A Chicago host’s guide to Indian and Pakistani catering from Delhi Darbar
Quick Answer
A balanced Indian-Pakistani catering menu should include two appetizers, one or two barbecue selections, a crowd-friendly meat entrée, a complete vegetarian dish, rice, breads, drinks and dessert. Delhi Darbar’s published party packages follow this structure and are designed for groups of at least 40 guests. The restaurant also provides catering for corporate parties, wedding buffets, birthdays and other private events in Chicago. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
Every host asks the same question before a party:
Did I order enough food?
It is an important question. Nobody wants to see an empty biryani tray while half the guests are still waiting for dinner.
But there is another question that matters just as much:
Did I order the right food?
You can have more than enough to feed everyone and still end up with a catering menu that feels incomplete. Maybe there are four rich meat dishes but nothing substantial for vegetarian guests. Perhaps there is plenty of rice but not enough naan. Or the appetizers are so heavy that nobody has room for the main course.
Building a great catering menu is not about selecting every dish you personally love. It is about creating a meal that moves naturally from the first crispy samosa to the last spoonful of dessert.
At Delhi Darbar Kabab House on Devon Avenue, hosts can build that experience around Indian and Pakistani favorites including kababs, curries, biryani, vegetarian entrées, breads and traditional desserts.
The result should not simply feed the party.
It should become one of the reasons people remember it.
Start With Your Guests, Not the Menu
Opening a catering menu can be dangerous.
Suddenly, everything sounds necessary.
You need the Chicken Tikka because everyone loves it. You need Bihari Kabab because it makes the barbecue section more exciting. Chicken Korma feels essential. So does Nihari. Then somebody reminds you that an uncle only eats goat, three guests are vegetarian and the children may want something milder.
Before long, you are planning enough food for three separate weddings.
The easier approach is to begin with the people attending.
Are you hosting a family birthday with children and grandparents? A corporate dinner where guests may be unfamiliar with South Asian food? An engagement celebration where everyone already knows exactly how biryani should taste? A mixed gathering with vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners?
The right menu depends on the answers.
For a mixed crowd, familiar dishes such as Chicken Tikka, Chicken Korma and Chicken Biryani can create an approachable foundation. For guests who enjoy richer traditional flavors, Bihari Kabab, Beef Nihari, Goat Korma or Karahi Gosht can give the spread more depth.
Once you understand the crowd, choosing the menu becomes much easier.
A Good Catering Menu Has a Rhythm
The strongest buffet menus feel generous without becoming confusing.
There is something crispy to begin with.
Something smoky from the grill.
A curry that brings comfort to the plate.
A vegetarian dish that stands confidently beside it.
Rice and bread that connect everything.
And a dessert that somehow persuades full guests to stand up one more time.
Delhi Darbar’s published party packages are organized around this kind of progression. Depending on the package, hosts can choose appetizers, barbecue selections, meat and vegetarian entrées, rice, breads or sides, drinks and desserts. The Premier Package also includes a seafood selection. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
That structure gives you a useful formula for planning almost any Indian-Pakistani catered event.
Begin With Two Appetizers That Do Different Jobs
Appetizers set the mood before guests have even found their seats.
The best combination usually includes contrast. Instead of choosing two items that feel almost identical, pair something familiar with something a little more colorful or interactive.
Delhi Darbar’s published package selections include options such as Aloo Samosa, Chicken Pakora, Vegetable Pakora, Papdi Chaat and Masala Papad. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
Aloo Samosa and Chicken Pakora create an easy, crowd-friendly beginning. One gives vegetarian guests an immediate option, while the other adds a savory chicken selection.
Papdi Chaat and Vegetable Pakora can work well for a more vegetarian-focused event. The chaat brings layers of texture and flavor, while the pakora provides the warm, crispy bite guests expect at a desi gathering.
The goal is not to fill everyone before dinner.
It is to make them excited about what is coming next.
Put Something Smoky on the Menu
There is a reason people notice the barbecue section first.
Grilled food arrives with its own announcement.
The aroma of Chicken Tikka or Bihari Kabab can move through an event space faster than any host carrying a microphone. Guests who were politely making conversation suddenly begin looking toward the buffet.
Delhi Darbar’s package options currently include barbecue choices such as Chicken Tikka, Chicken Boti, Chicken Seekh Kabab, Beef Seekh Kabab, Bihari Kabab, Beef Boti and Paneer Tikka, depending on the package selected. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
For a broadly appealing menu, Chicken Tikka is a reliable starting point.
Pair it with Bihari Kabab or Beef Boti when you want a deeper, meatier selection. Pair it with Paneer Tikka when a significant portion of the guest list is vegetarian.
