Delhi New: Experiential Dining

European restaurant at Taj Palace, built as a replica of a dining car on the original train, down to the marquetry panels and window blinds. A pianist plays through service and takes requests. The kitchen works in a French register with a caviar and wine list to match. Seating is limited to a few tables.

Community kitchen at the Bangla Sahib gurdwara near Connaught Place, serving free vegetarian meals to anyone who comes, without regard to faith or background. Volunteers cook and serve around the clock, and diners sit in rows on the floor. The kitchen is open to visitors who wish to help roll chapatis.

Punjabi restaurant at The Claridges styled after a highway dhaba, with painted truck panels and enamel plates inside a five-star hotel. It has traded for several decades with the same menu and much of the same staff. Cooking covers tandoori meats, Amritsari kulcha and slow-cooked dal. Seating is intimate despite the theme.