Delhi’s food scene is diverse, and it grows by the second. And in the midst of this boom is NicoCaara, the result of a collaboration between Nicobar (clothing brand) and CAARA (cafe), which is doing seasonal produce like no other. Seems like too hard a sell? Well, it isn’t. The folks at this eatery know exactly what they’re doing and you’d feel the same too, from the moment you step into it.
With handi planters hanging from the ceiling, hand-painted tiles, a huge open kitchen and trademark hints of both, Nicobar and CAARA — NicoCaara greets you to take a refreshing break from the daily run and enjoy a gratifying meal. Situated at The Chanakya Mall, the cafe, offers a tapas-style menu, small sharing plates, consisting bursting tropical flavours from countries that skirt the Indian Ocean. Made with local produce, the freshness of the food here — something that the ‘integrated eatery’ prides itself over — is one of the things that consistently stands out throughout your meal. The cafe is conscious of its sourcing, and through its menu, celebrate the local Indian produce and suppliers (only a few things here are imported, things that are found best in a specific region of the world).
Another impressive thing about the cafe is how it only deals with seasonal produce resulting in its ever-evolving menu focusing on what is grown fresh as well as chemical-free. We tried a bunch of the offerings at the cafe. And these three stood out the most — Garden Greens, Pear and Mint Salad (flavoured with fennel, pomegranate, goat cheese, spiced honey and rice vinaigrette), Sri Lankan Crab Cake (accompanied with a Kale and Potato Gallet, Tomato and Coconut Gravy, and a Gunpowder Cheese Straw), and Chicken and Shitake Orange Glaze Meatballs (comes with an Orange and Millet salad). To give your meal a sweet ending, Orange and Almond Cake, is a must-try dessert. It not only is amazingly soft but also tastes heavenly with the zesty mascarpone and lemon drizzle.
{{/usCountry}}Another impressive thing about the cafe is how it only deals with seasonal produce resulting in its ever-evolving menu focusing on what is grown fresh as well as chemical-free. We tried a bunch of the offerings at the cafe. And these three stood out the most — Garden Greens, Pear and Mint Salad (flavoured with fennel, pomegranate, goat cheese, spiced honey and rice vinaigrette), Sri Lankan Crab Cake (accompanied with a Kale and Potato Gallet, Tomato and Coconut Gravy, and a Gunpowder Cheese Straw), and Chicken and Shitake Orange Glaze Meatballs (comes with an Orange and Millet salad). To give your meal a sweet ending, Orange and Almond Cake, is a must-try dessert. It not only is amazingly soft but also tastes heavenly with the zesty mascarpone and lemon drizzle.
{{/usCountry}}The cafe is yet to get a liquor license, and for now you can enjoy the vast variety of coffees, teas, cold-pressed juices and wellness shots on offer. Nicobar Elixia that combines the flavours of pineapple, mango, orange, banana, coconut water and chia seeds is highly recommended.
In short, you should bookmark NicoCaara for your next outing, and we won’t be surprised if you become a regular. What they are doing is different, and you are always in for a treat when you are dining here. A bonus is that the cafe is attached to the Nicobar store, and often doubles up in a space for demos, talks, and classes (which, of course, comes with delicious food).
Interact with the author at twitter.com/Darkequinox24