CLASSICS NEVER DIE - SANDOZ - REVIEW

SANDOZ, CONNAUGHT PLACE

First, let me tell you about the first time my friend told me she's going to Sandoz with her family. I'd heard about the place and seen its boards throughout Connaught Place and I told her "Isn't that the place that is trying to copy Nandos with the name?" And she told me "No, it's a pretty good family restaurant." This is probably the idea most people have when it comes to unknown classics throughout the capital of the nation. Sandoz has been serving up great Indian food in the heart of Delhi, Connaught Place since forever. And it shows in the kind of food they serve as well as the simplicity of the place.

THE AMBIENCE

Sandoz has a very warm tone to the colors of the place. There are multiple paintings and portraits of yesteryear and the tables and chairs to match. The uniform of the waiters is a simple shirt and pants whilst they serve you with the brightest smile you've ever seen. It feels like you're back at your ancestral home and your grandparents are serving you. THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO GO BACK FEELING HUNGRY! And believe me when I tell you this, the service is fantastic. Very quick and the servers are more than happy to help you choose. Our server told us the best items acccording to availability and what was special about the dish in particular too! The meat is cooked outside the restaurant in the open, so the entire area outside is flooded with the odour of marinated chicken in the tandoor.

THE MEAL

Now, in typical Indian family fashion, we did not order drinks. Which Indian family orders drinks when the restaurant is going to give you water to wash down anyway? #DadLogic

But we did go ahead and order loads of starters. Four in total! YES. AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE DID. Firstly, the place is famous for it's Malai Chaap, which wasn't available at that time, so our server suggested the Papad Paneer Tikka which was marinated paneer covered in crushed papad and cooked to a perfect crisp on the outside. This dish was their signature dish too, and was really good when paired with the chutney and pyaaz they served. The hot and crisp Papad Paneer with the cool and fresh chutney. DAMN.

Next on our appetiser list was the non-veg. Boy, oh, boy was the non-veg good. We ordered the Reshmi Chicken Tikka, Chicken Tikka and another signature dish, Bhatti Ka Murgh. This is probably the best chicken I've had in a long long time. (THIS IS SAYING SOMETHING AS I JUST HAD BUTTER CHICKEN THIS AFTERNOON FROM A HIGH-END PLACE IN GTB NAGAR)

The Reshmi Tikka was very smooth and the cream marination wasn't too overpowering. The chicken tikka very sharp and tangy. But the star of the show was indeed, the Bhatti Ka Murg. I was skeptical about eating a chicken dish where the chicken is cooked on the bone. The dish looked bad too, no doubt. Yellow cream over boned chicken, does not look appetizing at first glance. BUT, as soon as I had a taste of the Bhatti Ka Murgh and when that first wave of Garlic, Turmeric and Cream hit me, I was a dead man. I was dead. Legit dead. I could hear people crying all around my dead body while I was laying there in heaps of Bhatti Ka Murg. But in all seriousness (brb. drool break), I was happy to dig my face into those pieces of chicken drenched in that marinade. I took sirke-waale-pyaaz to scoop of that marinade. If I could, I'd take Bhatti Ka Murgh out to a date and kiss it on the lips like a ninja to pronounce my love to it. And then we'd get it on in the auto when I drop it home. TO MY STOMACH.

 

Finally, for the main course, we kept it light. Only BUTTER CHICKEN and HANDI CHICKEN. And I'd say this again, Sandoz is great at making Indian food. And Handi Chicken is their speciality too! It is a thick gravy based chicken dish with mutton keema as well as a whole egg! A perfect end to a satisfying meal.

THE VERDICT

Sandoz is probably the best restaurant I've been to in a very long time. The quality of food, the quantity they serve when paired with their pricing is a combination that is very hard to beat. Their location makes them hard to spot in the busy Connaught Place, but their food makes it a must visit place!

I'M COMING BHATTI KA MURG, WAIT FOR BABY.