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The same old joy
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Rahul Verma rediscovers Berco’s and with it some pleasant times
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When life was in black and white, there were only a few places in Delhi where we could go for a Chinese meal. We had Aka Saka and Chungwa in Defence Colony, Fujiya on Malcha Marg and Ginza at Connaught Place. A few restaurants came and went – b
ut a lot of excitement was caused by a new kid on the block. Called Berco’s, it was located in Connaught Place, too.
We went there quite often, and I got somewhat addicted to their shredded lamb in a hot garlic sauce. Since then, of course, a lot has happened. Life is now in techno-colour. Restaurants – offering different kinds of cuisine – have mushroomed in all parts of the city. Berco’s has new outlets, too– but now that we are spoiled for choice, I haven’t really gone back to the restaurant that I once haunted.
Home deliveries
In these years, another development has started to guide our gastronomic directions. Home delivery once meant the local grocer would send his boy over with your daily purchase of eggs, bread and milk. But now it means that you can sit at home and channel surf while a restaurant delivers anything that you want to eat – from pizzas and calzones to a chicken Peking delight or an Afghani chicken. But East Delhi is a bit of an orphan when it comes to home deliveries.
There are only a few local Chinese restaurants that deliver. Still, they are quite convenient, and don’t do a bad job of a Chinese chopsuey or a light chicken with mushroom and bamboo shoot. One such place was the Shanghai Express in Preet Vihar. We would call up every now and then, and place our order. I called them up the other evening when I felt like having some Chinese food. And I was immensely surprised when the voice at the other end identified the restaurant as Berco’s. “Not Shanghai Express,” I asked, thinking that I had dialled a wrong number. “No, sir, this is now Berco’s,” I was told. I was happy, for we have had some pleasant times at Berco’s.
The good news was that the new outlet in the A Block Market of Preet Vihar did home deliveries, too. We asked for a plate of hakka noodles (Rs.80), a crispy lamb (Rs.160) and a Hong Kong chicken with lots of vegetables (Rs.160). The food was delivered in a jiffy, all nicely packed and smelling heavenly.
The food was good. The lamb was crisp, and not overly sweet or hot, as crispy lamb can sometimes be. The chicken was soft, and the veggies – baby corn, spring onion, bamboo shoot and mushroom – were suitably crunchy.
I didn’t have their menu card when I placed my order. But the bill of fare is indeed interesting. Berco’s has barbecued spare ribs and double fried pork (Rs.140), fish in oyster sauce (Rs.190), prawns in pepper sauce (Rs.375), crispy spinach and potatoes and lotus stem honey chilli (both Rs.110) and holy basil chicken (Rs.160).
I hope Shanghai Express is doing well somewhere, but I am happy to usher Berco’s back into my life. It was like meeting an old friend after ages – and finding that the friend hasn’t changed much.
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