The hungry villagers.

[Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi]

If a First World foreigner is airlifted from her land straight into Hauz Khas Village, she will find it next to impossible to believe it is Delhi’s coolest hangout. The main lane is B-list; dust drifts constantly from the never-ending construction; skinny men in gold skeleton mask carry placards advertising the newest hotspots.

But Delhiwallas look at the place with rose-tinted glasses. HKV currently abounds with the furious energy of a Special Economic Zone. A new month equals a new watering hole. From Mysore to Moscow, the menus in these restaurants, cafes and bars promise items from across the world, or at least have names that evoke the place of their origin. The snobbish gourmands may however take affront with the authenticity of the dishes. Tuck into tabbouleh that no Beirutian would recognize; nibble at tapas that no self-respecting Catalonian would stomach. But that’s not the point. The food on offer in Delhi’s most happening zone mirrors the sophistication of the people who crowd there daily.

Here is a dish-by-dish list of Hauz Khas cosmopolitanism. The Delhi Walla surveyed 46 eateries in the Village and picked out one menu item from each. This is your gateway to travel the “global cuisine” a la Delhi.

Poulet à la Hauz Khas

1. Gazpacho Andaluz at Imperfecto (Andalusia)

2. Moscow Mule at Coast Café (Moscow)

3. Mysore Masala Dosa at Naivedyam (Mysore)

4. Minestrone Genovese at Zo café (Genova, Italy)

5. Koobideh Kebab at Faarsi (Iran)

6. Lebanese Fattoush Salad at The Pink Room (Lebanon)

7. Madeliene at La’Opera (France)

8. Harare Soup at Masha (Harare, Zimbabwe)

9. Paneer Bharwa Islamabadi at Raas (Islamabad, Pakistan)

10. London Mix Grilled at Matchbox (London)

11. Kaladi at Kaladi Kachaus (Jammu)

12. Good Old Eggs Benedict at Smokehouse Deli (New York)

13. Schezwan Paneer Framide at Tibb’s Framide (Sichuan, China)

14. Bhelpuri at Chocolicious (Bombay)

15. Hot Tennessee Chicken Wings at Hauz Khas Social

16. Mappila-Style Kerala Biryani at The Toddy Shop (Thalassery, Kerala)

17. Nasi Goreng at Bootlegger (Indonesia)

18. Lal Maas at Bulldogs (Rajasthan)

19. Hunan Chicken at The Same Place café and lounge (Hunan, China)

20. Country Omelet at Time to Switch (Catalonia)

21. Shepherd’s Pie at Elma’s at The Living Room (Ireland)

22. Hawaiian Pizza at World Pizza Journey (Hawaii)

23. Black Forest Blend at Hokey Pokey (Black Forest, Germany)

24. Chicken Goulash at Eat Love Fun Café & Bar (Hungary)

25. Jamaican Fried Chicken at Out of the Box (Jamaica)

26. Gangs of Wasseypur at Light Camera Action (Wasseypur, Jharkhand)

27. Veg Barbados Platter at Raasta (Barbados)

28. Barhampuri Chinguri Bhaja at Mandaa (Berhampur, Odisha)

29. Malay Curry at Garage Inc (Malaysia)

30. Taste of Delhi Pizza at Moonshine (Delhi)

31. New Zealand Lamb Shank at Amour-The Patio Restaurant (New Zealand)

32. Grilled Ratatouille Bruschetta at Fork You (Provence, France)

33. Tex Mex Crispy Chicken at Maquina (US-Mexico Border)

34. Chicken Kathi Rolls at Kolkata Kathi Rolls (Calcutta)

35. Patiala Baigan at O Curry! (Patiala)

36. Soho Pizza at New York Slice (Soho, NYC)

37. Newari Platter at Yeti-The Himalayan Kitchen (Kathmandu)

38. Fijian Mango and Walnut Salad at Mia Bella (Fiji)

39. Brussels Waffles at Maison des Desserts (Brussels)

The fine eaters

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