Rating:6/5
“Farm-to-table” surely is an au courant restaurant buzz phrase, but knowing how to combine and show off seasonal, local and organic ingredients is truly an art. For environmentally sound food that packs a wallop in the flavor department, pencil in a visit to Devang House that makes organic elements high priority and is a quaint little cafe, extremely away from the bustle of the commercial city packed with only good happy vibes and happy food.
A holistic space celebrating the joy of being!
Devang offers the triumvirate of “local, sustainable and organic” food that’s so satisfying you’ll wonder why you can’t eat here every week. As you walk in towards the restaurant, you can’t help but notice how your inner void gets filled with positivity with every step to take towards the sanctuary.
Happy faces await at the main door with folded hands and welcome you with “Namastey” and a wide smile. Every member of the management & the staff is in sync with their vibrancy and warmth and this is when you already fall head over heels in love with this place. Soothing quaint meditative music and chants flow like lullabies throughout the powerful aura of this little den.
The interiors are simple, sophisticated and dreamy with the twinkle of lights all around. The indoor area is small & cosy but most ergonomically set up with a tiny stage, a bookshelf, a small beverage section and a rather beautiful section which displays their organic foods, supplements and delicious posters of their monthly roster.
FYI The menu is seasonal, selective and highly organic which keeps changing from time to time to give you the rear taste of the good things in life.
The wholesome dining experience transcends from the striking hot Agni tea, which was like nothing I have sipped before, digestive & spiked with ginger, pepper and more elements that do you good, this was the perfect starter to a rather elaborate meal I enjoyed here.
Pesto and sun dried tomato khichdi which is actually a variant of the risotto, stole my heart in the first bite exuding rich earthy flavours of fresh produce and star anise. Magnifique.
Ragi Nachos, Ragi pita with chunky hummus and pickles made for the healthiest yet the tastiest starters which were munched throughout the meal along with roasted spiced Makhanas. The latter was so simply made yet concentrated with tons of flavour and nutrition, my body seemed to celebrate all the good food I was putting in, with no compromise on flavour.
Further on, the savage glutton inside me was surprised with how brilliant the lentil burger and the pesto tomato pizza was!
Organic can be psychologically comforting knowing that you’re putting healthy stuff in regular fast food items & the belly wins as well with such dishes made scrumptious.
Salads sound simple but are composed with multiple healthy elements bathed in lusty sauces which only make them even more palatable. Try the cucumber sesame salad for oomph and flavour.
Those with an Indian palate will find themselves immersed in joy with the Ragi Dosa, chillas, Stuffed Paranthas, Indian Thali and Coconut Stew with Appam.
Each one of these is wholesome, ridiculously delicious and so darn healthy, it will take you by surprise. The Coconut Stew stood out for me with the complexity of flavours which was a rather happy marriage of Thai & South Indian flavours in a single bite brought together with fried mustard and curry leaves. Beautiful.
The smoothies and desserts are devastatingly delicious considering just about how nutritious and power packed they are. The mango coconut and Almond cheeko smoothie will wash down an entire day’s stress in a gulp. I finished off my feast with the mango & chia seed pudding which was bespoke freshness & flavour.
“conscientiously sourced,” “thoughtfully prepared” and “sustainable” have been traits of food that one could fairly describe as being “so Devang.” But at the same time, the food is more than that:The gorgeously plated dishes are greater even than the sum of their very great parts.
Clearly such pearls of appreciation for Devang means I am in love!
What I suggest is, you visit this haven and test it for yourself because this is one stand alone place in Delhi which is like no other and yes it serves vegetarian food, no alcohol but believe me it serves an experience beyond it all, a experience for the soul and the being, paired with food that may look simple but don’t be fooled, it’s a rife with flavours both big and nuanced.
Ps- They offer great cooking classes here and I am most looking forward to their community hosted nights like “Poetry Night” and many more. Check them out!
Namastey!
Cost/ person: Rs 500
Will I visit again? Yes yes yes.