Of all the Indian restaurants I've ever dined at, I must say I've never been to one like The Delhi Club. The place reminds me of a child's bedroom at night, dimly lit with starry skies on the ceiling. A weird setup for an Indian spot much less any restaurant, but their reputation for being one of the more stellar choices in Chungking Mansion has earned them some serious fanfare.
To access the Delhi Club, head to the elevator for Block C in the lobby of Chungking Mansions. There are almost always lines for the small'ish elevators, but know stairs are also an option. The stairwell is uncomfortable narrow, dank and dodgy, even by Chungking Mansions standards. Reach the third floor and walk over a few boxes and/or buckets, and there lies The Delhi Club.
With only a few tables, the place is not fit for big groups. There is a much darker backroom area where employees seem to dip in and out of, but I'm not sure if that's additional restaurant space. For the few times I've been here, I've yet to deal with any kind of wait. The vibe is remarkably intimate but a little awkward at the same time. There are subtle decor nods to Indian culture, but ultimately unmemorable.
The food is tasty, but I'd be hard pressed to say it's better than anything else in TST or even the Chungking Mansions alone. My butter chicken was almost beet red and tasted nothing like it. The chunks of chicken were lovely, but the spice was definitely lacking. Samosas were a little blander than I would have liked and the onion pakoras weren't exactly fried to perfection (read: sad and limp).
I've fared better with their lamb roganjosh and vindaloo, which were adequately spiced and incredibly filling. When the garlic na'an is eaten fresh, it's the perfect complement to just about any dish, especially the uber creamy saag paneer. I also have good feels about their chicken biriyani, which is fragrant, seasoned well, and an easy sell with the local crowd (印度炒飯 haha!).
While I wouldn't go out of my way to the Delhi Club, I certainly wouldn't say no if in the area. Stick to the things they do well and the experience will be an ideal one. At least at Chungking Mansion anyway. read more