The jukebox is playing, the booths are cherry-red and the burgers come unapologetically loaded. Rohit Khattar brings his much-loved All American Diner to Hyderabad, recreating at The Loft, Hitec City
Red booths, checkerboard floor and a wall of vintage American plaques.
American diners are all-too-familiar spaces for most of us who have been exposed to American culture via Hollywood films. Movies like ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Grease’, Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Pulp Fiction’ and scores of others filmed some of their most significant scenes at these quintessentially American diners. The neon lights, leather booths, stainless steel and chrome elements, black-and-white checkerboard flooring giving an Art Deco look, the jukebox, the huge menu with laminated pages offering so much variety, the milkshakes, beer and burgers, pork ribs and pancakes you saw being devoured on screen influenced us so much that American food, in all its sinfully delicious versions, found its way into fast-food centres and even today’s countless cafés.
Neon Route 66, a burger sign, a “Jukebox This Way” arrow and a peek into the open kitchen.
Rohit Khattar, Founder and Chairman of EHV International, the hospitality arm behind the popular restaurant brands Indian Accent, Hosa and Fireback, is now a familiar face in Hyderabad’s food scene. He has already opened three of his most popular restaurants in Hyderabad, all distinct in the ambience and menus they offer, built adjacent to each other at The Loft, Hitec City.
As he excitedly introduces the latest addition to the list — All American Diner — he relates a story. It is his love story with American diners that started when he lived in the US as a young man. He loved the vibe and everything about these joints that went on to become part of the popular history and identity of America. A few years later, when he ventured into the food business, he opened All American Diner in New Delhi in 2001, and it caught the imagination of people and went on to become one of the most popular hangouts.
The Elvis Wurlitzer jukebox, standing guard next to the bakes and pastries.
More than two decades later, the diner in Delhi where several memories were made closed down. Incidentally, when RMZ Nexity, Hyderabad, offered him real estate to open his famous restaurants, he chose the Diner amongst his other brands. “Hyderabad is where I visualized people will love All American Diner,” he says.
The chili dog with wedges and slaw, and the stack of pancakes with butter and maple syrup.
And he left no stone unturned — or rather, no vinyl record unturned — to ensure the place has everything to recreate a true-blue diner of the ’60s and ’70s. You enter All American Diner and you are enveloped by the rock ’n’ roll vibe, with the limited-edition Elvis Wurlitzer jukebox contributing its might to the same. The paraphernalia on the walls includes bric-a-brac, tin and enamel plaques that Rohit confessed he personally collected over the years from flea markets and antique shops in the States. The flooring, cherry-red vinyl booths, chrome highlights, neon captions and graffiti — every tiny and big element does its bit to make it as vibrant and happening as a diner is supposed to be.
A burger up close, with fries and slaw, and the savoury side of the preview menu card.
The spirit of the diner is carried forward in the menu, which has popular items from the old Delhi outlet in addition to classic American dishes and diner favourites like Stack O’ Pancakes, waffles, Sunrise Skillets, hot dogs, burgers and dinner plates like Old Bay Garlic Shrimp and Barbecued Baby Back Ribs, along with pecan pie, New York cheesecake and banana split.
Frozen cocktails at our table: lemon-topped, and strawberry.
The rule here is simple: you leave your diet outside the door and indulge to your heart’s fill. Enjoy the gloriously buttermilk-fried chicken, tossed in a Nashville hot sauce and tucked into fresh buns along with jalapeño relish, over the OG cocktail LIIT. One of the highlights of the food is the amazing sauces that go with different dishes, not to mention the cheese — look out for the house hot sauce and maple syrup with the Chicken & Waffle Sandwich and the in-house BBQ sauce served with the Baby Back Ribs.
A strawberry cream crazy shake, sprinkles and all, and the classic banana split.
The Yankee spirit continues on the beverage menu, which, on the non-alcoholic side, has soda floats, iced tea and straight pours. There are classic cocktails and more, including huge margaritas, but in their frozen form; Lunch Box Punch, which is actually whiskey with fresh watermelon, peanut butter wash and maple; and shooters too.
All American Diner is open from breakfast till midnight, and the crew led by Executive Chef Sumit Sawardekar and veteran Chef Dhiraj Dargan, who has been with the brand since its inception, are confident that this will be the next big thing in the food scene of the district.
