A brightly lit crescent moon with stars beckon you to enter, and a lift carries you closer to the actual moon and stars. Welcome to the spacious new lounge, favoured by Delhi’s party crowd and discerning foodies. This is RIZQ in Defence Colony we are speaking of, and it is one you shouldn’t miss. Offering a vista view of this green neighbourhood and with a chilled-out vibe unlike other spaces, RIZQ is one to watch for sure. It was started by friends Himanshu, Ravi, and Hitaksh, who describe it as a passion project. Tired of the same old fare in a saturated food and beverage industry, their mission was to provide great quality offerings in the hospitality and nightlife sector to Delhi. RIZQ Bar and Grill represents their vision aptly.
Set over two floors with a speakeasy bar and cigar room, lounge with open space and live grills and fireplace, RIZQ’s classy interiors are studded with French windows, chevron brick walls, elegant details and good vibes. “The place offers the best of contemporary cuisine while maintaining its rustic, vintage vibe, making it a perfect blend of class and chic for patrons. RIZQ prides itself on its tempting Middle Eastern and European Grills, specially crafted cocktails, exclusive shishas especially brought in from the Czech Republic and cigars,” explains Himanshu.
When asked about the USP of the place, Ravi says, “It is very difficult to define the USP as there are numerous attractive points. It is rightly said that we don’t need to do different things to be successful, but we need to do things differently. Our kitchen is helmed by a Turkey based chef who, along with his team of experts, has created a truly iconic menu. We have the only Cigar Lounge in the capital and offer a variety of hand rolled cigars, ranging from Cuban, Nicaraguan to Dominican, displayed in a walk-in humidor. The cherry on top are the private humidor lockers available for you to store your Cigars. In the kitchen at this restaurant, exclusive tastes emerge. Inspired by European, Mediterranean and Turkish flavours, the delicacies on the menu are delightful in their textures and flavours.”
To this Hitaksh adds, “We invite everyone to embark on a memorable savoury experience, where a lot of thought has been put into every element seasoned with love at RIZQ. With expertly crafted menus by experienced chefs from around the globe, every dish here will leave you craving for more. A few highly recommended specials picked out of our extensive offerings are the Gold-Plated Burger, Neapolitan Pizzas and Manakeesh, Gold Coated Lamb Tomahawk Steak, Golden Adana, Meter Kebab, Kafta Arfalie, Lamb Toshka Chicken Pilaf, Kunafa, Tiramisu, among others.”
Having received some very positive feedback, RIZQ is clearly on the threshold of success, The team is also invested in gauging the experiences of all their patrons in order to improve as they grow. “We feel very motivated when we see our guests return. It makes us believe that we are doing something right. We have just started, and we are sure that more love, loyalty, acceptance and guests will embrace RIZQ soon,” the founders exclaim together. RIZQ is open to collaborators and frequently rents the space for classy events and exhibitions. They also often host themed music nights, and festive parties in keeping with the demands of the ongoing season and Delhi’s clientele. Information about upcoming events is usually shared on their Instagram handle which is @rizq.del. When asked about competitors, the team say it is too early to say. Currently, their focus is on carving a niche for themselves and creating a guest database. They are working toward making every day an improvement on the previous one. Having created products that have a number of unique features, they are hopeful of standing apart in this competitive field.
Next on the cards are their weekly Sufi Nights, which will take place every Wednesday with the best Sufi Artists, as well as a few other ideas that will cater to the wider audience.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.