Stunning space, local flavour headline Hard Rock Cafe’s return to Delhi

What happens when rock and roll meets good ol’ American-inspired cuisine? Well, you get a quintessential Hard Rock Cafe (HRC). The brand has created a tribe of loyalists who swear by their legendary burgers, handcrafted cocktails, and live music! Whether it’s London or New Delhi, HRC’s vibe has always made the right noise, and for good reason. So, it’s only obvious that when the restaurant decided to make a comeback in the national capital, it had to be a much-talked-about affair. 

The new outlet has a great location–Connaught Place is truly Delhi’s ‘heartbeat’ and boasts a rich legacy, just like HRC. Across the road is the ever-popular streetside Janpath market that’s a roaring hit with the youngsters. Eventually, it could end up being a classic case of shopping to your heart’s content (and working up an appetite), and ending up here! But as always, this place is for those who appreciate good music, and don’t mind shelling a few bucks to watch their favourite bands play live. 

Last weekend, YS Life visited HRC to check out the restaurant in its reinvented avatar. 

An impressive outlet 

As soon as you make your way to the 6,254-square-foot outlet, the guitar-shaped door handle is sure to captivate your attention. Enter HRC New Delhi and you will be greeted by their world-renowned Rock Shop that offers an unmatched shopping experience for collectors and fans, carrying music-inspired merchandise like classic tees, caps, pins, glassware, and accessories.

The space, spread across two floors, boasts an impressive stage for live entertainment. It’s a treat to sit back and enjoy music belted out by prominent bands, while sipping on signature creations and sumptuous fare.

Take a walk around the outlet and you will be impressed by the efforts that the team has put into curating iconic memorabilia from legendary musicians around the globe. From Bobby Brown’s shoes that were designed by the R&B singer himself to Shakira’s black bra worn during her 2011 Sale El Sol tour, from Elton John’s platform shoes worn during his live ’Daniel’ music video to Ray Dorset’s red leather ankle boots, Hard Rock Cafe New Delhi’s walls are adorned with these priceless possessions donated by the rock legends themselves to Hard Rock®. I must admit I was quite awestruck to check these out!

‘Legendary’ appetisers and drinks

Like any other HRC fan, I was excited to sample the fare being offered here. The menu has a great selection of Signature Steak Burgers series, mouthwatering Specialty Entrees, Bar Bites, as well as salads, sandwiches, and desserts.

The cafe also offers a variety of beverages, from draft beers and wines, and handcrafted cocktails to Alternative Rock alcohol-free selections.

I went ahead with the HRC-recommended Hurricane, a 1940s New Orleans classic that has rum, a blend of orange, mango, pineapple juice, and grenadine, finished with a float of dark rum and Amaretto syrup. While it is on the sweeter side, I enjoyed every sip of it. The drink was quite smooth and went well with all the food that I enjoyed here! 

Let’s speak about the star of the show – the Thela Chaat, also popularly known as Palak Patta Chaat in north India. Spinach crisps topped with a generous layer of creamy yoghurt and a melange of chutneys was a pure treat for the taste buds. I particularly loved the crunch, thanks to the garnish of roasted peanuts, sev, and cilantro. 

The next dish I savoured was the Tex Mex Chicken Skewers. Of course, we’ve all had this appetiser a million times by now, but the marinade here was interesting – there was a burst of Mexican flavours! Plus, it was served with a delicious guacamole chipotle ranch dip. Deliciousness  in every bite!

They also have some interesting kebab platters, if you’d like to try! 

An amalgamation of local and global flavours

After relishing the appetisers, it was time to dig into the main course. Once again, I was a little more inclined towards the local fare. For a self-confessed biryani lover like myself, there’s really nothing else that comes close. This one had a Dilli twist to it and was quite spicy (I have a tolerance for spice; if you don’t, ask your server to tone it down). Long grain rice and Afghani marinated chicken, flavoured with Awadhi spice – how could I not fall in love with it? I am guilty of admitting this, but I polished off the serving in no time. They also have other local options, including Palak Paneer and Butter Chicken/Paneer – who would have thought of having these options on the menu? Frankly, they have done a fantastic job at this!

A part of me was also not convinced about leaving HRC without having their burgers – you know what I mean. So, I gave into my cravings and ordered their Surf n Turf burger. This is one of their signature steak burgers topped with their One Night in Bangkok shrimps, on a bed of spicy slaw and served with chipotle aioli on the side. To be honest, I loved the layer of shrimp and it was a welcome change – it’s also more flavourful in my opinion. The true blue millennial in me gobbled this up with a big class of Coke. Some things don’t change! 

They say, one always has room for dessert! Even after having a heavy meal, how could I possibly leave without satiating my sweet tooth? This time around, I went for their Hot Fudge Brownie that came in a very pretty-looking (but huge) glass. The gooey brownie was layered with hot fudge, dollops of vanilla bean ice-cream, chocolate sprinkles, fresh whipped cream, with a cherry on top. Pure indulgence, I must say! 

If you aren’t a chocolate fan, you could also try their New York Cheesecake and an apple dessert served with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce. 

All in all, it was a great experience returning to HRC. It’s bigger and much better.