A second barbecue choice can also make a buffet feel more celebratory. It gives guests a decision to make—and food decisions are much more enjoyable than seating-chart decisions.
Choose One Main Entrée That Anchors the Plate
Every catering menu needs an anchor.
This is the entrée guests spoon onto the plate beside the biryani, return to with another piece of naan and quietly compare with the version they grew up eating.
For a family-friendly celebration, Chicken Korma can provide a familiar, comforting centerpiece.
For a menu with more heat and character, Karahi Chicken can bring a bolder flavor.
For guests looking for something deeply traditional, Beef Nihari, Goat Korma, Palak Gosht or Karahi Gosht can make the main course feel more distinctive. These dishes appear among Delhi Darbar’s current party-package selections. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
The important thing is restraint.
You do not necessarily need three rich meat curries competing for attention. One carefully selected main entrée, supported by barbecue, rice, vegetarian food and bread, can create a more balanced plate than several similar gravies.
Choose the dish that best reflects the event and your guests.
Then let it be the star.
Vegetarian Food Should Never Feel Like the Backup Plan
A vegetarian guest should not have to build dinner from plain rice, salad and whatever bread remains.
A thoughtful catering menu gives vegetarian diners a complete meal rather than a collection of side dishes.
Delhi Darbar’s published party-package choices include Daal Fry, Daal Palak, Channa Masala and Mixed Vegetable. Paneer Tikka can be selected from the barbecue category in applicable packages, while Vegetable Pulao is available as a rice choice. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
A strong vegetarian combination might include Paneer Tikka, Channa Masala, Vegetable Pulao and Tandoori Naan.
Daal Fry can also be an excellent choice for a mixed gathering. It brings warmth and comfort to the table and pairs naturally with both rice and bread.
The best vegetarian dishes do not merely accommodate certain guests.
They attract everyone.
Do not be surprised when the person who insisted on ordering three meat dishes goes back for another serving of daal.
Decide What Role the Rice Will Play
Rice is not simply something placed underneath the curry.
In many Indian and Pakistani celebrations, it is one of the dishes guests care about most.
Delhi Darbar’s package selections currently include Chicken Biryani, Goat Biryani, Vegetable Pulao and Plain Rice, depending on the selected package. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
Chicken Biryani is a versatile option for birthdays, corporate dinners and mixed family events. It is familiar, filling and easy to pair with barbecue, curry and raita.
Goat Biryani can give a more traditional or celebratory menu a richer centerpiece.
Vegetable Pulao works well when you want the curries and kababs to carry more of the flavor. It also gives vegetarian guests a rice option prepared specifically for them.
Plain rice may be the right choice when the menu includes a deeply flavored curry such as Nihari or Korma and you want the main entrée to lead every bite.
Ask yourself one question:
Is the rice supposed to support the meal, or is it supposed to be one of the main attractions?
The answer will usually tell you what to choose.
Never Underestimate the Bread
There is a moment at almost every catered South Asian event when someone looks at the remaining curry and asks:
“Is there more naan?”
Plan for that moment.
Delhi Darbar’s party-package selections include breads and sides such as Tandoori Naan, Roti and Paratha, depending on the package. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
Tandoori Naan works with almost everything, making it the simplest all-around choice.
Roti may appeal to guests looking for a lighter bread beside curries and daal.
Paratha adds a richer, more indulgent element and can work especially well with kababs and traditional meat dishes.
When selecting two breads, Tandoori Naan and Paratha create useful contrast. When selecting only one, naan is generally the most flexible choice for a mixed menu.
Whatever you select, discuss the timing and quantity carefully.
Fresh bread has a remarkable ability to disappear before anyone notices.
Give the Meal the Ending It Deserves
Dessert should never feel like somebody remembered it at the last minute.
It is the final impression of the menu—and the moment when everyone who claimed to be completely full discovers an unexpected amount of space.
Delhi Darbar’s current party-package dessert options include Doodh Dulari, Lachha Rubdi, Gajar Halwa and Fruit Truffle, depending on the package. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
Two desserts create an especially satisfying finish because they let you offer contrast.
Doodh Dulari and Gajar Halwa give guests a choice between a chilled, creamy dessert and something warm and comforting.
Fruit Truffle and Lachha Rubdi can create another combination of lighter-looking sweetness and traditional richness.
Of course, the guest who cannot decide will take both.
That is exactly why two desserts were a good idea.
Three Sample Catering Menus
The following menu ideas use selections currently listed within Delhi Darbar’s party packages. Final availability, substitutions, pricing and package eligibility should be confirmed directly with the restaurant. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
The Family Celebration Menu
Appetizers: Aloo Samosa and Chicken Pakora
Barbecue: Chicken Tikka and Bihari Kabab
Main entrée: Chicken Korma
Vegetarian dish: Channa Masala
Rice: Chicken Biryani
Breads: Tandoori Naan and Paratha
Desserts: Doodh Dulari and Gajar Halwa
This combination offers familiar flavors for children and first-time guests while still giving regular desi diners the smoky barbecue and rich main course they expect.
