Carl’s Jr.
Select Citywalk, Saket
Telephone: (011) 3310 5346
Meal for two: Rs 700 plus taxes
Keeping the tradition of an India branch being the first place to introduce a veg burger, the Carl’s Jr joint in the back wing of Select Citywalk mall in Saket has added paneer to the list of chargrilled burgers they specialise in. The slice of paneer is grilled and replaces the patty of conventional burgers, finding it tough to not seem out of place and felt more like a palate cleanser with blandness under a nicely grilled crust. Not being used to eating a paneer burger could be the reason I felt this way, but my friend found it quite interesting. For the same price, I opted for a chargrilled chicken fillet with the Mango and Jalapeño Pepper Chicken. The jalapeños added a mild hotness to the burger complemented by the tanginess of raw mango. My skepticism turned to faith when I bit into the burger. The Famous Star , meant for the hungry, and the Super Star Cheese, for the starving, have chargrilled patties made of ground chicken. Besides having two patties instead of the one in Famous Star, Super Star shared the same generous smears of ketchup and mayo on the bun that hold giant onions and tomatoes cut in thick slices. The patty was the best thing we triedall evening.
The home-brewed peach iced tea was a close second just by virtue of not being dissolved Nestle or Lipton iced tea mix. And you get unlimited refills too, which means you don’t have to ration your drink to last the meal or even share it. The unlimited refills include coffee and aerated drinks except for the Kingfisher beer that will be available once their liquor license comes through. With this, there is a high probability of an increase in the demand for batter-fried chicken tenders, legs and wings, all of which are served with a tangy Santa Fe sauce. For vegetarians, there is the Fenugreek: seasoned potato sticks. Carl’s Jr. also offers an optional Wasabi seasoning for fries for that pungent mustard kick withevery bite.
For those with a sweet tooth, Carl’s Jr. has a selection of milkshakes with flavours ranging from a classic Chocolate to the Tiramisu, which has a lovely caramelisedflavour.
Stay away from the Piña Colada though, if you’re not a fan of an overpowering dose of coconut. You won’t be getting any refills on these, though even if you walk down to the counter that is at a convenient distance away from the counter, so that you can rush to and from your seat anywhere on the L-shaped floor, with the kitchen on a higher floor and the counter in the corner. The walls are covered with random designs, lending a warehouse feel to the place. The staid grey furniture is balanced by the bright red sofas that we will definitely return to. Once they get their liquor license.