ELEMENTS HERITAGE- A REVIEW

BY PRIYA JAIN

A happy Friday afternoon, a friend and I set off in the pursuit of great happiness. In simple words, we were two hungry souls looking for food that will please our tummies while not denting the wallet too deep.

Cosy seating in Elements Heritage with intricate detailing on cushions

Cruising around Frazer town, we stumbled across the Elements Heritage restaurant. Situated on Mosque Road, the restaurant actually looks like somebody’s house from the outside. After a double take, I did figure that it is indeed a restaurant.

The menu with the same embroidery
 as the cushions!

 Having parked, we walked in a bit uncertainly. The whole place was so empty, we were not even sure they were functional. A very sweet gentleman greeted us at the entrance and seated us in one of the dining rooms. 

One thing that really stood out is the fact that the place was extremely cool. And not an AC in sight! The house/ restaurant was built in such a way that it had plenty of air and light without resorting to artificial means. The interiors seem plastered with mud, reminding me of all the village homes I have lived in!

 While the person who attended to us was extremely warm and welcoming, he did not really give us a choice of different seating, even though the restaurant was absolutely empty. Only later did we discover a much prettier seating area outside in the restaurant!

 Coming to the food, Elements Heritage serves up a delightful mix of Awadhi, North Indian, Malabari & Peshawari cuisine. We moved a bit cautiously as we have had some bitter experiences in the past where the décor is so good, but the food is the exact opposite.

Dum Tarkari: Unlike any soup we have eaten!

 We started tentatively with a Dum Tarkari shorba priced at Rs 60. The shorba is served up in a small brass cup along with a piece of Naan (a type of bread) and a salad. The helping, though small is very rich and kind of filling. The thick soup has an ample collection of vegetables and is delicately flavored.

 Next we moved on to Paneer Misfira which was priced at Rs 160. Served up with fryums and two types of salad and chutney, this Paneer dish is as succulent and melt-in-the-mouth as it gets. Not only is the paneer marinated, the delicate flavoring of the herbs and the garnishing adds to the overall delight of the dish. The paneer is all at once tangy, spicy and soft. 8 huge chunks of Paneer are served in one dish and can be quite filling for two people.

Paneer Misfira: Has to be eaten to be believed!

 We chose vegetable stew and appams for the main course at Rs 200. The presentation was quite interesting with the stew being served in a long boat like dish along with a small helping of rice and salad along with fryums. The stew was delicious. There is something unmatched about eating vegetables along with the lovely flavoring of coconut. We were given 3 appams and split it between the two of us. Having eaten to the level of pleasantly full, we were quite pleased when we saw that the bill was still worth less than 700 rupees!

Appams and coconuttttty stew. Still drooling!

 Along the way, we had also ordered for two drinks to go with it. I opted for a regular sweet Lassi while my partner in crime opted for a Heritage special drink. The heritage special drink was quite yummy with a mix of three different fruity flavours.

Airy and Roomy without an AC!

Lassi and Heritage special drinks!

A special mention to the décor and the service: The menu and the tiny cushions in the seating area have the same embroidery as the logo of the hotel. I personally quite liked the touch showing the attention to detail. Also the service was prompt, but it was not too detailed on what to expect from the restaurant on request.

All in all, it was a totally worth it lunch for under a 700 rupees and must be tried if you are in Frazer Town and hungry!