Okay, I’ve mentioned Habitat World earlier (in the Chaat entry) and I’m doing it again, because this place is really very good--affordable, good food, smart interiors, and very helpful staff. So here we go again--the All-American Diner. It stands very much in the centre of the India Habitat Centre, with large glass panes on three sides, looking out across the complex. You enter through a neon-lit door, into a happy-looking (well, that is really the only adjective appropriate enough!) restaurant. The floors are black-and-white tile, the bar stools and chairs are red leather, the tables and bar counter chrome-edged. The coffee machine’s smart, the waiters smiling, the jukebox a genuine, and the walls covered with ‘50s American posters--my favourite’s a cute one advertising a garage: "The best place to take a leak!" Like the diner it is, this one too serves all-day breakfasts: 3-egg omelettes, waffles with sausage, eggs and maple syrup; pancakes, eggs, and bacon--the works. Besides that, there are a range of main course dishes: pasta, sandwiches, chicken and fish steaks, stuff like that. A bar churns out a decent range of Indian and some imported liquor, and for the teetotallers, there are malts, juices, shakes, smoothies, and coffees. Good ice creams, cheesecake, and pies for afters.
My recommendations? Try the Jack Daniels Salmon Steak--a hefty piece of whiskey-sodden grilled salmon, topped with a large knob of slowly-melting herb butter, and served with a gorgeously garlicky potato mash, sautéed vegetables, and garlic bread. Splendid!
Average cost per person, for a smoothie, a main course, and a dessert should be about Rs 500. A great place to go, especially if you’re American and feeling a wee bit homesick.