With single malts galore, Master of Malts woos whisky lovers (Foodie Trail - Delhi)

New Delhi, Feb 14 :  Sometimes it is not so much the food as the interiors of an eatery that stimulates an individual's appetite. Master of Malts seems to have outdone itself in this arena.

The casual dining and bar, situated in the heart of the capital, is an amalgamation of good food, a perfect location, rustic wooden interiors, an artistic bar counter and interesting walls adorned by retro graphics. A live band adds to its appeal.

"The layout is different from all other pubs... as it is inspired by Irish pubs. Various cuisines are also being served, with great music via live performances of several bands, singers and disc jockeys," Nishant Sukhija, who owns Master of Malts, told IANS.

The live music regales the crowd here from 8 p.m. to midnight every day. A group of girls could be seen sitting and tapping their feet, while a crowd of office colleagues -- presumably chilling after a tiring day at work -- were tempted to dance.

"I can't dance but who will judge me... The boss isn't here, come on to the floor," one quipped, clinking his glass of whisky with that of another.

Spread over two-and-a-half floors, Master of Malts' first floor has a dancing and event area, along with a huge screen mounted on the wall.

In terms of food, for starters, I ordered a dry spicy kung pao mushroom dish and munched on it while sipping on Glenfiddich 12 years on the rocks. The crisp and delicious starter, given in good quantity, goes well with the drink.

The name Master of Malts is not just for show here. The bar menu does full justice to it as this place offers single malts, blended scotch whiskies, bourbons, domestic whiskies, vodkas, gins, rum, tequila, brandy, beer and breezers.

I love Glen the most, of which they have the whole range -- from 12 years to 18 years -- followed by Jack Daniels, but you can always try their imported brands like Macallan, Dalwhinnie and Caol Ila, among others.

Non-alcoholics can indulge in their virgin chocolate, Irish smooch, Oreo and peanut butter shake. Not to forget... the nutty chocochip is a must-try.

If you love fish fingers, their Dijon fish finger with tartar sauce is highly recommended. It is not that oily and you do taste the fish -- something many places are unable to master.

Love chicken? Try the jerk Caribbean chicken. It not only looks fancy but melts in the mouth. They are strung on seekhs and are enough for the first round between four people.

The food menu has ample options to choose from -- Lebanese falafal wrap, tacos pepper fry and an interesting sea food fry, but I opted for a jumbo prawns gravy straight from the main course. Interestingly, Master of Malts has a lot to offer to seafood lovers. And I must add that their portions are healthy.

The only negative I found was the dessert options -- too few. The brownie with ice cream and phirni was good, but I was looking for something different as their food menu is otherwise impressive.

FAQs

Timings: 12 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Location: 2nd floor, Scindia House, Atma Ram Mansion, K.G. Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi.

Cost: Rs 1,600 for two people (approximately) with alcohol