The Mixed Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Menu
Appetizers: Papdi Chaat and Vegetable Pakora
Barbecue: Chicken Tikka and Paneer Tikka
Main entrée: Karahi Chicken
Vegetarian dish: Daal Fry
Rice: Vegetable Pulao
Breads: Tandoori Naan and Roti
Desserts: Lachha Rubdi and Gajar Halwa
This menu makes vegetarian food part of the main experience rather than a small section at the end of the buffet.
The Traditional Celebration Menu
Appetizers: Aloo Samosa and Chicken Pakora
Barbecue: Bihari Kabab and Beef Boti
Main entrée: Goat Korma
Vegetarian dish: Daal Palak
Rice: Goat Biryani
Breads: Tandoori Naan and Paratha
Desserts: Doodh Dulari and Lachha Rubdi
This is a richer menu for engagement dinners, anniversaries, wedding-related celebrations and family gatherings where guests appreciate traditional meat dishes.
Catering for More Than One Kind of Event
Not every catered occasion looks the same.
A corporate dinner needs a menu that is easy to serve and approachable for colleagues with different tastes.
A birthday party may require food that works for children, parents and grandparents.
A wedding buffet should feel abundant and celebratory.
A community or religious gathering may require close attention to halal preparation, vegetarian options and serving logistics.
Delhi Darbar currently promotes catering for corporate parties, wedding buffets, birthdays and other small and large events. Its website also displays the Halal Monitoring Services Certified Hand Zabiha mark. Hosts with specific religious, ingredient or dietary requirements should discuss those details directly when placing the order. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
The point is not to force every event into the same menu.
It is to build the menu around the reason people are gathering.
Need a Chicago Party Hall Along With the Food?
Sometimes the catering is only half the planning problem.
You still need somewhere to put the tables, seat the guests, serve the food and take the photographs.
Delhi Darbar promotes a private banquet hall on Devon Avenue with room for approximately 60 guests. The restaurant describes the space as having a Mughal-inspired interior and offers event support that can include food and beverage arrangements and dining-room décor. It is presented as an option for birthdays, corporate dinners, wedding parties and other private gatherings. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
The banquet space should not automatically be assumed to be included in a catering or party-package price. Ask for a complete quote covering the room, food, service, setup, décor, cleanup, tax and gratuity.
One clear quote is much easier to manage than discovering several separate charges after the guest list has already been finalized.
Four Decades of Devon Avenue Food History
Delhi Darbar traces its story to early 1986, when the family opened a small, 24-seat restaurant in Chicago’s West Rogers Park neighborhood. The restaurant describes itself as family-owned and built around Indian-Pakistani food, including kababs, barbecue, biryani, curries, vegetarian dishes and traditional desserts. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
Today, Delhi Darbar operates at 3010 W Devon Avenue in Chicago. The restaurant also promotes accessible parking near its Devon Avenue location, which can be helpful for party guests and customers collecting larger catering orders. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
History alone does not plan the event for you.
But when you are ordering food for dozens of guests, it helps to work with a kitchen that understands the dishes people expect to see at a South Asian celebration.
What to Know Before Requesting a Catering Quote
You do not need to have the entire buffet planned before contacting the restaurant.
You should, however, have a few important details ready:
Your event date, estimated guest count, event location and preferred serving time.
The type of celebration you are hosting.
Whether the crowd is primarily vegetarian, non-vegetarian or mixed.
Any allergy, ingredient, religious or spice-level requirements.
Whether you need pickup, delivery, setup, service or the private banquet hall.
Whether you are interested in an established party package or a customized catering order.
Delhi Darbar’s published party packages require a minimum of 40 guests. General catering needs may be different, so ask which option best matches your event size and service requirements. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
The more information you provide at the beginning, the easier it becomes to receive an accurate menu recommendation and quote.
The Best Catering Menu Lets the Host Sit Down
A successful event does not require the host to spend the entire evening inspecting trays.
Choose the appetizers.
Balance the barbecue.
Give vegetarian guests a complete plate.
Order enough naan.
Finish with two desserts because one is rarely enough.
Then step away from the buffet.
Talk to your guests. Take the photographs. Eat the food while it is still hot.
Because good catering does more than solve dinner.
It gives the host permission to enjoy the event too.
To discuss catering, party packages or Delhi Darbar’s private banquet hall, call (773) 338-1818 or use the catering inquiry form on the restaurant’s website. (Delhi Darbar Kabab House)
