This is a place that encourages sin—all seven deadly sins, including pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth. As someone who has always been encouraged to be a good girl and do the right thing, this invitation was of special interest to me. Let’s get things straight. The Dark Side is not on Google Maps, and it is definitely not another speakeasy bar. It is one of Delhi’s first underground restaurants—“underground not in its literal location, but in its very nature, being hidden, away from plain sight,” as the founder and chef, Aditya Mohan, put it.
At The Dark Side, Dinner Begins With a Confession
After navigating the stairs and walking straight through the kitchen, I stumbled upon a red corridor. One right turn, and I had crossed over from the chaos and order of South Delhi into the other side. A room with dim, warm lighting and seven seats, designed according to the space and the mood. One might be curious about what the menu of a place themed around the seven sins would look like.
To know that, first you need to make a confession. You are given a card with the seven sins written on it, along with tick boxes beside each one. Your task is to mark all those sins of which you are guilty, nay, proud. According to your choices, you get the menu cards.
We asked Chef Mohan what he would tick. His choices were pride, gluttony and lust. Why? “Pride because we chefs derive a lot of joy in creating things from scratch and giving an idea its concrete shape, gluttony is, of course, the love for food which goes along with making it, and lust, well, it is in everything.”
From London’s Post-Shift Meals To Delhi’s Dark Side
Each menu comes with three to four dishes, along with one poison, or cocktail, aptly named Cyanide, Mandrake, Oleander, Arsenic, Hemlock and so on. The food menu is drawn from Chef Mohan’s own memories of his nights in London, and more specifically, from what he and his fellow chefs would turn to once the shift was over. It is food born from the hours when elaborate cooking gives way to the things you actually crave: rich, familiar and satisfying, giving the menu a distinctly personal sense of nostalgia.
But the menu is where the creativity only starts. The decor inside is full of paintings and art pieces that act as gentle nudges to shed any inhibitions and live life, at least while on the Dark Side, a little more unapologetically. One of the walls features a painting inspired by the Joker, painted by Chef Mohan himself. In essence, the entire space is an extension of his thought process and a tangible outcome of the concept of the restaurant. In his own words, “I did not want to make another bar or restaurant with very recognisable traits, following a template. I wanted to give Delhi something which it still is lacking, a place to come together, have good food and not think too much about etiquettes or the usual norms of fine dining.”
From Bourdain’s Sandwich To A Perfect Grilled Cheese
So, what does an after-hours chefs’ menu in London taste like in Delhi? Having watched “Tony” last week, I was excited to start with the Anthony Bourdain Sandwich. A tribute to the legendary chef, this was pan-seared mortadella stuffed between freshly baked buns with cheese and their in-house mustard. The mustard was the winner for me, as it was just optimally pungent enough to define, but not dominate, the taste of the sandwich.
Chef Mohan highly recommended the grilled cheese sandwich as well, which was his personal favourite right from his London days. When I took the first bite into it, I knew why. Sometimes, dishes that appear simple, when made to perfection, give a strange satisfaction to the soul, and this was one such moment. The golden-buttered bread filled with melted cheese was grilled to perfection with caramelised onions. You are led on by the crispness and then gently carried by the cheese.
The next temptation, as the menu was called, was another classic: mac and cheese with chorizo. I usually like my mac and cheese without it being too cheesy or heavy, and without the macaroni losing its shape. This was exactly that, coupled with bites of pork sausage that brought texture to the creamy, cheesy delicacy.
What’s Gluttony Without Some Poison?
I was committing gluttony, gladly, and wanted some poison in it as well? I tried two, starting with the Cyanide—a unique infusion of tobacco vodka, espresso and Bandarful Indian coffee liqueur. When I asked the chef how he brought the taste of tobacco into the drink, he explained that it was through a process of sous vide, in which food is sealed in a plastic bag and cooked in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath. As a non-smoker, my first sip was spent processing the curious combination. Chef said it is a favourite amongst people who can kill two birds with one stone. Why have less poison if you can have more?
Being passionate about Greek philosophy, I wanted to drink some Hemlock. For context, in 399 BC, Socrates was condemned to death in Athens and forced to drink a cup of crushed hemlock juice. The Dark Side, however, makes it tastier and a little less deadly with Vivaano tequila, tomato salsa, jalapeño brine and pandan liqueur. This, from the Wrath menu, was a refreshing change and, unlike Socrates, I was filled with excitement as Chef Mohan’s Tiramisu had come to the table.
A Tiramisu Worth Sinning For
This is not just a tiramisu but a lore which Chef Mohan proudly owns. At the sister venue, Refuge, this is one of the bestsellers and is made by the chef himself with zabaglione cream, ladyfinger biscuits, coffee and rum. This was part of the Lust menu and, after taking a big bite into it, I could totally understand why people go crazy for it. The bold balance of coffee, powdered chocolate and rum was delectable beyond compare. This is one of those dishes that you take with you if you have only one dish to take to a deserted island. Or maybe it is just my supremely satisfied sweet-tooth speaking.
Delhi is now a land of abundance, given the burgeoning variety of dining experiences. But few places surprise you with their uniqueness and distinct personality, which is not a spin-off of an existing one. The Dark Side did that for me. It mixes the perfect dosage of playfulness, intrigue and a genuine urge to shed your inhibitions, and embrace your vices.
It was sin-sational, and I am definitely going back.
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