time. People as well as cuisine.
That, I agree. If they really want to- they can. There was this Humus in some restaurant of CP which was actually good. I mean there is so much you can make with what is available. Soya Chaap- its high on protein content. Do you know how they make it? I wonder if I could make it at home myself 🙂
Wah Ji waah? Nai Nai. Some friend has suggested this Yes China or something in Kamla Nagar ( she is a DU graduate, so Kamla Nagar I guess 😛 ). So, am looking forward to that. But WJW, tell me how is it? Something peculiar you recommend?
I highly recommend Wah ji Wah, especially that you mentioned that you like Soya Chap. They have so many snacks, all various variations of Soya Chaap and one or two more dishes. Then, for main course, they have Dal Makhani and again, gravy soya chap. 🙂 Especially recommend the starters!
Its on! Soya chap rocks !!
BTW I tried some Afghan Chop as well, when I was meeting some friends in Noida. It was not bad too.
next time i land in delhi I am heading straight for this place for sure 🙂
😀