Ignis aims to be an upscale bar and restaurant in a commercial district that’s limping it’s way back into public favor. Lovely decor notwithstanding, one is hardpressed to decipher Ignis’ focus.
- Alcohol: The list wasn’t impressive.
- Food: The very comprehensive menu was all over the place without delivering anything particularly memorable.
- Fusion food, as some reviewers have gushed about? I don’t think Basil Pepper Paneer Tikka (289) or Videshi Mix in Desi Masala (289, Brocolli, Babycorn, Mushroom and Pepper) are fusion dishes.
Garlic Bread, Non Vegetarian Platter (459), Vegetarian Kebab Platter (349), Crispy Basil Chicken (289), Chicken Tom Yum (159), Dal Makhani (209), Martaban ka Meat (329), Dilli Paneer Curry (289), Parsi Malai Kulfi (139) and assorted rotis comprised our meal. There seems to be a ’9′ fixation in the menu, with the price of every dish ending in a ’9′. I wonder why.
Apart from disappointingly few flashes of brilliance, the food at Ignis is run of the mill. You may find the service lacking too.
The Non Vegetarian Platter was very good, with the exception of the Ajwaini Fish Tikka, which was excellent as a fish tikka; tender, moist and delicious; it failed to deliver any Ajwain however. The Tawa Boti, mutton pan fried with a load of spices, was exceedingly good!
The Vegetarian Kebab Platter was sleepy and didn’t aim to please. I liked the fried moong coating on the veg Seekh Kebab and the sesame coated Tandoori Aloo, both of which otherwise lacked character, a trait common to the entire platter. The Crispy Basil Chicken was hard, chewy but not crisp; the Dal Makhani neither here nor there and the Dilli Paneer Curry iffy at best.
The Chicken Tom Yum was spicy and really very good and so was the Parsi Malai Kulfi, which could have done with a just a little saffron. Similarly, the Martaban ka Meat with rotis; mutton cooked with achari spices till tender and nearly falling off the bone. If I visit Ignis again, it’s these two dishes that’ll make my trip worthwhile.
Ignis swings to and from both ends of the spectrum. Visiting Ignis, Connaught Place may result in a good experience if you have conventional tastes in alcohol and aren’t very particular about your food.
