Place: Needs Dhaba
Location: Lane adj. Life Style, Kundan Bagh
Cuisine: Indian
Meal: Dinner (with a friend)
Met my friend after a long time and we wanted to try 13 Dhaba. But it was already late (around 10:00 PM), and apparently 13 Dhaba closes by then. I had read about this dhaba in the Hidden Gems section of Zomato a while ago, and so decided to give it a try instead. It might be a difficult place to find if you aren’t looking, as it is located on the first floor of an old building at Kundan Bagh. Walking in, the restaurant was shabby and the tables seemed dirty. However, it was pretty much packed even at this hour, and we found ourselves a table right next to a window.
Unlike most other dhabas in the city, this place also serves non-vegetarian food. Still, their menu wasn’t really long. We started of with Paneer 65, and ordered an onion and gobi paratha with Kaju Masala curry for main course. We also ordered for a Lassi and Mango Milkshake.
The starter was served in about 10 minutes. Though the quantity seemed good, the paneer pieces were dripping in oil. On taste front, it was just alright, and the paneer wasn’t that fresh. A thick layer of oil on bottom of the dish was a huge turn off.
The curry and parathas were served next. For 100 bucks, quantity of the curry seemed less, and it tasted mediocre. There was too much cumin powder which kinda ruined the gravy. Being a Punjabi dhaba, I was hoping the parathas to be thick and oozing with butter, but they turned out being close to terrible. They were very thin, with barely any stuffing, and dry as a phulka. Those who’ve reviewed that this place serves awesome parathas, sorry but it seems like you’ve never tasted an authentic paratha in your life! These were horrendous.
Hoping for a miracle, we ordered a Veg. Pulao to finish our meal. At around the same time, the lassi and milkshake were finally served.
Honestly, these turned out to be the best part of the meal. The lassi was thick, creamy and lip smacking good, and so was the Mango milkshake. We in fact ordered for a second round of the milkshake.
The Pulao was served along with a small portion of Chole. With the rice being very dry, and barely any vegetables, it turned out to be a forgettable dish.
Overall, but for the lassi and milkshake, it was a bad experience. The service was pretty slow, and the ambiance wasn’t great either. We weren’t even served water during our entire meal. Though the prices seemed reasonable, it actually turned out to be an expensive affair while we weren’t satisfied with the meal. Give it a shot for their drinks for they are the only things worth your money here.
I haven’t found any hidden gem at this place!
Food: 5.5/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 6/10
Meal for 2: Rs. 420/-
Verdict: 6/10
