Where: B.K. Dutt Market, Rajouri Garden

Cuisine: North Indian, Continental, Fusion

Cost: 2000 for two (with alcohol)

The culinary scene in West Delhi is expanding and how! The latest addition and an impressive one at that, is Lights Camera Action that brings to you an unusual and one of a kind food experience- with full on Bollywood drama. Opened just 3 weeks ago, the place has gained popularity because of the innovative food and cocktails- this was evident by seeing the restaurant packed even in a hot weekday afternoon. Molecular gastronomy being the USP of the place, I was looking forward to the surprises. There's both lounge as well as terrace seating, very colourful and vibrant, with Bollywood and Hollywood decor elements. I chose to sit inside because of the weather and was quite comfortable, the  quirky wall art and colourful Bollywood themed cushions made for a pretty and dramatic setting.

The Benarsi Lassi Spheres, served complimentary to every guest, gave us a glimpse of what madness lied ahead. Imagine Kesar Pista flavoured Lassi disguised as small, wiggly bombs that explode as soon as they land in your mouth, leaving you pleasantly surprised and amused. I could've popped like, 10 of them- yes, they were THAT fun. But, but, I was saving my appetite for what was to come. Peri Peri flavoured Popcorn (what's a movie without popcorn, right?) are also served complimentary at each table.

Next up, Chamak Chalo salad (yes, names of most of the dishes at LCA have a filmy reference) was a leafy affair of orange and lettuce with zesty dressings. I'm not really a salad person but enjoyed this one a lot! It is simple and the flavours really gel with each other. Nachos Corn Chaat was pretty basic, even though it tasted nice, it lacked any sort of innovation. It is however, a good enough dish if you don't feel like experimenting and having some good ol' nachos dressed in a mix of corn and in-house mayonnaise.

Rajnikant's Early Morning Tea is a breath of fresh air- with a mild scent of coconut, ofcourse- when you feel like drinking something hot. Tempered curry leaves are topped with a spoonful of powdered coconut oil. Piping hot Rasam is then poured from a charming kettle into the glass, melting the powder back into coconut oil. Give it a nice stir and sip on this hot, but refreshing tangy drink. If you're a mocktail person like me, you can try the Watermelon Cooler and Fresh Fruit Mojito,  both of which were made from fresh summer fruits and mint.

I was very keen on trying the fusion-chaats at LCA and went for the one that sounded the most interesting- Hollywood Nitrogen Papdi Dhokla Chaat. This was when things got really intense- the chef came out carrying a big box of ingredients and prepared the chaat in front of us- and I'm glad he did because it was really worth watching! The curd is first frozen at 176 degrees using liquid nitrogen. The frozen curd crumbs meet frozen dhoklas, fried spinach leaves, papri, dhokla, boiled potatoes- all of which is poured over with Dhokla water. Then comes a generous squeeze of curd, mint-coriander chutney and tamarind sauce. Garnished with typical sev and pomegranate, the mighty chaat is all yours to dig in. Quite a show it was. The dish was full of delightful surprises, with so many components, every spoonful of it tasted different. 

Next up, Vegetarian Murgh Tikka were soya tikkas cooked in the tandoor perfectly and served with the traditional mint chutney. However, I do wish there was a richer and tastier marination on the delightfully done skin of the tikkas. 

One thing I love even more than pizza are variations of pizza! LCA serves crispy Naanza, that is, pizza toppings on a thin Indian flatbread, making the pizza a much lighter snack. The toppings are generous- lots of cheese and the very best of veggies. Definitely a must have! Another must-have includes Katchche Raaste- a rabri Tres leches cake, which was hands down, the highlight of my afternoon (or maybe even week). The soft layered cream sponge cake came sitting on a bed of rich, sinful rabri- I wish it never ended. The cake is a little heavy so PRO-TIP: you should share it. The pistachio crumbs made for the perfect garnish. I was in dessert-heaven.