At Tyde, you get spice in the glass & Delhi on the plate

As someone who reviews restaurants as part of her job, I, for one, love spaces that don’t force you into one cuisine or one mood. Spaces that let you curate your own experience; let’s say you arrive thinking you’ll have your same-old margarita, then find yourself ordering a spice-led drink, nalli nihari and eyeing the sushi. And that’s exactly the vibe I was welcomed with at Tyde, The Park New Delhi’s newest culinary baby.

The interiors, designed by Woods Bagot, are where Tyde gets to have a little fun with its references. It’s like the precise geometry of Jantar Mantar meeting the fluidity of water, woven into Indian ritual, memory and architecture. At the centre sits Dar Badar, a brass installation by artist Intiyaz that quietly nods to water access and the anonymity of individuals within larger systems. Around it, Hansika Sharma’s Within the Ocean and Fragments of the Ocean bring embroidery, zari and mirror-work into sea-inspired compositions. The indigo-and-brass palette feels fresh and energetic by day, then turns moodier and cinematic once the lights go down. 

My evening started with a Gin & Jamun paired with a Burrata and Rucola salad, and, after a long day at work, I kinda stopped being hangry. I was also nudged towards the Memsahib Martini, a beautiful stir of gin, lime juice and elderflower that looks as pretty as it tastes. If you’re a spice connoisseur who likes a little drama in your drinks, don’t miss the Caribbean Chai – a rum-based concoction with masala chai reduction, honey and cream, or The Spice Route, a fresh take on a rum cocktail with spiced jaggery and bitters. Coming from a non-rum person, trust me, they’re good.

I moved on to the food, where Mr. Nakul Puranik, Executive Chef at Tyde, suggested the Vegetarian Sampler Platter. I’ll admit, I ordered it largely because I was intrigued by the edamame and goat cheese shammi, and the melt-in-your-mouth little number did not disappoint. I hadn’t planned on pizza that night either, but the Trio of Mushrooms & Tartufo had other plans. I’d suggest asking for a ball of burrata on top and you’ll enter pizza heaven for a while. And while you don’t necessarily expect a multi-cuisine restaurant to nail sushi, Tyde surprised me here too. I tried the Asparagus and Cream Cheese Roll and, well, finished ’em all.

Then it was time to come back to where my heart belongs – some good old North Indian food. From the Delhi 6 section, I went for the Chandni Chowk ke Chhole with ghee-smeared kulcha, the kind that smells so good you temporarily forget how many calories you’ll have to burn at the gym the next day. The chef also sent out their Dal Makhni, one of their specialties, slow-cooked for hours to perfection. I paired it with Kathal ki Biryani, and while I am usually the flag bearer of the “it’s not biryani if it’s veg” camp, this one almost changed my mind.

How could I leave a restaurant with tiramisu on the menu without trying it, even when I was so full I felt my stomach might actually revolt? I’d give it a solid 8.5/10, which, if you take your tiramisu seriously, is a pretty great score.

Go with the family for a hearty dinner, take a date if you’re in the mood for some smashy cocktails, or my favourite, take yourself out. I spotted quite a few solo diners happily enjoying the food, the drinks and their own company, and honestly, that’s a date worth keeping.

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