It isn't easy for a desi joint to add international cuisine to it's menu. The reverse is harder still BEFORE going for one of my usual prowls in search of good food to write about, a friend randomly pulled out of her hat a PG Wodehouse-ish statement. "People who write about food come out only after dark because they want to be in their sinister best when they do it," she said. Good judgment says, never argue with a lady before dinner, so I let it pass. <img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/aug/Time-to-treat.jpg" border="5" /> A north Indian spread Well, now that I'm away from her in the secure comfort of my office, let me clarify it is not love for criticism but long working hours under ruthless editors (my apologies) which lead to nocturnal excursions. Having said that, it's also a fact that the essence of a good restaurant unfolds only after the sun sets. Bonsai, the Oriental restaurant in the heart of Connaught Place, is one of those places I remember in Delhi. On nippy winter nights, t te- -t te (read gossiping) about emerging socialites by its fountain was a pleasurable exercise. Attending parties in the garden restaurant, enjoying the harmony of its sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy Oriental dishes was gratification.u00a0 Indian summer But I found now the fountain is gone. A recently launched Indian menu is the new centre of the attention at the place nowadays. Unfortunately, the set of choices are limited and the service mediocre. The usual non-vegetarian options of murg makhani or murg tikka masala seems like a hasty effort to dole out dishes to bring in the crowd that is expected to throng Connaught Place during the Commonwealth Games (that is, if Mr Kalmadi can save his sinking boat by then). The vegetarian fare: Well you guessed it, dal makhni and the usual mushroom and cottage cheese affairs. Table manners, please This time, it took quite some effort on my part to hide my horrified Sherlock Holmes-ish expression when I discovered large fingerprints on the plates. The second misfortune was, being served a dish I don't remember ordering at all, and that too after a long wait. The barrah kebab somehow managed to slither down my throat. The Patiala fish curryu00a0-- served to someone who has sacrificed a substantial part of his youth backpacking through the villages of Punjabu00a0-- didn't make me shout out 'burrraahhh'. The only saving grace was the kadhai paneer, the cheese was tender and juicy and the gravy light on the palate. The vegetable pulao had a generous helping of vegetables, if only the chef hadn't been too generous with the oil. Maybe sir, you could have served it on a kitchen paper to absorb it. And playing Guns N Roses' Sweet Child of Mine in the background while having kadhai paneers and veg pulaos reminded me of only of the band's album coveru00a0-- Appetite for Destruction. Bring back the magic Bonsai's USP has been its Oriental dishes. It is a place where the middle class Delhiite comes to teach his kids how to eat sushi with chopsticks. It is the watering hole in the middle of CP where a tired foreigner who doesn't want to venture out after a long week of experimenting orders sake.u00a0u00a0 So please, concentrate on what you do best and continue helping us escaping PG Wodehouse-quoting friends and ruthless editors. Bonsai Food: Decent Service: Average Smbience: Okay At: B-14/1-6, Connaught Place, Middle Circle Timings: Noon to midnight Ring: 43652240, 43652222 Meal for two: Rs 1,000 plus taxes

It isn't easy for a desi joint to add international cuisine to it's menu. The reverse is harder still

Here's how change goes wrong

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Here's how change goes wrong

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