In a city saturated with predictable fusion concepts, Cosy Box, a renowned social eatery and dining destination amidst Delhi, returns with a pop-up menu “Avant Garde” that refuses categorization. Back by overwhelming demand, this latest incarnation transcends its previous iterations, offering a daring intersection of Japanese precision, Peruvian boldness, and Southeast Asian aromatics, all interpreted through Neo-French techniques and Latin American sensibilities. The result isn’t merely cross-cultural—it’s post-cultural, existing in a delicious dimension entirely its own.
The collaboration with Chef Phankri for Avant Garde feels less like a business decision and more like creative destiny. Having cut his teeth at the prestigious Baoshuan under Michelin mentorship before revolutionizing Vietnom India’s culinary direction, Phankri brings technical virtuosity matched only by his imaginative approach. “Cook, evolve, and educate one another—watch how creativity and joy unfold,” he says, encapsulating the philosophy that transforms each plate into a narrative rather than merely a meal.
What emerges from the Avant Garde kitchen defies conventional restaurant taxonomy. The yellowtail crudo ceviche delivers clean, bright flavors with architectural precision, while the Chilean seabass—lacquered with gochujang glaze—creates a revelatory tension between sweetness and umami. Most memorable perhaps is the New Zealand lamb shank, playfully named “Pull Me Apart”—a promise the fork-tender meat keeps with each bite. These aren’t signature dishes so much as signature statements.
Plant-based offerings on the Avant Garde menu move well beyond token representation, with the Lianzi lotus stem salad demonstrating that vegan cuisine can possess both substance and sophistication. Beverage director recommendations lean toward contrasting yet complementary pairings—the effervescent brightness of Brut Rosé and the gentle sweetness of Moscato d’Asti creating perfect counterpoints to the menu’s bold flavor constructions rather than competing with them.
Operating daily from 1–4 PM and 7–10:30 PM, the Avant Garde pop-up describes itself enigmatically as delivering “harmony, elegance, beauty—simply the 5th element.” This cryptic description makes sense upon dining: the experience transcends the mere sum of ingredients, techniques, and influences. Each dish becomes its own small revelation, challenging expectations while remaining deeply satisfying. it positions itself as an accessible luxury rather than an occasional splurge.
In describing the Avant Garde concept as “Evolved,” they’ve chosen perhaps the perfect descriptor: this is food that feels like it’s moving forward rather than merely sideways. As Chef Phankri prepares to launch his own restaurant concept in the coming months, this collaboration serves as both preview and promise—a glimpse into a future where boundaries between cuisines exist not as barriers but as invitations. For those who believe that true luxury is discovery, reservations await through the restaurant’s management team.