Pani puri, aloo tikki, dahi bhalla, samosa, kachori, papdi chaat are among popular street foods in India. They complete the Indian cuisine, and you can hardly find a person, whether they identify as a foodie or not, whose mouth does not water when these dishes are mentioned. But if you observe the bustling streets of India, you will witness Tibetan momos, Manchurian, noodles, and burgers being sold by vendors, indicating that Indians are exploring global cuisines. They are also experimenting with desi burgers, cheese dosa, pizza samosa, and whatnot.
“Food festivals are those special occasions where we celebrate specially curated menus that are otherwise not part of our routine menu,” says Vikrant Batra, co-founder of Cafe Delhi Heights, a pan-India chain of multi-cuisine restaurants. Speaking about the ongoing International Street Food Festival, from April 20 to May 10, 2024, he added, “The idea of a food festival is to celebrate the diversity of food. Each menu is a serious attempt to do something new and exciting for our customers.”
If you have ever been to a CDH outlet, the vibe is quite familiar - comfortable seating space, the aroma from the kitchen filling up the space, and customers chattering over delicious delicacies ordered from the multi-cuisine menu. From Mexican to Italian, they serve a variety of lip-smacking dishes from different cuisines. However, after completing more than a decade in this industry, this time they took it up the notch by organising the International Street Food Festival.
Menu Of International Street Food Festival At Cafe Delhi Heights
Image Credit: Vikrant Batra/ Instagram
If you visit any of the CDH outlets right now, each table will have an assorted menu showcasing carefully picked dishes from several countries, including Japan, Russia, Spain, Jamaica, Thailand, the Middle East, Canada, Greece, and Latin America. From Japanese ramen to Spanish churros, the pan-India restaurant chain has made an exemplary effort to introduce Indians with different flavour palates while striking a perfect balance between authenticity and fusion.
“Food has always been the forte and the most key feature of Cafe Delhi Heights. We believe in not only understanding the palate of the audience but also innovating and experimenting with it in the most comfortable manner,” added Vikrant Batra.
If you like a melange of vegetables, you will love their empanadas, hailing from Latin America, served with hung curd, salsa, and guacamole. While Japanese ramen was a perfect blend of umami flavours, shawarma from the Middle East served with quinoa was a delight for taste buds. If you crave something spicy, don’t forget to order Pad Thai, a dish from Thailand that is available for vegetarians, non-vegetarians, and seafood lovers.
Speaking about adding these dishes to the menu, Vikrant Batra said, “We at Cafe Delhi Heights keep introducing different food festivals on a regular basis. Right from interesting food festivals like Rice Above the Rest, Fish Trap Festival, Aperol Menu, Juicy Lucy Burger Festivals, Pasta Festival etc. If customers really like our dishes, we always introduce the same as part of our signatures.” If you happen to like any dish, do not forget to share your feedback.
Cafe Delhi Heights started as a team of 24 people, and after 13 years, there are 35 outlets across India. “We are also planning new interesting things like the Back to School Menu, Mangolicious festival, Beer Menu, and Chai Pakora menu that we will soon be introducing at our outlets,” Vikram Batra added.
International Street Food Festival At Cafe Delhi Heights Is An Adventure For Foodies
Slurrp also spoke to Ashish Singh, Head Chef at Cafe Delhi Heights, about the curation of the menu for special food festivals. He said, “The International Street Food Festival is a culinary delight and true adventure for foodies. Curating the menu for it not only gave me creative satisfaction but I also felt a sense of achievement as a chef.”
He added, “Drawing inspiration from bustling food markets and vibrant street stalls around the world, we have carefully curated the menu that showcases the rich tapestry of global cuisines. Each dish is a masterpiece, crafted with precision and passion by our team of talented chefs, ensuring an authentic and immersive dining experience for all.”
Since Indians love their spices and food, many restaurants in the past have failed to impress their customers with global cuisines, but not Cafe Delhi Heights. Even for the International Street Food Festival, they worked on every dish to suit the flavour palates of Indians.
Chef Ashish Singh shared, “We focus on meticulous recipe development, carefully selecting ingredients and cooking techniques that align with Indian taste preferences. We aim to strike a balance between authenticity and adaptation, creating dishes that retain the essence of their origin while incorporating flavours and spices familiar to Indian diners.”
