Walk into Ikk Panjab, and time seems to pause, allowing flavours to speak louder, says ABHI SINGHAL
Ikk Panjab, in the heart of Connaught Place’s iconic circle, a hush falls over you — not one of silence, but of stillness. The chaos and city’s clamour recedes as you’re enveloped by a space that feels like home. Walk through the door makes you feel like you have been transported into a home — specifically that of a retired Army colonel, lovingly imagined with thoughtful detail. The living room-style layout features a
full-height library wall, vintage collectibles, and charming artefacts that reflect a life well lived and widely travelled.
With the prologue ambience, it’s the menu that is the novel and every dish a chapter from the past. The reimagined menu at Ikk Panjab is a culinary time machine, showcasing treasures from pre-partition Punjab’s historic towns and royal kitchens. You’ll discover dishes not often found on Delhi’s dining tables — like the smoky Sajji, a Balochi-style delicacy; the robust Gosht Beliram, once prepared in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s court and the rustic Atta Chicken from Kotkapura. Each of these bites whisper great tales of a rich and diverse land and their food.
You can go for the speciality like Matthi Chole from the kitchen of the hosts grandmother, dish that is savoured with flakey matthi, topped with spicy chole, kachumber and assorted chutneys and gives you a crisp taste. Around the same taste but a whole lot better is the Palak Patta Chaat that are crisp spinach leaves pakodas topped with sweetened curd and chutneys just like a desi Indian would want. Of course, no journey through Punjab’s cuisine is complete without its comforting classics. Ikk Panjab offers soulful renditions of Sarson da Saag with Makki di Roti, Aloo-Vadiyaan, Amritsari Macchi, and an inventive take on Delhi’s Butter Chicken — presented here as a street-style samosa, an ode to the playful spirit of Punjabi street fare.
I am always too full for the desserts but let me inform you that you can’t miss them here. You have options like Aam-Papad Churan, Nani’s Phirni, Dadi’s Gajrela, Tarn-Taran Di Jaleba Rabdi and the Moong Dal Halwa. The Moong Dal Halwa is a must have with the most appropriate amounts of sweetness and balance. Ikk Panjab has just launched a new outlet in Chandigarh for the people to savour the best Punjabi cuisine and a place that feels like home.
Fact Sheet:
Address: K-13, Outer circle, Ground floor, Connaught Place, New Delhi
Timings: 12pm to 3pm and 7pm to 11:30pm
Price for two: Rs 2500
