She ripped apart her iconic restaurant and called it Trouble Trouble

Chef Radhika Khandelwal could easily hold titles like ‘Delhi’s Brunch Queen’ and ‘Zero-waste Warrior’, often in the same breath. At Fig & Maple, the restaurant she opened in 2016 in Delhi’s GK-II, landing a Sunday brunch table felt like winning a gold medal. Friends, families, couples on dates—all queued for her eggs Benedict, pancakes, and savoury waffles. It was the place to be…unless, of course, you were trying to dodge your ex.

Nine years later, just off Fig & Maple’s anniversary, Khandelwal pulled an Uno reverse and closed shop. She wanted to break free from the familiar, loosen up, and—dare we say—have some fun. Out of that spark came something entirely new, built in the same space: Trouble Trouble. “I had evolved, and so had my patrons and the city,” Khandelwal explains, “But Fig & Maple stayed still. Everything was too serious, and I wanted a little mischief.”

That mischief shows up first in her XS sandwich shop, Kona, which opened just two months ago. Asian-inspired sandos flew off the shelves almost instantly, going viral as fast as the bread-to-filling ratio could handle. 

With Trouble Trouble, she’s keeping that appetite for boldness alive and leaving no crumbs. Joined by partners Ravish Bhavnani and Kunal Chandra, she’s infused the space with a whole new energy. The monochrome interiors of Fig & Maple have been replaced with warm wood and rust tones, punctuated by splashes of colour and personality. Mirrors are scattered across the space, perfect for catching your reflection—or snapping that perfect selfie.

But it’s the walls that tell the real story. Dozens of frames showcase adorable canines—some of Khandelwal’s own pets, some from the south Delhi neighbourhood, and even four-legged friends of some patrons—each one acting like a furry co-conspirator. A cat, dapper in a leather jacket and aviators, chomps on a pepperoni slice as if the paparazzi are on its tail. A flamingo makes a cameo—pearls draped, glitter outfit shimmering, and a champagne flute poised in its wings.

Khandelwal’s shirt declares she’s the “Chief Troublemaker”, and she ensures you are served your fair share of culinary chaos. On the menu, Double Trouble, a section devoted to literally two-bite dishes, spotlights dishes like the umami-packed mushroom parfait, which comes with a crisp filo cone hiding a playful little surprise. The tuna carpaccio that follows is tender and sharp, with mustard oil and grapefruit delivering a zing that makes your taste buds sit up and pay attention. But it’s the prawn toast that truly steals the show. Wrapped like a tiny parcel—like a Bengali mochaar chop—and paired with a vibrant red Thai curry sauce, it turns a familiar comfort dish into something entirely unexpected. Each of these plates is tiny, shareable, and devilishly clever; it’s Khandelwal’s way of saying “Go ahead, have fun, just a little at a time”.

The menu also nods to Fig & Maple’s greatest hits. Regulars can order their bestselling eponymous salad. Brunch-goers, meanwhile, can still partake in Fig & Maple’s brunch on weekends, now available with Trouble Trouble’s signature twist.

The mains are generous, perfect for a long-drawn-out meal. There’s sharp, clean lemon-and-parmesan tagliatelle, beetroot-feta-herb risotto, and a tenderloin steak with black pepper and mash, all of which deliver. I loved the chicken ravioli with mustard and parmesan: folded into a pink flower naturally coloured with beetroot, stuffed with chicken, and swimming in mustard butter.

But what stayed with me was the Churrasco experience. The chef dreamed up this Brazilian grill with Anirudh Singhal of SpeedX Bars, a multi-level marvel that turns meat and veggies into a playground of smoky, sizzling flavours. Take your pick from pork chops, black pepper prawns, charred tofu, eggplant with miso butter, and more. I asked for a medium-rare tenderloin, infused with Thai-inspired spices and finished with nam jim jaew. Served with a dollop of jalapeño cream, each bite felt like a firework exploding on the tongue.

The cocktail programme, though, is where Trouble Trouble finds its spirit animal. Enlisting trouble shakers Chandra and Bhavnani, the menu is aptly titled Intrusive Thoughts, inspired by that voice in your head. As Chandra explains, sitting at a bar tends to spark the most random musings: “Did I switch off the geyser?”, “Is anyone looking at me?”, or “Maybe I should just move to Goa”. Trouble Trouble ensures each drink—from Moves Like Jager (a sharp but not overly sweet fizzy highball with in-house Red Bull cordial, lime, soda, and a dash of chocolate bitters) to Green Flag (vodka, vermouth, matcha, cucumber, aloe, and tonic)—is just as delightfully unpredictable as those wandering thoughts.

For the indecisive, there are straightforward, approachable options, such as a straight-up martini or a no-nonsense Negroni. But if you’re ready to turn up the heat (literally), the tequila-based Lao Gan Margarita arrives in the iconic Lao gan ma sauce bottle, garnished with chikki (made from leftover crisps), and chips, practically daring you to take a sip. Afternoons will see tipplers order the bright and zestly vodka- and limoncello-based Soda Lemon Ginger Pop, or the refreshing gin-and-Aperol-based That Orange Italian Drink, while at night, you can’t go wrong with The Double Barrel, a daring mix of bourbon, Malbec Shiraz, cherry liqueur, and bitters (which the duo describes as the “love child of a not-so-sober sommelier and bartender”).

A full-blown dessert menu is in the works, but you can still appease your sweet tooth with something that falls between a dessert and a cocktail. Affogato Say You’re Cute comes with vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, salted caramel gelato, popcorn, chocolate wafer, and Maldon sea salt. It’s a grownup sundae with a dark side, and we are here for it.

Dining at Trouble Trouble isn’t about ticking boxes or polishing plates; it’s about leaving your troubles at the door and diving headfirst into a lot of fun. Pull up a chair, let your hair down, and remember: here, mischief is always on the menu.

Address: Second floor, M27, M-Block Market, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi, Delhi 110048

Price: ₹2,500 (without alcohol)

Timing: noon to 1 am (closed on Monday)

Reservations: +91 7678665130