At INDY by Q’la, the menu does something I always enjoy in Indian dining — it takes flavors we know and gives them room to surprise you. The space sets the tone before the food even arrives: an earthy, muted palette of beige travertine, solid oakwood and linen block prints, with earthenware pieces and pared-back mandalas woven through the design. Designer Aayushi Malik describes the intention as drawing from contemporary India and its diverse design culture while staying relevant today, and that comes through in a room that feels rooted without ever tipping into pastiche. It’s the kind of space that lets you settle in for a long, unhurried lunch.
Our lunch began with Indy Colada, Zesty Imliana and Cold Coffee, followed by Avocado Bhel and Pav Bhaji. The bhel had a fresh, contemporary touch, while the pav bhaji brought the familiar comfort of a dish that needs no introduction.
The mains offered a generous selection of Indian favorites. Indy Kaali Daal with Garlic Naan was rich and satisfying, while Ajwaini Bhindi Aloo had an earthy, homestyle quality that brought a different character to the table. Paneer Tikka was another familiar favorite, while Spicy Jhakya Raita and Pineapple Veg Raita added freshness and contrast to the meal.
What I enjoyed most about INDY by Q’la was that the food didn’t feel as though it was trying too hard to reinvent Indian cuisine. The flavors remain recognizable, but there is a willingness to look at them a little differently. That makes the meal easy to settle into while still giving you something new to discover — and the interiors echo the same idea, taking materials and motifs we recognize and giving them a quieter, more contemporary reading.
Dessert brought its own sense of indulgence. INDY Malai Cassata was rich, creamy and playful, while Rasmalai offered the familiar sweetness of a much-loved Indian classic.
There is a generosity to the experience at INDY by Q’la — in the range of the menu, in a room built from travertine, oakwood and block-printed linen that never feels overdesigned, and, more importantly, in the way it brings different Indian food memories to the same table.
For anyone looking for contemporary Indian dining in Delhi, this is part of the appeal. You can come looking for something familiar and find it, but there is enough curiosity in the menu — and enough thought in the design around you — to encourage you to try something you might not ordinarily order.
The restaurant brings together different flavors, materials and influences from Indian design and cuisine without making the experience feel complicated. It is contemporary Indian food in a space designed with the same instinct, but the connection to familiar flavors and forms remains firmly intact.
And perhaps that is what makes a meal like this enjoyable. You leave remembering the food, of course, but also the earthenware on the table, the mandalas on the wall, the conversation that unfolded around it, and the familiar flavors that brought everything together.
