Wazwan is a multi-course celebratory meal from Kashmir. It is sheer decadence. Wazwaan food festival at Chor Bizzare is like a regal culinary journey through Kashmir.

While the whole of India is flocking to Kashmir to experience snowfall, this time Kashmir comes to Delhi via Bikaner Rajasthan. Chor Bizzare celebrates Wazwan cuisine at their restaurant located inside Bikaner House which is a hub for cultural events and exhibitions in Delhi now.

The decor is quirky with lots of oxidised silver ornaments used on tables. In fact, the table next to us was a bed repurposed as a table. Another table was made of sewing machines of the bygone era. There are vintage radios, paintings, goglets, and warrior armor masks used as decor. The original Chor Bizarre was located near Chor Bazaar in Daryaganj, Old Delhi. The new location is definitely posher but the ethos is still the same – great hospitality and authentic Indian cuisine.

Wazwaan Food Festival

They have a special Wazwan festival menu on right now. For starters, we tried Seekh Kebab Kanthi – a lamb-based kabab preparation fragrant with Kashmiri spices. Contrary to popular belief they had a lot of options for vegetarians too. For the vegetarian with us, we had Nadru Akrot ki tikki which was made of lotus stem and walnut. These were served with pickled onion salad, green chutney, and walnut relish. Absolutely yummy. We gulped these down with a few cocktails/mocktails from their drinks menu – Spiced Aperol spritzer (highly recommended), Apple drop, Berry Smash and Kashmiri Kahwa.

For the main course, we had Paalak Rista, Waza Kokur, Haaq Chaaman (vegetarian preparation of cottage cheese in spinach), Nadru Paalak, and Bhindi Yakhni. These were served with fragrant Kashmiri Pulao. It was like Kashmir on a platter. Winter sun rays falling on our table from the window, highlighting this delicious food, made it look heavenly. All the dishes were subtle in taste. Big thanks to the chef for not tampering with the food with overpowering mirchi-masala which is a norm in North Indian restaurants. Paalak Rista was our favourite of these dishes.

We also ordered some dishes from their regular menu. Butter chicken, Mirchi garlic naan, and Palak Patta chaat were lip-smacking and delicious. We recommend this for folks who stick to their Delhi favourites and don’t want to try anything offbeat.

For desserts we tried Kashmiri Shoofta – Dry fruits cooked in cardamom-flavored syrup. We are drooling thinking of it right now. We also had Phirni, Malpua with Rabdi, and Stuffed Gulab Jamun. Gulab Jamun was 10 on 10.

The staff was knowledgeable about the dishes and prompt in service. We loved the warmth of Chor Bizzare. This is something that would definitely make us come here again.

The Wazwaan Festival is on from 20 Jan to 5 Feb 2023. Bikaner House has a lot of events happening right now. Post meal you can check out the performances in the amphitheater, ongoing exhibitions, and craft stores. You can get details on our upcoming events on the Delhi NCR page.

How to reach Bikaner House – Bikaner House is centrally located near India Gate. Hence one has many options for reaching here. The nearest metro station is Khan Market which is about 1 km away. Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan metro stations are not far too. However, you might have to take some transport for about the last 2 km.

Parking at Chor Bizzare – If you use your own vehicle, self-parking is available at Bikaner House, though most of the space is already occupied by government vehicles. Off late we have started parking outside Bikaner House or in the narrow lane across the road.

Nearby Attractions: India Gate, the National Gallery Of Modern Art, and the National Museum are in the vicinity.