QBA

Mar 20, 2008

Inner Circle Jewel

Few things define New Delhi better than CP's Inner Circle. With the gleaming new Central Park, the impossible parking, and one of the few walkable plazas in the capital, a restaurant boasting a superb view of all this action seems like a no-brainer. However, I'm sure many Delhiwallahs would agree that while many places in CP do make an effort, there's really no establishment that offers a killer view of the circle, something that should be any Inner Circle joint's USP.

Q'BA, in my opinion, should change all that. This is a super-sophisticated lounge, built around a quirky Q-shaped bar (hence the name). The crowd is diverse, as with most New Delhi places, and ranges from wide-eyed tourists to harried professionals to smooth-talking diplomats to students with money to burn. It's only fitting, then, that CP's Inner Circle becomes part of the decor, one with the ambience of the place.

There's an alchemical synergy at play here. Get a table on the upper deck, and you get a great insight into the surreal spectacle that is Inner Circle by night. The drinks are all great, I'm sure. The food must also have been good, right? To be honest, I can't remember, because I've been enchanted by the ambience of the place since I walked in. Dim lighting, hushed service, fluid music, subtle digital flashes of light here and there. Down a couple of beers, and it's twice as good! It's pricey, but if you've chosen to come drinking in CP, chances are you can afford it.

So if you want a sophisticated, atmospheric night out in the capital, but don't want to make the journey all the way down to the Qutab area, Q'Ba will not disappoint. Until DV8 is done with renovation, this is probably the swishest lounge in CP.

• Best of burrp!
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