I recently had the opportunity to visit The Red Door, a new restaurant that opened in Rajouri Garden, Delhi, which offers a South East Asian culinary experience. Though one might be skeptical about what to expect at a new place, diners can rest assured that the new restaurant has been launched by Moets, a popular restaurant in Defence Colony since 1965. As the name suggests, The Red Door welcomes you with a big and grand red door and the interiors of the place are stunning, reflecting the ambiance of Japan with its street food market wallpaper, small fountains, flowers on every table and decorative lighting.
Since the restaurant opened less than a month ago in early May, they were waiting for their liquor license to serve cocktails. I found their cocktail menu, which looked promising. I tried some great non-alcoholic cocktails. Here’s everything I ordered:
1. Kaffir Lime and Citrus Cooler
This is one of the best kaffir lime drinks I have ever tried. It tasted really fresh and the cocktail looked beautiful, with orange slices and other kaffir lime leaves in the drink. Definitely try it!
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
2. Rose and Hibiscus Martini
I wasn’t very happy with this drink. Although it looked pretty and tasted great, there wasn’t anything special about it.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
3. Pina Colada
For all lovers of the pineapple, cream and vanilla combo, this drink is a must try. It’s like turning your classic pineapple pastry into a drink. So delicious. My only warning would be to not start your meal with this drink, as it can be too filling and you won’t be able to enjoy your meal.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
Now, let’s get to the stars of the evening, Southeast Asian cuisine inspired by Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan:
4. Poke Bowl Salad
I love salads and was excited to try the Poke Bowl Salad. It included cucumbers, tomatoes, edamame, sesame chicken, carrots, asparagus and mixed peppers. While everything tasted good, the cucumbers were bitter and therefore a disappointing ingredient in a good salad.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
My love for sushi led me to try two types of sushi – vegetarian and non-vegetarian:
5. Chicken Katsu Sushi
This delicious sushi was drizzled with spicy gochujang mayonnaise. I have tried chicken katsu sushi at many places, and this was one of the best. It was full of flavor and amazing texture. A great sushi!
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
6. Mushroom Mania Sushi
Please do not leave Red Door without trying this sushi. It looks so different and tastes amazing. Made with black rice, this dish includes shiitake, baby arugula and shiitake truffle sauce. This dish turned eating sushi into an experience. I might eat it again.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
Next up are some more exciting and popular Southeast Asian dishes I wanted to try at this restaurant. How were they? Read on!
Also read:The copper chimney in Delhi’s Rajouri Garden takes you on a delicious journey of undivided North India
7. Sesame Crystal Chicken Dumplings
This was one of the prettiest dishes on the menu. The pakoras looked beautiful because of the transparent wrapper. The taste was good, though not great. The pakoras lacked flavour and were a bit bland for my liking.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
8. Vietnamese Pizza
I enjoyed eating this delicious pizza with lots of fresh vegetables and juicy chicken toppings. The rice paper base was very thin, light and worked great as a pizza base.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
9. Chicken Katsu Bao Buns
Another dish on the menu that I can see myself coming back for again and again is these juicy, fragrant and delicious bao buns. Every bite is just as delicious as the first, and your mouth will literally be filled with flavor. A great dish!
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
10. Chicken Karaage
Perhaps the only dish that I was not impressed with was the Chicken Karaage. While it tasted good, I doubted how authentic the dish was as it was served with dragon fruit which did not add any flavour and was also very hot. This is a safe option for those who are not up for experimenting, but those who are here to try something more authentic can skip it.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
Hoping to end our meal with dessert, we were curious to know the other options, however since the restaurant was newly opened, they were only serving ice cream.
Also read:Chilli Pop in Rajouri Garden: A combination of all things delicious and vibrant
11. Tender Coconut Ice Cream
The ice cream was served beautifully in a glass, topped with dehydrated strawberries. It tasted amazing, had plenty of coconut meat and the balance of sweetness was just right. It was a refreshing palate cleanser at the end of a meal.
Photo Credit: Jigyasa Kakwani
- Location: Vishal Cineplex District Centre, Shivaji Place, Vishal Enclave, Tagore Garden Extension, New Delhi, Delhi, 110027
- Time: 12 noon to 11:30 pm
- Cost for two: ₹2,000 (approx)
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