Choodi chandeliers and ghazal-struck guzzlers

Are what you'll find at Doosri Mehfil, which transports you to the stereotypical Seventies

The place has been named and renamed probably a zillion times by now, but its charm stays in tact. And one rule you ought to follow before stepping inu00a0-- never judge a restaurant by its exterior. Banal blue lights greet you from the front, before you pack yourself into the mini elevator that takes you high. Once you're in and seated on the rather rare swing couches, that is. No, they don't oscillate relentlesslyu00a0-- only dangle enough for a dainty dizziness to set in. Situated on the second floor, the place is somewhat surreal.



Choodi nahi yeh...
Chandeliers hai. As you look about to soak in the surroundings, it's the warmth from the bangle-decorated lamps that make you light up. Red, blue, green, golden ufffd the tints all add a glint to the otherwise low-lit seating area, ambient in amber. The staff is dressed in period combinations of black and white, and their courteous manner dittos the era. In the background, there's Ghulam Ali to complete the filmy feeling. A joint family wobbles in at one end, and a group of young corporates smokes away their stress in another. There's a third floor too, scantily occupied, so your plate's soaked in peace.

Meanwhile, owner PK Arora walks up to us with a warm greeting, explaining the brisk business the place has been making, changing hands and all. Our attendant interrupts, offering their signature cocktails and the assorted kebab platter. The latter lives up to its popularity, with the portions rich and the flavours fiery. The blue lemonade (Smirnoff with blue curacao syrup and sour mix topped with Sprite) is refreshing; the LIIT strong. Their menu needs some serious re-designing proofreading. The only thing that saves it, though, is the foolproof cooking. The tikkas and kebabs have the characteristic tang than most desi tummies love, and chicken dahi-wala and liver fry masala add the creativity that an Indian kitchen often tends to overlook. In veg fare, we recommend the soya chhap masala.

The Indian-Mughlai mish mash works, but stay away from the Chinese, unless Chinjabi's what you've been craving since long. Drinks, repeat. Smiles, repeat. Music, non-repetitive. Even if age-old romantic. The ghazals soothe, the muffled chatter, even more. You only wish the washroom was a little closer to the main seating area. And oh, the baby naans are endearing, just in case your appetite's not feeling to adventurous. It's a conventional connoisseur's cove, the good old flavours flow easy. End with kulfi, but the farewell is far from cold.

At: D-2C (Near Archies), Atta Market, Sector 18, Noida.
For reservations, call: 9711712444.
Meal for two: Rs 1000.