At a time when cookie-cutter cafés are cropping up in Delhi at a lightning speed, Zetu in Mehrauli arrives as a breath of fresh air. And if you think you’ll find it at Ambawatta One, you are terribly wrong. Sharing space with the Ojas Art Gallery, it is arguably Delhi’s first restaurant exclusively introducing diners to the culinary wealth of Sri Lanka with traditional recipes and street-food staples. Co-founded by former British diplomat to India, Sarah Nikahetiya along with Abhishek Mathur (CEO, Good Game Investment), Anurag Dania (of COVAH), and Sagar Garg (of Addoni’s), the 175-seater space makes me feel as if I had entered a retreat than a restaurant.
For starters, a golf cart plucks you away from the city’s noise and transports you behind a gate where nothing feels like Delhi, in the best way possible. Quiet, unhurried, and easy. Influenced and inspired by Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa’s tropical modernism and his love for airy and minimalist spaces, Zetu is centred around and placed under a 500-year-old banyan tree.
Sri Lankan chef Dush Ratnayake leads the kitchen along with Indian chefs Mohit Kumar and Romil Malhotra. “Zetu is a dialogue between India and Sri Lanka. Through our dishes, if we can take the diner even an inch closer to understanding the richness of our cuisine, our job is half done,” said Chef Ratnayake when I spoke to him during a preview at the restaurant.
The Food Menu
I was received by the choon pan butter flight, an ode to Sri Lanka’s iconic mobile bakeries that typically operate out of brightly coloured tuk-tuks or small trucks. Every morning vendors drive through residential neighbourhoods playing a tune that alerts residents about the arrival of freshly-baked goods. The basket featured warm, fresh, house-made buns paired with three varieties of flavoured butters— pesto, cashews, and tandoori.
From the small plates, I went for the Gram Dahl in Contrast which featured crisp, Sri-Lankan-style dhal bites paired with a fresh, citrus-infused creme fraiche and crispy nori. They also drizzled another orange-hued sauce which the server told me was prepared using beetroot. Though the dhal bites fell flat on their own, it was the beetroot sauce and the creme fraiche that tied it all together. Would I order it again? Maybe a pass.
However, The Procession, another vegetarian small plate on the roster is a must-try. The preparation features coconut parmesan roti discs paired with condiments like pol sambol ( a traditional Sri Lankan condiment made from freshly grated coconut, shallots, dried chillies, lime juice, and salt) and lunu miris (salt and chillies in Sinhalese). The flavours are punctuated by a betroot, curry leaf, and sundried- tomato-infused cream. The condiments were the star of the show and if I return to the dish it would be to devour the sambol and the lunu miris.
Chef Ratnayake spoke highly of the mains so I couldn’t help but try everything vegetarian from the offerings. The Kotthu, ofcourse, was my first choice. It came looking quite appetising. Vegetables and godamba roti dunked in a delicious gravy not just made for a well-textured and balanced dish but one that you would want to return to Zetu for. I chose to pair it with shiitake mushrooms, pescatarians would love prawns too.
The server suggested I try the kiribath too. I paired it with cashew curry, you could choose the chicken curry too. The coconut-infused rice is served in a black-and-white checkerboard pattern, which is an ode to Bawa’s work where the pattern was a recurring motif. What impressed me most was how the server was aware of it. Well-informed servers are quite a rarity in Delhi’s restaurants, but at Zetu, you can rely on them for a good meal.
The white rice was alternated with charcoal-infused rice and they were bound together by the most flavourful part of the dish— the seeni sambol (a traditional Sri Lankan condiment made of fried onions). What I was not a fan of, was the cashew curry which only added texture, not flavour. Overall, a good pick for first timers.
Some other offerings that diners must try from the roster include lamprais that comes backed in banana leaf and features lightly-spiced , stock-infused rice parcels carrying brinjal moju, seeni sambol, and ash plantain curry. The Yellow Rice With Three Curries, is an iconic Sri-Lankan preparation which is also their national dish. “Sinful to leave without trying this,” said the chef.
A Sweet Interlude
Well, the usual is to end meals on a sweet note. I like my meals to be interrupted by desserts. That’s what I did at Zetu: ordered two of the three desserts on the menu. None dissapointed. The chocolate and biscuit is a safe bet which features layers of chocolate alternated by biscuits layers, and topped with a choco swirl that all comes together to create a moussy, velvety, and rich dessert.
What truly stood out was the Observation Saloon. The sweetened, brulee, coconut custard placed under a sugar dome was airy and DELICIOUS! I am glad they scorched the custard and added the tad bit of theatrics of breaking the dome to reach the custard. I devoured.
The Drinks Menu
Standing true to the philosophy of the restaurants, the drinks roster is rooted in Sri Lankan ingredients. I went in with not one but two from the signature sips. Park Street Pandan was my first choice. It featured matcha and I am by no means a matcha stan, but curiosity leads you to strange places. The tequila-based drink featured pandan, pomelo olio, matcha, and watermelon. It was equal parts grassy, fruity, and citrusy. The pandan allowed each sip to come together. I wouldn’t say it is the best choice from the roster because that is the coconut espresso martini.
If I had to recommend one drink to go well with the balanced, aromatic, and creamy food served at Zetu, it would be this martini. Not sure if you have ever prepared your morning espresso in coconut water, but if you haven’t, you are missing out big time. This cocktail adds coconut-washed vodka and Kahlúa (a coffee liqueur) to a coconut-water espresso, tops it with cream and caramel foam. There you have a cocktail of your dreams. Try it without fail. I insist. From the reimagined classics, I tried the frangipani martini. The drink stood true to the name. The frangipani shined bright along with elderflower. It was a simple drink but the large plumeria placed in the glass added floral notes and a natural sweetness that was addictive. Another cocktail you must try from the reimagined section is their Tamarind Ginger Martini. The tamarind-infused Cointreau is what makes the drink.
What I enjoyed about the drinks at Zetu is that none of them intimidate you or the palate with too many flavours. One single flavour is allowed to shine through and govern each sip. My only suggestion would be to not stop at a single glass, try at least a couple of them to know what well crafted drinks taste like.
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