Chennai: Rajdhani thalis are usually known for tummy-filling dishes. Earlier also, we have written reviews about Khandani Rajdhani food. So, what is so special about this time, is what you ask. Yes, it’s the year-end and do we need any more reasons to enjoy the winter special delicacies?
The Khandani Rajdhani outlet in Chennai has now introduced the finest winter delicacies in their thali. If you are the one to explore vegetarian dishes by ditching the usual ones, and also someone who can never say ‘no’ to more food, then this where you have to head to.
AMBIANCE IS ALL
We went there and the chefs who dressed up in traditional angarkha and pagga (Rajasthani dresses) served us welcome drinks. The reason we always like visiting here is entering this restaurant will set in the festive mood, automatically. Right from the enthusiastic chit chats of the food-lovers to the warm smiles of the chefs to the back-to-back arraying of dishes, everything welcomes us.
DAL BAAJE
The very first dish, moong dal chilla, a crispy, vada-like fry, using the mash of moong dal, hit our taste buds and made us sit up to taste the next dish. Then started the array of dal baati churma and tomato pattice – the specials for the day. Gulping them, we turned next to their own dishes – phulka, masala puri, vegetable stuffed paratha and jowari rotla – each combined with sides – paneer butter masala, achaari barwaan aloo, moong 
masala and surti undhiyu. Apart from this, for dal lovers, they also present three dals – surti, tadka dal and kanda kadhi.
PLATE TWISTERS
Parallel to this comes the winter special delicacies gajar ka halwa, a sweet made with grated carrots, adadiya pak, mongri peru and surti undhiyu – all of them are must-try.
For the mains, they have tawa pulao, mogar dal kichdi, steamed rice. Among this, special mention must be made of mogar dal kichdi which was perfect, dominated by ghee, and we loved it. For the steamed rice, apart from serving Basmati rice, we tried it with the all-time best combo – dal and ghee. Curd lovers can also try anardhana curd rice. We did not try this, as we wanted to leave a huge space for dessert. .
NEVER, REPEAT, NEVER MISS DESSERT
You can first try the khajoor barfi and then Rajasthan’s all-time special, kesari rose jalebi with rabdi. Trust us, you cannot stop with just two. It was so crispy and we can still remember the sweet oozing out of our mouth. Another must-mention is shahi tudka with rabdi. Though we were already full, we had to taste it. But we couldnĀt help but lap it up fully.
Venue: Khandani Rajdhani, Phoenix Mall, Velacheri
Total thali price: Rs 500 plus taxes applicable.