Tau’s Cafe and Lassi Bar, Ansals Plaza, Palam Vihar, Gurgaon

[Rated: 3.5/5]

This café sounds straight out of a ‘Jat Yamla’ movie set, conjuring up images of large people with large moustaches gulping lassi from large peetal glasses. Tau’s Café at Ansal Plaza, Palam Vihar may not have the rustic setting, but it certainly has the food to make Dharam Bhaaji, and all the other Deols drool.

A good starting point for the meal is the unusual Apple Lassi (Rs 45), which tastes of fresh home made curds with crispy strands of crunchy, tangy green apples. The Madras Tadka Buttermilk (Rs 25) gets the taste buds tingling for more.

Then arrives the big boss of parathas. Our Ajwain Kali Mirch Ka Paratha (Rs 40) is large enough for a family’s meal. And it is delicious. The soft flakiness of the paratha, with the modest hit of pepper and the bitter sweet carom seeds takes one back to dadima’s kitchen angeethi. What adds to the indulgent bite is the fresh malai, straight from home curds, and the panchranga pickle.

There are many other delights here. The Chicken Dum Biryani (Rs 115) is light and flavoured just right. The Keema Pav (Rs 135) has amazingly prepared keema matar – the sweetness of the fresh-from-the-market peas perfectly compliments the rustic spicy taste of the keema. The highest sellers here are Punjabi Aloo Pyaaz Paratha (Rs 45) and Punjabi Malai Lassi (Rs 29), both excellent paisa-vasool. The ingredients are all fresh, the curd is set at home, and the taste is homely throughout. Add to it the large hearted helpings and the rather modest prices, and the place becomes irresistible.