Karan Puri 15 Jul, 2026
An Eight-Course Evening at QLA, Mehrauli, New Delhi
Some restaurants build
their reputation over time, while others establish themselves from the moment
they open.
QLA in Mehrauli belongs to
the second category.
Nestled at Seven Style
Mile, in the long shadow of the Qutub Minar, the restaurant occupies a
sprawling heritage villa whose wraparound courtyard has, over the past decade,
become one of the capital's most quietly coveted dining addresses.
The moment a guest steps through, the city and its noise recede with an almost conspiratorial ease.
The interiors carry an
unhurried confidence.
Modern lines sit beside the
warmth of old stone, while the low amber lighting gives each table a sense of
privacy. The outdoor courtyard is the real draw, where the lit-up Qutub rises
above the trees and offers a side of Delhi the city rarely presents this
beautifully.
On an evening spent at QLA,
the setting does a great deal of the work before the first plate arrives.
QLA was founded by Ranjan
Chopra and Shharyu Chopra, whose combined strengths in strategic vision and
creative direction have shaped the brand into something that holds together
across every surface.
Ranjan Chopra, entrepreneur
and founder of Team Computers, is also a saxophonist of genuine accomplishment,
and his hospitality instincts carry the sensibility of someone who understands
performance in its broadest sense.
Shharyu Chopra drives the
aesthetic and experiential architecture of the space, ensuring that QLA remains
a destination for those who regard dining as a total experience.
The eight-course meal
presented on this visit was curated by Chef Dipender Tiwari, who brings to
QLA's kitchen a portfolio shaped by a genuine range. Having worked at the Olive
Bar and Kitchen, on cruise ships spanning multiple cuisines, and at the Park Hyatt
in Hyderabad, Tiwari arrives at Mehrauli with a palate sharpened against very
different culinary traditions.
The menu he has assembled
reflects that breadth without announcing it at every turn.
Global ingredients surface
with fluency, integrated into a tasting structure that moves with internal
logic from the first amuse-bouche through to the final dessert.
"The idea with this menu was to let each ingredient speak its own language and trust the guest to follow. When you have salmon from the Atlantic, sole from the river, and produce from across three continents on the same table, the job of the kitchen is to make the whole conversation feel natural." ~Chef Dipender Tiwari, QLA.
The meal begins with two
small dishes that set the tone. A Parmesan cracker with sesame provides
balanced salt and crunch, while a red pepper skin filled with ricotta and
pomegranate molasses offers gentle sweetness and acidity. Both are precise and
restrained, signaling a focus on balance throughout the evening.
The Atlantic salmon
carpaccio highlights Chef Dipender Tiwari's confident, ingredient-focused
approach. Ponzu and grapefruit provide freshness, horseradish aioli adds gentle
heat, and furikake and shichimi complement the lightly cured, balanced salmon.
This dish showcases the kitchen's capabilities.
The burnt cauliflower
mousse takes a vegetable of modest reputation and renders it into something
altogether more interesting. Slowly charred and then worked into a mousse of
considerable finesse, the cauliflower arrives alongside morel mushroom, green pea,
and a truffle puree blanc that lifts the entire plate into a different
register. A sourdough cracker provides the textural counterpoint. It is a
course that demonstrates what can be achieved when a kitchen treats its
vegetarian options with the same ambition it brings to fish and meat.
The silken tofu carpaccio,
served with a green apple-ginger sauce, sits with such precision in its
seasoning that it comfortably joins the seafood courses that follow. The tofu
carries a delicacy that rewards attention, and the apple-ginger sauce offers acidity
and warmth in careful proportion. It feels like a dish that belongs in the
meal, not one added to fill a space.
The steamed river sole is
one of those dishes that wins you over quietly. Wrapped in a banana leaf with
Thai chili and US lemon, the fish reaches the table delicate, soft, and full of
quiet flavor that asks you to slow down and enjoy it properly. The sunchoke-lemon
sauce adds an earthy depth that supports the sole rather than stealing focus,
while the Indonesian sambal adds gentle bursts of heat as you go. Charred
broccoli ribs lend a touch of smoke that runs through the plate without
overpowering anything. It is confident, precise cooking, and easily one of the
best dishes of the evening.
The harissa-grilled prawns come together with a sense of careful thought. A smoked green chili, stuffed with mustard goat’s curd, adds a creamy tang that balances the heat of the harissa and lifts the dish beyond just the prawns. The smoked paprika beurre blanc brings it all together with a richness that feels just right. The natural sweetness of the prawns holds its ground against the spice throughout, and the dish closes cleanly.
The thyme chicken is the
most quietly assured course of the evening, and it stays with you long after
the meal is over. Marinated in Greek yogurt and red wine vinegar, then seasoned
with thyme and roasted garlic, the bird arrives tender, juicy, and full of
care. A kaffir cashew crumb adds a gentle crunch without overpowering the
flavor, while the garlic toum brings a clean, creamy punch that ties the whole
plate together. There is nothing decorative about this course. Every element is
present for a reason, and the result is a plate of genuine accomplishment.
The desserts close the meal
with the same balance that runs through the evening from the first course
onward. A 70% dark chocolate ganache, gluten-free and lactose-free, made
without added sugar, is paired with coconut and raspberry sorbet. The sharp fruit
acidity cuts neatly through the richness of the chocolate. It feels indulgent,
yet thoughtfully made.
The second dessert feels
completely different. A kaffir-infused crème with orange white wine jelly and
kaffir ice cream, it is bright, fragrant, and light. After the rich chocolate
dessert, this one feels fresh and perfectly timed.
QLA, across all its
evolution and expansion, is a place that rewards those who arrive with appetite
and time. The eight-course meal curated by Chef Dipender Tiwari reaches a level
of coherence and ambition that places it among the most compelling tables in
the Capital.
The Qutub Minar above, the
courtyard below, and eight courses of genuine craft in between, Delhi dining
has few evenings that assemble themselves this purposefully.
Reservations are strongly
recommended. The courtyard tables fill up before the weekend, so it is best to
book early. The wine list is well chosen, and a quick chat with the
front-of-house can help you find a great pairing.
For a restaurant that began
as a singular destination and has since grown into the centerpiece of a
diversified hospitality vision, QLA continues to earn its reputation one plate
at a time.
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