one8 Commune, Punjabi Bagh — Restaurant in Delhi

The cricketer who just became the first batsmen to score 20,000 international runs in 10 years has done it again in the F&B scene too, i.e., give Delhi a cool, fun space to dine at. What started with Nueva is being taken forward by One8 Commune, Virat Kohli’s resto-bar in Delhi. With the most buzzing address for dining out in the city currently, Aerocity, One8 Commune opened doors this month, and has Ankit Tayal, who also co-owns party favourites Summerhouse, Mango Kitchen & Bar, Auro, and soon to be re-launched Bohca, as one of the owners. Inclusivity at its core, the name alludes to bringing together people of different ‘tastes, interests, and backgrounds’ at one space. For a breezy lunch I stuck to gin & tonic twists. While the flavours of course mingle well together, it’s good to sip cocktails where each one stands out separately too. Starting some sushi, the Reverse Swing stands true to its name. Prawn tempura with a hint of lime chilli (think nimbu achaar), and puffed rice, it’s a burst of flavours in the mouth, unexpected, yet satisfying and keeps you going for more. The Kasundi Malai Tikka wasn’t made in mustard as we’d thought, instead chicken tikka with mustard on the side. However, the perfectly spiced and succulent tikkas — no overwhelming malai that douses all other flavours here — won over regardless. The Keema Puff had one of the nicest minced mutton fillings, though had the puff been cooked more, it would’ve joined the hall of fame.

One8 Commune review Image: Courtesy Nikhil Kalra, Pranav Kalra The Pub Fish & Crisp was a welcome surprise, with not just fries, but also wafers and banana chips on the side. The fish was fresh and done well, the centre remaining soft and the bater coating a golden crispy. The Indian-isation was also in the masalas sprinkled on top of the fried fish, and not a bad twist at all. The Goan Chorizo Sliders are a must-try for pork lovers. Smoked and spiced to perfection, the chorizo is done nicely, and the addition of all-time favourites, buns, cheese, and lettuce only adds to making it appetising.

One8 Commune review Image: Courtesy One8 Commune The menu corresponds to the ethos laid out by the team, that is, dishes from across the world take from different culinary cultures. And thankfully this has been done in a manner that doesn’t make you raise an eyebrow, rather, you go through the dish seamlessly, without even realising the fusion part of it. If getting together and endless conversations is on your mind, then the cocktails and comforting flavours at One8 Commune will do you good.

Where: 8, Worldmark 2, IGI Airport, Aerocity

Opening hours: 11 am to 12 am, all days

Recommended dishes: Kasundi Malai Tikka

Price: Rs 2,500 for two, taxes extra

Noise levels: Quieter in the day to louder in the evening

Service: Helpful, but could be more attentive

Megha Uppal An innate love for travel and food has translated into many a trips since childhood for Megha; it also fed her curiosity to know about local cultures. When not writing, she is on the lookout for three things: A great dark chocolate dessert, a beautiful pool where she can practice her backstroke, and art that she can save up for.

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I visited One8 Commune a while back (had reservation through Dineout) with my family (mom, dad, wife, sister and brother) . I would suggest the investors/directors/owners of the restaurant to sack your staff - "Mr Mayank kandpl" sitting right at the entrance. I went there with my younger brother whose birthday we were planning to celebrate in your restaurant but Mr Mayank Kandpl denied keeping our cake to keep in the refrigerator with a tone of Arrogance and Ego. We have so many upstreet hotels/restaurants but never heard what explanation he was giving to us for his actions. Just because we are waiting to be seated due to half hour waiting time in your restaurant, Mr Mayank kandpl said our cake should only be admissible if we are seated and not when we are in the queue waiting to be seated. On further request he taunted us that in this humid weather our cake won't get spoiled during our waiting time of 30min.

Mr Mayank Kandpl - You should first get your basics right on how to treat customers right. And if customers are with their family then pray that next time you won't see me again cause next time I won't be this much gentle in my tone.

I would drop this feedback on all social media accounts of mine and especially on Twitter where I have 17,000 followers.

In case One8 owners are reading this and people who visit their restaurant matters to them then to the least sack Mr Mayank Kandpl in hope incidents like this won't repeat in future with...

Dear One8 Team,

I recently visited your Punjabi Bagh venue with my parents, and I wanted to share my experience.

The food was fantastic—we especially loved the bamboo chicken, which was served at a great temperature, along with all the other dishes. The coffee and whiskey sour were also enjoyable. However, there were a few service issues that stood out.

Despite the restaurant not being particularly busy (this was around 9 PM on a Wednesday), we found ourselves unattended at times. Additionally, the restroom was in a very poor state—there was urine on the seat and floor, and it was clearly not maintained. I had to personally request the bar staff to have it cleaned.

When settling the bill (which was over ₹5,000), I also had to ask for the review book. It would have been more hospitable if a server had proactively brought it to our table and inquired about our overall experience. Lastly, as we were leaving, the staff member outside did not acknowledge us, as they were busy on their phone, which left a rather indifferent final impression.

I’m sharing this feedback in the hope that it helps improve the overall hospitality experience. Thank you for taking the time to...