Till late in the afternoon, I had no inkling that I would be sitting at The Groghead in the evening and sipping my poison. That’s the fun of chalking out a plan at the last moment. As I walked into this few-months-old bistro, which claims to have been designed like an Australian pub, the staff encouraged me to sit on their terrace. I agreed in no time.
The Ambience
The terrace had an earthy feel with trunk-shaped seats, floor lights and plants doing justice to the faraway and cut-off-from-the-din look of the place. The music was not hideous and the folks at the bistro were sensible enough to watch us enjoy our meals from a distance and not drooling at what we were having. The first thing I noticed is the front page of the liquor menu that quotes Oscar Wilde: “Work is the curse of the drinking classes”. We didn’t know that there’s more such hilarity coming our way.
The Food
While the food menu had Oliver Twist (an Olive-dominated dish), there’s a Naughty Babaji sitting pretty on top of the liquor menu. To steer away from culinary controversies, we ordered our comfort food: Pepperoni Pizza (Rs. 525). According to the menu, it was an “eleven inches of pizza straight from our wood-fired pizza”. We could see a dedicated pizza kitchen few steps away. It had a dome-shaped oven that looked futuristic. Coming back to the pizza, it was as good as the one they serve at Zu Tisch in GK-1 market. Thin crust, dollops of cheese, and generously sprinkled salami and olives were so very agreeable to my palate. Too much of jalapeno would have repelled us.
Even before the pizza arrived, I had ordered Long Island Ice Tea (Rs. 540) and my better-half looked quite content with her Cosmopolitan. BBQ Chicken Spears (Rs. 265) was next on the menu. The light coating on the chicken pieces seemed to be a nice combination of garlic and soy sauce. I must also mention that the style of serving was thoughtful. Mini skewers dipped in tequila glasses with bottom-half of the skewers firmly holding the chicken pieces which were reaching out to the peanut sauce at the bottom of the glasses.
By the way, if you are a Bob Marley fan, you can also find a Buffalo Soldier in the menu.
The Service
The terrace was charming and so was the idea of dining and wining under a starlit sky. But what can we do about the cold wind that was gentle yet persistent? A spirited chap appeared before us with a sigri. He almost read our discomfort! It is these small gestures that people remember and talk about long after the evening comes to end.
When my wife asked whether they serve any Vodka-based strawberry drink, the answer was immediate: “We don’t have it in the menu, but we can make it for you”. The readiness to serve is commendable. Moreover, they were forthcoming with recommendations.
The Pricing
A meal for two with a starter and a main course will set you back by Rs. 1000. Two cocktails will add another 1000 bucks to your bill.
The Location
The Groghead is just a 2-minute walk from the Green Park metro station in South Delhi. Since the locality is not known for having too many watering holes, this bistro has an advantage.
Address: A-5, 2nd Floor, Green Park, New Delhi 110016
The Timings
12 Noon to 1 AM
Rating
4 out of 5
