As is typical of teenagers growing up in the ninety’s in India they didn’t have an option but to go for engineering courses. And after becoming successful IT Professionals four college friends decided to join hands do something on their own. They didn’t have to look far for an idea for their maiden entrepreneurial venture – their common passion for Food decided that. “None of us are from the Food and Beverages background but when we decided to do something on our own, we knew it has to be something related to food as we love eating out and wanted to make a difference, says Kapil Saxena, one of the proud co-founders of Paprika Park – The Imperial & The Majestic.

Little over a year ago they came up with Paprika Park, The Majestic – the first and only park themed restaurant in NCR. The fine dining restaurant is conveniently located in the sprawling Indirapuram Habitat Centre Complex. For the last one year it has been serving some of the most sumptuous Indian, Mughlai and Chinese cuisines.

Apart from having a relaxing and beautiful decor, the theme of the restaurant has a philosophical undertone – “India is the spiritual guru of the world”. To bring that to life 7 different sections have been created to depict seven different countries of the world. This concept along with the meditational music and the sound of birds chirping makes the patrons feel absolutely relaxed while enjoying the best gastronomic experience.

Now time to talk about the most significant aspect of a restaurant – food. To start with there is a wide variety of vegetarian and Non-veg sizzlers. Apart from the theme, this has been the USP of the restaurant over the last one year.

 “That aroma of the burning coal and butter, while dishes get served at their tables have proved to be the most intriguing factor for our customers, and we have gathered accolades from our customers of all age groups for this,” Kapil adds.

A sizzling brownie dessert called the Hot Spot has also turned out to be a big hit across all age groups. The live on-table tadka of Tur daal and Peshawari Raan are other two things patrons have showered praise on.

Encouraged by the response the friends decided it was time to raise the bar. After winning the hearts of Indirapuram, Noida and nearby residents, they decided to go niche with The Imperial – a buffet restaurant and a banquet hall. The Imperial’s mouth-watering six-course buffet along with its imperial décor, are already a big hit with both families and corporates alike.

With emphasis on best in class service, and a constant endeavor to re-invent itself, the Paprika Park restaurants have certainly emerged as one of the most sought after eating joints in NCR. 

I have known Sujith Reddy for almost a decade now. A close family friend, he was CFO of an IT company till a few years back, when he quit his job to follow his entrepreneurial dream. Two things stand out about Sujith – his knowledge about all things Tech and his passion for food. 

Of food and friends

Dinner at his house is always an event in itself; something to always look forward to for he is a hands-on cook who dishes out the most amazing dishes and desserts. I have been witness to his love for food and the pains he takes to make sure to get genuine ingredients and the appropriate equipment (utensils), which always make it an awesome experience to enjoy his hospitality.

So if its biryani that he is serving, he would source the Handi and the spices from Old Delhi, and if it is a Thai themed dinner, he would go all the way to INA market or even to the other end of the town-Gurgaon  to get the kaffir limes, galangal and lemongrass etc. The result would be a Thai Red Curry with the most authentic taste and we his friends getting to taste the real Thai food without having to make that trip to Bangkok. 

Also Read: My love affair with that little ball of fire and ice

So we were thrilled when he invited us to dinner last evening but a tad disappointed when told that the venue was not his home. He would be taking us out to a restaurant. Which one, we asked? It’s a surprise, he said and asked us to reach Sector 50, Noida. Imagine our surprise when he took us to Kalpak, a yet to be opened restaurant, and we came to know that it is a place which he himself is setting up.

Kalpak restaurant serving a perfect blend of Indian and Oriental cuisine

The scene at Kalpak was something like this – A balmy September evening, pleasant breeze blowing at the second floor terrace, warm lighting, well laid out canopied tables amid big size lush green palms.  And topping it all – a virtual cornucopia of good food.

The starter drink – lemonade but it’s not your usual lime soda; it has a kala khatta flavour that adds to the refreshing quotient of the drink.

We were served some very innovative kababs – I especially liked the Ganderi kabab, served on a sugarcane stick and the Money balls, which is basically vegetables & nuts wrapped in the thinnest and crunchiest crust, fried to perfection, a definite yay. While red and green chutney is the standard accompaniment for snacks across restaurants, what caught my eye was the fresh beetroot chutney along with the usual suspects.  The taste was a thumbs-up too. The stuffed mushroom tikka was also an unusual dish, what with the yummy nuts filling inside. 

Biryani in the main course was one of the best I’ve had in years. And it is also served in the typical earthern Handi in which it is cooked, with the dough sealing the mouth of the handi and all. If it is Sujith’s venture, I can vouch that the taste is going to be authentic. And last but not the least, the steamed pomfret is definitely to die for, soft and flavourful in each and every bite.

A fitting end to the meal was a Paan, no not the traditional one, but all the flavors of Paan combined into a single Shot – A Paan shot! Interesting, isn’t it?

Winter is on its way. Now I know where I will go to enjoy delicious food basking in the warmth of the winter sun….I’m going to head to Kalpak.