Another week, another new restaurant in the Village. And yes, this one has a theme too – fast cars and Grease Lightning (there’s one based on 1970s American music opening up soon). Roll your eyes if you must but also swing by for a meal, because despite its clichés, Garage Inc is a pretty good restaurant.

Headed by Anisha Maker who also runs Lah!, Garage Inc. is pleasingly large, with industrially-inspired interiors, tires on the walls and an open kitchen. The menu, like the movie, is all American - burgers, sandwiches, grills, shakes – except for a glaringly out of place selection of dim sum, apparently a nod to New York’s Chinatown. Seriously.

Olive Newton-John

We start in Louisiana, where shrimp is tossed in butter, garlic, whole black pepper and smoked chilli sauce, made soft and crunchy, salty and spicy all at the same time. Move on to Texas and there’s a layered salad of nachos, soft boiled red kidney beans, tomatoes, onions and zesty lemon dressing, complemented by diced pineapple and cheese, all piled onto a bed of crunchy lettuce.

And then, suddenly, we’re in Meatland (Meatistan?) with something called the “Meat Orgy”, a platter of barbequed pork chops, chicken jerky, chicken and pork sausages and beef steak. You can ask for these to be cooked any way you want, and the cuts come evenly grilled and nicely tender on the inside, drizzled with gravy and flanked by mashed potato and coleslaw.

T-birds & Bees

Not everything’s hunky dory in the bland of promise, however, as is proven by a Sloppy Joe, tasteless and smothered in frighteningly bright yellow cheddar. Also disappointing is basil and watermelon juice in which we could taste no basil, and Snickers milkshake that fails to replicate the peanut-caramel-chocolate awesomeness of the candy bar but is cold and creamy nevertheless. There’s also no alcohol yet – like most restaurants in the area, this one too is waiting on a liquor license.

Until one comes through and the weather gets less brutal, the long bar with its cute bicycle lamp and wicker-furnitured outdoor deck will remain barren. You’ll have to make do with soda and shakes, burgers and fries, sundaes and pie. But hey, it was good enough for John Travolta and the Pink Ladies, and it’ll be good enough for you.

Getting there: 30 Hauz Khas Village, Second Floor, Call 8800958705, Rs. 2000 for a meal for two without alcohol.

bpb pays for its own meals and conducts all reviews anonymously.