Staple's New Menu Plays the UNO Reverse Card, Turning Judging Into a Seven-Way Tie

Long before Greater Kailash II's (GK II) M Block Market started buzzing with action, one bar quietly reimagined the neighbourhood. Staple, the popular modern Indian bistro and bar, officially opened in December 2023, but ever since, it has been a room that refuses to raise its voice. Tucked away on the third floor, Staple has built its reputation by doing the opposite of what its neighbourhood is known for. Instead of shouting for attention, it dims the lights, plays something low-key and lets the food do the talking

For its latest outing, Staple flipped the format on its head with MasterChef UNO Reverse, an evening built around a seven-course menu helmed by Chef Sangram Singh Samra, with guests as judges rather than diners.

It's a clever premise, set in a space that gets the balance right—a bar at one end and a sit-down dining room at the other, offering the best of both worlds. The best part? Neither feels like an afterthought; together, they form a cohesive whole.

The lift opens straight onto the third floor, and the shift is immediate. The noise of the M Block Market fades, replaced by warm, low lighting and soft background music. A stark contrast to what you might expect from the other bars in the market, it's the kind of room built for lingering, not just passing through.

The restaurant functions equally well as a bar and a proper dining destination, with lounge-style seating near the counter for a pre-dinner drink and a dining section just beyond it, allowing the evening to transition seamlessly from cocktails to courses without changing venues. The layout keeps things intimate, with just a handful of tables—close enough for easy conversation without ever feeling crowded.

The bar counter is still the first thing your eye is drawn to, not because it's trying to impress, but because it's lit just a shade brighter than the rest of the room, naturally pulling you in before you've even taken a seat. Everything about the space feels carefully calibrated for a slower, more relaxed evening.

And the cocktail list reads like a constellation chart: On the Moor, Gravity, Saturn and Rassam No. 5, to name a few. However, On the Moor was the one worth lingering over. Gin is folded into apricot jam, rose and lemon, creating a cocktail that never overreaches and sits comfortably alongside whatever course arrives next.

Staple Bar

To pair with the cocktails came Indian culinary classics with a twist. The evening opened gently with a barley and moong salad topped with whipped feta, tasting exactly like a good summer should. The thecha papad followed, bringing genuine heat behind its good looks, while a plate of crisps and dips—hummus and baba ghanoush among them—gave the table something to nibble on between rounds of conversation.

Staple Mince Pie; Thecha Papad

A haleem puff came next, its open pastry piled high with rich, warming mutton haleem without ever feeling heavy. From there, the courses settled into a steady rhythm of hits. The nadru mash brought an unexpected sweetness that felt almost like a palate cleanser, the charred mushroom skewers were smoky and deeply savoury, and the hari mirch ghee roast chicken packed real heat that lingered long after the last bite. The malai honey toast brought the meal to a close on a soft, sweet and thoroughly comforting note.

But it was the Staple mince pie that truly earned its name. Flaky, butter-rich pastry gave way to a beautifully spiced mutton keema filling, making it the one dish everyone at the table kept returning to.

Chef Sangram had little doubt about his own favourite.

"My favourite is the mince pie, because I wanted to get some version of a shepherd's pie on the menu," he said. "Keema aloo is already a thing, but slowly, when we made our own puff and tried every variation, this came out. It takes me back to my university days in Scotland—one cold beer and this mince pie. Whatever the feedback, this one stays exactly as it is."

The gin stayed gentle, the ghee roast didn't, and somewhere between the two, Staple proved it knows exactly how to strike a balance.