Food Review: 6 Must Have Dishes At Circus, South Ex 2, Delhi

Even though I am on a diet these days, I don’t mind indulging in elaborate cheat meals once a week. This time, I decide to check out this place that promises to be one of the best food joints in Delhi. Such claims always get me curious and with a thought of “Challenge Accepted”, I run to check if they’re worth all the hype.

As I enter the Circus, I feel good about such a big area and furniture laid out in such a beautiful manner. Instead of a place crowded with furniture,  I see a place which is big and designed in the typical circus stage manner. I loved the seating area and even the bar on the left are big and seem attractive. As I choose the corner most table, I am served with two menus – one for drinks and one for food.

And then I begin my food journey at this place.

Food at Circus

What fascinated me about the menu at Circus is how they have got different items from regional Indian cuisine. They have a special sev from Kolkata and another delicacy from Maharashtra. With the pavs from Andhra Pradesh, they don’t fail to impress me with the items they have on the menu. In the main course, they have the Chinese, Italian and Indian. The test was to see if they aced all these cuisines!

Snacks: Palak Patta Chaat

I decided to go with this chaat. I am served with a mini version of this chaat requested from the chef. As I am served with the plate full of palak patta chaat, I am not impressed with the presentation. It seemed too cluttered and unappealing. But I go on and take the first bite…

UNEXPECTEDLY AWESOME!

That’s how I described the dish after the first bite. All I can say about this dish is that you can sit at Circus and order plate over a plate of this palak patta chaat. It’s a dish to enjoy for hours.

Snacks: Chilli Chicken

The dish consists of yummy, soft, spicy and very well coated chicken. The chicken is incredibly soft and insanely awesome. Although I ponder over the fact that I have always loved the crunchiness of the chilli chicken; I didn’t seem to miss it in this dish.

Snacks: Howrah Jhalmuri Puffed Rice

Pretty evident from the name, it’s a dish from Kolkata. I dived into it with high expectations but let me warn you that this is the only dish that disappointed me at this place. The dish is dominated by the salty flavor and is a good chakhna with liquor. But as I focus more on the shakes and coolers on this particular day, I didn’t enjoy this dish much.

Snacks: Andhra Mutton Pau

And they had me once again! The pav is very soft, fluffy and buttery. Mutton keema is the best I have tried. It’s spicy, well-flavored and tastes amazing. The green chilli served with it makes me curious. It is sweet from outside but fiery hot from inside. I wonder what sorcery is this… probably they coated the green chillies in sugar. The raw coriander garnishing makes it even better. You’re bound to like this dish.

Main Course: Mutton Ghee Roast Tiffin

I am amused with the presentation that gives a homely feeling and comes in a big dabba. There are some options in this specific dabba menu, but I pick mutton ghee roast. It has an option of picking lime rice or Malabar paratha. The dish doesn’t impress me overall. It’s a dish that I enjoy and eat happily, but I feel it could be better. Some of the mutton pieces are incredibly soft, and some are hard. The gravy is tasty with a slightly tangy taste. Tangy taste is something I do not associate nicely with mutton and probably that’s why it doesn’t hit my taste buds in the way I expected. The Malabar paratha is dry and hard.

Main Course: Veg Manchurian

I order this with noodles and am amazed at how cottony soft and fluffy the Manchurian balls are. The gravy has a perfect Chinese taste or probably a taste that delights my Punjabi taste buds but is hot.

Cooler: Kiwi and cantaloupe cooler

It is a combination of fresh kiwi, cantaloupe melon, lemon, and lemonade. The drink is perfectly sour, has a great punch of flavors in just the right proportion. You can taste the kiwi pulp with a hint of lemon and I declare it an amazing cooler drink.

Shake: Red velvet shake

It is just out of the world. You will start loving it after having one sip. If you want to be in love with red velvet, just have this!

Shake: Cookies and Crumb premium shake

It had oreo cookies blended with crumbs and mixed with chocolate ice-cream. It’s awesome due to its perfectly sweet flavor and correct proportion of bits. I love it.

Overall, I think this place is fantastic and you’re missing a great place if you haven’t been there yet. The food, the ambience and the overall experience is a MUST!

My overall ratings – 4.5/5

Must-have dishes at Circus

1. Palak Patta Chaat
2. Chilli Chicken
3. Andhra Mutton Pav
4. Veg Manchurian
5. Red Velvet Shake
6. Kiwi Cantaloup Cooler