Review: New Delhi's latest, Chard is set to reclaim 'finger-licking good' with its modern burgers

With the second half of 2021 setting in, we're all slowly embracing moving out and enjoying socially distant meals. However, the one thing that the pandemic has given us is delivery kitchens that make intriguing meals accessible within the comfort of our homes. As for New Delhi, it has yet another new delivery brand making the rounds—Chard: Burgers and Beyond. Conceptualised by Hanisha Singh and Jamsheed Bhote, the brains behind Plats, a contemporary international cuisine restaurant, this new burger joint is offering a range of delivery-friendly burgers, made with locally sourced ingredients and inspired by global flavours. Over the weekend, we tried their burgers, and came away feeling a lot like Marshall Erikson in How I Met Your Mother, when he tried the best burger in New York City.

What we tried:

With a wide variety of options on offer, there's much to choose from at Chard's even for those following speciality diets. We, however, went the classic way when it comes to burgers and opted for their non-vegetarian staples. What strikes you at the very get go, is the generous portion sizes of these burgers. Pick any and you're sure to find a double-patty variant on the menu that will require a two-hand grab; all of them served with a side of crispy fries. We began the meal with pork bun cha bun, a Vietnamese-inspired creation that comes with a grilled pork patty, pickled veg slaw and chilli caramel sriracha along with fresh herbs. Next on the menu was the diablo, Chard's take on char grilled Mexican chicken with avocado sour cream and queso fresco and we foresee it having our name written on it every weekend.

The xian bang double lamb burger is a bit out there and has a fried egg, a xian cumin glaze accompanied by spring onion coriander slaw and a sesame peanut spread. Apart from the burgers, the new kitchen also specialises in different varieties of grilled chicken, among which we tried the Turkish baharat version that had spiced chicken with garlic toum, an Israeli salad and za'atar roasted potatoes on the side.

What worked:

The non-vegetarian dishes at Chard have a fresh profile and a delightful meat-to-fat ratio. Plus, they are grilled to perfection. The concept is fresh and a craftful take on the charcoal-grill style of cooking, making it a worthy new addition to the Capital's foodscape. The keen attention that charcoal cooking is demanding of, comes through in all of their recipes, which capture the sublime intricacies that make a perfect burger patty, well perfect. The dishes are sizeable, and yet somehow filling without being heavy or overbearing. We like the use of local ingredients and the packaging, which makes use of a butter-paper covering and a half-open branded sleeve placed in a spacious container that ensures our order doesn't get soggy during the transit.

We enjoyed the diablo particularly, thanks to the freshness of the juicy patty that has a pleasant aroma and familiar taste.The Xian Bang double lamb burger had the softest buns and ensconced within them, a supple lamb patty topped with a piquant spring onion coriander slaw, all tied together with a fried egg that just sealed the deal, for us at least. We are fans of the buttery, soft texture of the Turkish baharat spiced chicken that remained intact in all its glory even after travelling for over 60 minutes, pairing perfectly well with the sprightly salad and the herby, nutty side of za'atar-roasted potatoes.

What didn't work:

While the whole meal was unique in that it took us to several corners of the world, in a format we love naturally: burgers, we wish our journey could have ended on a sweet note.

Verdict:

We love Chard for it's take on burgers, the quality of the products itself and the attention-to-detail paid when it comes to things like packaging and creativity. Is it on our top list of places to look towards when opening a can of beer? Certainly, yes. And it should be on yours too.