Tag: Chicken

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One location Multiple Eat out options

Eating out in Old Delhi – Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazar, Jama masjid area & Daryagunj

I originally wrote this post in 2011 but hv been revising it from time to time. latest update being 30th March 2024

crowd @ Kake di Hatti crowd @ Kake di Hatti

Some of the best Dilli food is found in Chandni Chowk & adjoining areas like Chawri Bazar as many of the shops have not changed much from what they were about fifty to hundred years ago. This is not a comprehensive list but is a fairly large list which u will need few visits to cover – Some of the eateries mentioned below (e.g. Karim’s ,Jalebiwala etc) have been covered in detail (in other posts) in this blog – u can read those & enjoy the pics as well.


Slide1

Attached is a hand drawn (by YUMMRAJ) map without which you will never find anything. You may need to take a printout and carry it with you as, without a map, you can easily get lost here. Let me tell u that inspite of the printout u might need to use Indian GPS – ‘Bhaisab, ye ved prakash lemon wale ka dukaan kahaan hai?’

click on the picture to enlarge it – so that u can read it, suggest u to carry a printout of the map

The best way to get here is to park your car in CP (Connaught Place) and take the metro to Chawri Bazaar or Chandni Chowk. Let me warn u though that there r huge queues at the ticketcounters of Chandni Chowk station on the way back. The other option is to park the car at CP & take an auto rickshaw.

Daulat ki chaat being sold at Chandni chowk. Winters only. Multiple vendors. Must try... Daulat ki chaat being sold at Chandni chowk. Winters only. Multiple vendors. Must try…

As u alight from the metro at Chawri Bazaar, take the gate towards Hauz Kazi. Once you are up on the street, you will see a clearing/intersection of roads. Go to the diagonally-opposite corner of the road, towards your right. You will find a tiny shop called ‘Ashok Chaat Corner’. You will see the red-coloured Times Food Guide certification on its wall. Ask for their signature offering – kalmi chaat and urad daal chaat. They use a kachalu chutney which is totally different, and simply awesome. Avoid the paani puris – they r no different from the rest of the places.

To try one of the best kulfis in town, check out Kuremal Mohan lal kulfiwale. Do not miss their stuffed mango kulfi during summers / jamun / lichi….

Stuffed mango kulfi Stuffed mango kulfi

Continue reading “Eating out in Old Delhi – Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazar, Jama masjid area & Daryagunj”

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Indian, north indian meals

National Restaurant (Outer Circle, Connaught Place, near Kake da Dhaba)

In a nutshell: We had an outstanding experience here – no idea about the rest of the menu but the three dishes that we had here were too good. Will revisit & update. Address & other details: National Cuisine type : Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian Meal for 2: Rs. 300 onwards Description: ‘Pure desi Ghe used’ is what is written on the board outside & if u have … Continue reading National Restaurant (Outer Circle, Connaught Place, near Kake da Dhaba)

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Asian Cuisine, chinese, Japanese

Dine Esty (Sushant Lok 1, near Park Plaza Complex, Gurgaon)

In a nutshell:

Pretty good Chindian / other Asian food & a very exciting & cool live Teppanyaki station – must experience it.

Address & other details: Dine Esty

Meal for 2: Rs. 1000 onwards

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

The Chindian (Indianized Chinese food) is tasty & nice but lacks on the authenticity front. For ‘close to authentic Chinese food’ in Gurgaon, YUMMRAJ recommends The Monk, Galaxy Mall. However, if u do not give a damn to authenticity & r willing to dig into anything tasty, Dine Esty is a good choice. Infact its a very good choice for a nice evening out with some good food.

The main dining hall – another view

We have been to Dine esty several times & always had been eating at the Live Japanese Teppanyaki  (Japanese Grill) Counter. This time around we decided to sit in the main dining hall & ordered some Chinese (turned out to be tasty Chinjabi) alacarte section.

starter at Dine Esty

The menu card was almost 10 pages long & really requires a great deal of study by foodies to decide on food. Too many interesting names pop up before the eyes & ity becomes a challenge (in a good way) to narrow down & finalize the order. In the menu card there are sections like soups, dimsums, starters, main course etc like everyone else but all these section in turn have detailed sub sections  – chicken, pork, lamb, vegetarian, duck, fish, crab, seafood. I saw some interesting items like seafood dimsum, crystal dimsum, pork gouza, prawn harkaw (a dimsum that has potato starch as wrapper) – I fondly remembered harkaw that we had at Royal china. To summarize, every Chinese place has sections but this one was in great details.

 The interior has three sections – a lounge & bar setting on the left (as u enter) & this is covered by a see-through wooden partition. Then there is the Main dining Hall with Restaurant setting & at the end is the Live Teppanyaki counter where u can sit on the counter & njoy seeing the food being prepared in front of u. A chat with the chef is also an interesting option. Getting the food made with ur choice of sauces is surely another option.

The lounge & bar setting behind the wood partition

The Japanese concept of teppanyaki is very cool though – it is essentially a flat Metal plate (say 1meter by 2 meters) that is heated at all times. The customers have the option to sit around this hot plate & the Chef stir fries veggies / fish / meats in front of u & serves fresh out of the Teppan.

Stir frying on the teppan right in front of the customer seats – u see the cooking right infront of u

Inspite of the fact that the sauces here r tweaked to cater to Indian tastes – the overall taste is very enjoyable. ………….. Infact not too many people might b able to appreciate the 100% original taste the way it is served in Japan or China. I Do love the original though & do not mind the tweaked versions at times.

