INJA Restaurant — Restaurant in Delhi

Nestled in the heart of The Manor, New Delhi, INJA is a culinary gem that effortlessly complements the flavors of Indian and Japanese cuisine. To start, we sat outside in its gardens while waiting for the bustle inside to calm down. The monsoon heavy smell of champas and wet stone made for an excellent aperitif, and as we finally stepped into the restaurant, I was captivated by its elegant ambiance, adorned with traditional Indian artwork and subtle Japanese accents, setting the stage for a unique dining experience.

To begin the adventure, we ordered the shiso leaf tuna and pomelo chaat which comes with a tamarind ponzu. The chef asked us to place the shiso leaf in our hand while they loaded it with the ‘chaat’ and topped it with jakhiya seeds. “Have it all in one bite,” he said. A familiar instruction for those with a profound affinity for Indian street food, and yet I can't say that I was prepared or knew what to expect next. A mouthful of this dish is enough to quite literally silence the mind and awaken the senses.

Thereafter, each piece was a defined work of art, meticulously crafted with precision and creativity. A teetotaler now, I asked for the Aam Pora next, the sober and delightfully distinct sister of the quintessential Bloody Mary, the drink makes for an excellent meal companion, delivering perfectly the freshness it promised on the indigo menu. The standouts, although, were the tempura fermented mango achar — which reinvents how we experience both, shrimp tempura and mango achar—the Alaskan king crab raj kachori with avocado espuma, mango and furikake chutney and togarashi, and surprisingly, the koji chicken wings which come with tamarind and jaggery teriyaki and smoked kashmiri chili, and make the meat slide off its bones in one swift swish of the fork.

Fusion for fusion’s sake is not what’s at play here at INJA, the expertly crafted dishes seamlessly blend the bold and vibrant spices of India with the delicate precision of Japanese cuisine and craftsmanship, resulting in a sophisticated partnership of flavors that aim to delight the senses. Care has even been taken to sample a wide variety of sub-cuisines from these vast regions. For example, the zaru udon khasi curry, and the vizag shrimps yuzu kosho strike a harmonious balance between prominent Indian delicacies and the subtle umami notes of Japanese cuisine and culture, leaving us wanting more.

INJA does not disappoint - even the staff and service are warm, welcoming, and committed to help you enjoy their vision. The knowledgeable and cheeky chef Adwait Anantwar (from Dubai’s Mohalla), and his attentive staff guided us through the intricacies of the menu, explaining the concept and conception of each dish that was plated, making the entire experience more engaging and immersive. You do not have to be an epicure when you enter because you will surely leave as one under their care.

INJA defies convention, and yet gives a nod to tradition. The chefs at this remarkable establishment have masterfully blended flavors and textures and pushed the boundaries of imagination — the dishes are not meant to imitate either Indian or Japanese mainstream food; they are meant to make you feel a sense of familiarity, and amaze you with a taste of innovation.

INJA, and those who have worked relentlessly to bring it to life have shown us what hospitality is...

If you’re thinking about going here, wear pants, but have your legs take you somewhere else

I saw this place on Big Forkers YouTube channel and was excited to try a Japanese Indian inspired fusion restaurant. Being Indian and growing up with a father who was a classically trained chef at the Taj Hotel and growing up in San Francisco, California, I’ve also had the opportunity to eat great Japanese cuisine so mixing both worlds was a concept that was intriguing to say the least. Sadly as -my girlfriend and I arrived to Injra, we were greeted at the front with a surprise dress code that we had not seen or heard of until the so-called manager mentioned a no shorts policy. I was surprised and caught off guard by such a rule. I explained to him that we weren’t aware and that we were both visiting and really excited to try their food. The manager continued to direct us away from the restaurant telling us we wouldn’t be able to dine there. I even asked if they had pants for me to wear as they do at white table cloth dining locations with a dress code policy. My girlfriend and I were extremely confused considering there were only 3 guests seated in the entire restaurant, it was practically empty.

I lost my cool and told him that it’s a 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity and I’m not accustomed to the weather and I’m hot in my shorts so why would I wear pants. So after some back and forth and my girlfriend’s cool collective energy trying to de-escalate the situation, he found the kindness in his heart to escort us in the heat with the misquotes outside in front of the next door restaurant and mentioned we could order from there.

We were skeptical but since we had made such a long trek to get there, we decided to stay. We were given a food menu from Inja and a drink menu from Camillo’s, the pizza place next door we sat outside of, which we thought was really strange. Afterwards, we were greeted from one of their waitress who was wearing a skirt which was above her knees, which we also found to be very odd and hypocritical.

We only ordered 4 things, and the mood had been spoiled by mister manager. By the third plate, we were happy we only got 4 items, since the portions were quite small but more so, we weren’t impressed or satisfied by the food. It definitely was not worth the cost, the wings was the only item we both enjoyed.

We found the experience extremely classist, egregious, and unnecessary. We both have been to fine dining restaurants and Japanese establishments and have never been rejected due to a dress code.

I’ve spent summers in Delhi before and have always been greeted with pleasant customer service. Though, the food concept may be modern here, but their service is stuck pushing India’s...

Caption:

After what felt like an endless wait, I finally made it to Inja at The Manor, Delhi — the much-talked-about marriage of Indian and Japanese cuisines.

It all began with the drinks. I played safe with a berry mocktail, while my husband, braver than I, ordered the Picante. As it turned out, courage was rewarded: his drink was bright, punchy, and downright addictive. Mine? Pretty enough but a little flat on the palate. Not for long though — our server, sensing the disappointment, swiftly got it tweaked. And voila, the drink finally danced on the tongue the way it promised to.

First on the table: Inja’s take on Banarasi Chaat. It had all the right elements — the theatre, the drama, the expected razzle-dazzle. And yet, somewhere between the spherifications and the smoked curds, the soul of the chaat seemed a little lost. Not bad by any means — I’d give it a respectable 7/10 — but it didn’t quite sing.

Next up: the Inja Wings. These were, without question, smashing — perfectly juicy, gloriously tender, with that rare, beautiful balance between sweet and spicy. Every bite was a small fireworks display of flavours: a little heat, a little glaze, a lot of satisfaction. Spectacular is the word. A solid 9/10.

Then came their spin on a classic: Palak Paneer. A clever idea — crunchy spinach piled atop curry-flavoured, nicely tossed paneer, finished with a shower of sweet potato shreds. The textures were spot on. But taste? Not quite the triumph I had hoped for. Perhaps the paneer pieces could have been smaller, the sauce a little bolder. A 7/10 again — good, but not great.

By now, full but not defeated, we decided to end with a hearty, big-plate meal. The Udon noodles in a black sesame curry caught our fancy — a nod to the Khasi hills where black sesame is king. The crispy zucchini and carrots added a welcome crunch, but, much like a song you want to love but can’t hum after, the flavours didn’t linger. Interesting, yes. Memorable, not quite. Another 7/10.

All in all, a meal full of ideas, ambition, and flashes of brilliance. Would I return? For those wings, in a heartbeat.

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