INDY’s Seasonal Edit
BY SEEMA DHAWAN
Monsoon-inspired menu that maps India’s street food traditions — refined, regionally rooted, and plated with quiet confidence.
Located at the Eldeco Centre in Malviya Nagar, INDY by Qla brings a fresh perspective to Indian dining in the capital.
The space avoids clichés, drawing instead from architecture, texture, and restraint. Materials like travertine stone and carved oakwood shape the restaurant’s identity, while natural fabrics and subtle lighting contribute to its unhurried energy. It’s not decorative for the sake of design — the space feels considered, with room for both conversation and quiet.Located at the Eldeco Centre in Malviya Nagar, INDY by Qla brings a fresh perspective to Indian dining in the capital. The space avoids clichés, drawing instead from architecture, texture, and restraint. Materials like travertine stone and carved oakwood shape the restaurant’s identity, while natural fabrics and subtle lighting contribute to its unhurried energy. It’s not decorative for the sake of design — the space feels considered, with room for both conversation and quiet.
To start with, we had the blueberry shake — a refreshing, smooth blend that set the tone for the meal to come. It mirrored the restaurant’s approach overall: honest, focused, and rooted in simplicity.
The current monsoon menu reflects the same clarity. It isn’t a reinterpretation of Indian street food for fine dining — it’s a respectful lift. Each dish has a strong sense of place, anchored in region-specific memories and built with attention to balance and technique. From the tang of jamun-sirka in the Kachha Aloo Chaat to the grainy texture of Indori Khees, the menu doesn’t try to surprise. It focuses on getting the details right.
The Kadhi Kachori brings Rajasthani influences into focus — spiced lentil pastry paired with a tempered yogurt curry, sharp but steady. The Bombay Vada Pao holds its heat with Kolhapuri mock meat that delivers flavour without dilution. Delhi’s own Ram Ladoo arrives crisp and clean, set against a salad of radish and raw papaya. And the lychee ceviche — gentle in its coconut-ginger curry — opens the meal with quiet confidence.
The interiors reflect the same ethos as the food. There’s a flow between spaces — bar, table, lounge — and no single feature dominates. Handcrafted furniture, earthy tones, and warm wood elements are tied together without fuss. It’s a restaurant that doesn’t lean on nostalgia or performance. Instead, it builds an atmosphere where the food can do the talking.
My recommendation: if you’re looking for a seasonal dining experience that respects flavor, craft, and culture without overstatement — this is the place to visit.
INDY by Qla doesn’t chase nostalgia — it channels it. With its newest monsoon menu, the restaurant brings together seven thoughtful dishes that span the country’s seasonal cravings. From the crunch of Delhi’s Ram Ladoo to the tang of jamun-sirka aloo, each plate captures the essence of Indian street food, updated for a contemporary setting without losing its cultural thread. The result is an experience that feels familiar in flavor, modern in form, and unmistakably rooted in where it all comes from.