Detailed Description – In case u have the time to enjoy reading:

Continue reading “Dine Esty (Sushant Lok 1, near Park Plaza Complex, Gurgaon)”

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For the Chef in u……, Guest Blogger

Winter evening Barbeque with Indian style tangy Green Marination:

…………. for the CHEF in u

Contributed by YUMMRAJ’s favourite chef ANONYMOUS

Bored with the orange tandoori masala & yearning for more? ………. & that also at a time when the weather is just about appropriate for barbeque?

So read on…………………

While u can buy the tandoori masala from the market for making tandoori kababs, here I will b telling how u can create an interesting marinade that can b used for paneer or fish or chicken – as per ur preferences.

Choose fresh dhania (corainder) & pudina (mint) leaves, about 2 big bunches each. Wash these thoroughly to ensure that all dust & dirt have been terminated. Put the leaves with 4-5 big fat cloves of garlic & green chillies (to ur taste) in a blender jar.

thoroughly cleaned & unstemmed fresh pudina & dhania leaves

Even if I do not tell u, I am sure u will add salt to taste.

Continue reading “Winter evening Barbeque with Indian style tangy Green Marination:”

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Indian, north indian meals

Ashok & Ashok (Delhi 6, off the Sadar Police station road, gali besides Agarwal Sweets)

In a nutshell:

Rustic, robust, lovable, excellent nonvegetarian street-side food

the shop

How to go there: Take the road perpendicular to the metro line in front of the Big Hanuman statue at Karol Bagh. Keep going straight …. …….. cross all traffic lights on the way till u get a ’gol chakkar’ / roundabout. Take a right from there till u get a Police station on ur left. Keep going straight till u get a small bridge & a 4 point crossing. If u turn left u get Sadar Police station road. Look for Agarwal sweets on ur left & turn left into the gali – Quite complicated but cud not find a better way to describe.

The signboard - looks like it was last painted during farewell of Lord Mountbatten

Meal for 2: Rs. 300 onwards

as u approach the shop

Cuisine Type: Nonvegetarian

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

The shop is a hole in the wall, There r ‘metal sheet on metal frame’ tables on the footpath on which u r supposed to keep ur plate & eat. There is a kabadi shop right across, lots of cars parked on both sides of the narrow street & 30 odd people trying to dig into food served to them with big smiles on the faces.

crowds that r paying to get a bite on the roadsideA little effort to provide shade - sorry I forgot 2 cover that in the text

Yes, that Ashok & Ashok – known as Ashok meatwallah in the locality. ‘Choice’ is not a word they r much familiar with & ‘focus’ is the only word they seem to b knowing.

food served on tin plated metal frame tables on the footpath

Saturdays & Wednesdays it is mutton curry & rest of the day it is only chicken curry. This is served with fresh roti made in front of u on the footpath. At 1.30 pm we were told – sorry we finish in 15 minutes. Pls try to come between 1 & 1.15!!!!!

eating on the roadside

They also serve Biryani.

Detailed description – In case u have the time to enjoy reading:

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Indian, Mughlai

Aafreen Restaurant (besides Metiabruz Police Station, on main Akra road, Kolkata)

In a nutshell:A hidden wonder lost in a large metropolis – best Kolkata Biryani in Kolkata

A view from the main road

Cuisine Type: Nonvegetarian

Address & other details: AAfreen, R-38, S.A. Farooqie Road, Akra Road, Kolkata

Meal for 2: Rs. 150 onwards

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

YUMMRAJ shifts the crown of ‘Best Biryani in Kolkata’ from Arsalan after eating for the second time at Aafreen. Arsalan is now ‘Best Mutton Biryani in Kolkata’. This shift is purely on the basis of taste – not anything else.

drooling good biryani at Aafreen

Crispy Layered laccha parathas, super tasty subtle rezala , fiery looking bhuna that is very tasty & yet not half as fiery as it looks, a grainy & robust tasting Chhap, a subtle burhani to cool all this & the showstopper – As I write, I am salivating just at the thought of the biryani, even a week after munching it……… soft, melt in the mouth rice, not dry but not very greasy as well & unbelievably tender & tasty meat.

Chicken Chhap on slow fire

Detailed Description – In case u have the time to enjoy reading:

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Italian

Tonino (Opp 1 MG Road, Between Chhatarpur & Sultanpur Metro stations New Delhi)

In a nutshell:

Romantic restaurant with excellent ambience & service, serves very good food but not the best in the category.

Address & other details : Tonino

Cuisine Type : Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian

Meal for 2: Rs. 3000 onwards (similar spread as described below) Beverages extra

Short Description – In case u r in a hurry:

Before the food is served, came the breads & a tiny bowl of dark green ‘Olive pesto’……. Simply awesome. For starters we had fairly good calamari aglio. Then came the super thin crust signature Pizza – Provencale (vegetarian) baked on woodfire in a stone oven that u can see in one corner of the Dining Room of the Restaurant. Very good Pizza I must say, especially after we topped it up with some lamb salami, homemade red chilli flakes & oregano. The Grilled sole in Olive oil was good but have had better elsewhere. The Chocolate Lasagna dessert was again excellent with layers of not too sweet chocolate (with a slight hint of salt) amidst a non-fluffy chocolate cake, topped with Vanilla flavored ice cream. Loved the experience overall – Tastes r great but cud have been even better – prices r on the higher side.

Detailed Description – In case u have time to enjoy reading:

Continue reading “Tonino (Opp 1 MG Road, Between Chhatarpur & Sultanpur Metro stations New Delhi)”

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