Review of Rara Avis, located in Greater Kailash – II Market, New Delhi
Introduction
Rara Avis (Latin for rare bird)
This unpretentious French fine dining restaurant hidden in Greater Kailash – II Market offers a unique experience. It is truly a rarity to find authentic French cuisine in the city, but if you are looking for one, then Rara Avis is the place to be.
Location
M-27, Second Floor
Greater Kailash – II Market
Timings
12:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Ambiance
This is a two-floor restaurant, including a terrace that looks very pretty, but since I was here on a hot summer afternoon, I opted for the air-conditioned interiors, which though rustic have also been sourced from France to help make the experience authentic. Somehow to my mind, I associate fine dining with impeccable white damask linen and the crystal on the table, so I would call the ambience more bistro-like rather than the fine dining niche that they profess.
Service
The server was prompt, courteous, helped me with the menu, and got the dishes tweaked to our preferences. But, yes, the food definitely took time.
The Food
I wish I had been more adventurous and tried rabbit or escargot, but it was my first visit here, so I played safe and this too turned out to be a fruitful experience. The food is definitely authentic French and ingredients fresh.
At the outset, I’ll let you in on a secret – there is a lunch menu (though you have the liberty to order from the main menu too), which is priced at about 60% of the other – a comfortable pricing at Rs. 380 for salads and starters, Rs. 580 for mains, Rs. 380 for pizzas, and Rs. 280 for desserts.
I ordered the salad of the day – a yummy mélange of broccoli, mushrooms, and beans in oily vinaigrette. The chicken option was Chicken Liver Salad and the server immediately offered to get the chef make a smoked chicken breast, instead of chicken liver, as one of my girlfriends was not comfortable with liver.
It was a good choice, interspersed with an array of greens, rocket and iceberg lettuce, and my favorite cherry tomatoes in a tangy sauce.
The 4 Fromages pizza had a perfectly thin crust. The flavors of gorgonzola, mozzarella, ricotta, and parmesan were there distinctly but not overpowering and actually got polished off in seconds.
For the mains, we tried Gratin de Courgettes aux Epices du Sud. It was a hearty baked option for vegetarians with zucchini and cheese in tomato sauce. Filet de Poisson Pane, Legumes du Jour was a perfectly grilled fish served with fresh vegetables.
Now for the dessert selection… truly oh la la!
Each dessert was delectable and sinful; each better than the previous. Tarte aux Fruits de Saison was an apple tart with a buttery pie base and well-cooked cinnamon apples. Cheese Cake aux Fruits was a mango one and probably one of the best I have ever tasted – smooth, light, creamy, and chilled. I had also ordered Tiramisu from the regular menu, obviously more expensive (but worth its weight in gold, completely epitomizing guilty pleasures).
Would I go there again? Definitely, for many reasons – to see the terrace in the winters, to explore if the ambience at dinner is more fine dining, and, like I said earlier, to try the game – rabbit, turkey, and snails too!
The sweet ending I’m confident about!
