That Calcutta......Those Bongs: Food festival for a Salesman

Food, Yes Food is what propels Calcutta (I like the older names of illustrious cities). It’s not money, it’s not greed it’s not power. Landing in Calcutta is like shaking hands with an old friend. With my many voyages in the past and stays ranging from Hotel Lindsay, Lytton , Fairlawn (where part of City of Joy was shot and the cast stayed there) to The Park, The Oberoi Grand and this time at HHI. The predominant encouragement is the food and more often than not street food and affordable local exotica. So before boarding the flight I bought a book of short stories by Dipanwita Mukerjee called That Calcutta… Those Bongs. Allowing me to immerse in dreams of Illish, Gandharaaj lime, pithe, luchis and Patturi and of course Buro. Get eady.Calcutta looks like a city from the smoke stack era without the smokestacks, except of course if you are in Rajarhaat… you could feel you are in Gurgaon. My story is more about the smokestack Calcutta.

Arsalan : Mughlai Food

The choices were Shiraaz, Rahmania, Arsalan and a late entrant Royal came highly recommended by Sandip Ghose the high priest of food in Calcutta. The driver Alam knew where Royal at Chitpur road was located, however decided to go to Arsalan as it was already late for dinner. Arsalan (named after the animal the Lion) has Bihari ownership , launched in Calcutta in 2002 (makes it 8 years old), has made more than made a mark for itself in the gourmet’s heart. Imagine going past heavyweights like Shiraaz and Rahmaniya and the yet to be explored Royal.
Alam the driver parked at the swanky Arsalan air conditioned et al. I said basic and the first one ever set up and we are at Arsalan at Park Circus. There is a festivity around the place, or is it madness or perhaps mass hysteria, people at the cash counter behaving as if someone is distributing free food tickets in pre Prestroika Russia. We seat ourselves an old midget in a shirt and tie , Aziim takes our order. We are in Non Ac Hall. I believe that’s where the action is. On the right is a muslim Family having a conservative dinner .Further, three drunk Bengalis, one of them threatening Azim, food should be hot, muttion should be nice. Alam the driver joins us, Shantanu (my partner in crime)is a vegetarian today. We order a mutton biryani, a chicken biryani, a mutton champ, a vegetable biryani, a paneer dish, a dal and one roti. The Biryanis were flavorful but oily, with an enormous half potato, which was quite honestly bland. The expectation was greater than the delivery. The experience was nice. The food was anything but delicately flavored, I guess it’s the scale and volumes Arsalan deals with. We chase it with small squat Thums Up , the cold cinnamon flavor hits the spot after a heavy mughlai meal. We paid Rs 440/- for this nearly enormous meal.

Chitta Da: Differentaiated Snack at Dacres Lane : My friend and old colleague Sanjay Das promised to take me to Chitta da at Dacres lane while corresponding with me on this blog. Apoorva a current colleague made a similar promise. I also saw a segment on The Travel and Living Channel with the anchor a funny one, at Chitta da. I had to go there, I began to think of the stew and toast in a pedestrian district more known for the magazine market and the surrounding Government offices, (usually called Bhabans, for Bhawans).

We reached at mid morning at 11 am, and there was a row of patrons already imbibing the goodies. I asked the cook and server, what can you offer, fish finger, chicken stew and ghoogni (chick peas) all served with chunky toasts lightly buttered. We have the fish fingers nice chunky pieces of fresh fish in fingers like that of a goblin knotted and brown, umm but tasty inside with a light salad and mustard paste. I joked with Shantanu, Bengalis will just about anything with mustard. Next Ghoogni same format, delicious, it’s a channa curry with the same accompaniments. Now for the fried fish, a chunky piece of extremely fresh fish bite the crust into the odourless white flesh with the steam emanating. Oh yeah ! Followed, by tea as a beverage. Interesting format. We gave the chicken stew a pass, though it is the signature dish. Have to leave something for the next time.

Now for the maths, this truly a salesman’s outing in the Tiffin Gali (Dacres Lane now called as Jimmy Hitch Sarani)and eaters paradise. Rs 27/- for the fish fingers, Rs 25/- for the fried fish, Rs 6/- for the Channa/ Ghugni and Rs 18/- for four coarse bread toast slightly buttered and three chais in kullar (earthen cup) for Rs 12/-. In all a wonderful snack for Rs 82/- That’s the owner now, probably Chitta Da’s son Nararayan Chandra Roy.

Suruchi : Bangla Homefood

Sudarshan Saha a colleague of, dearest Praveen, asked me, about the color of the walls, when I described my first visit to Suruchi in the 90s. Only an intense Bengali can ask about the hue and color of the walls when the subject under discussion is FOOD. Intense he is , and intense I am, he photographs and I eat and write.

This was my second visit to Suruchi, I remember the last visit, where I perceived it as a widows and needy women NGO who could cook up some mean Bangla food. Now I know it’s the All Bengal Women Union, apart from all the activities they run this wonderful Bangla home food restaurant. There were four of us, two dyed in wool Bengalis ( Sudipto and Swarup), one semi dyed in wool Bengali (Shantanu) and one honorary Bengali (for the cuisine, Me) And yes, Sudarshan the walls were yellow. The place looked sleepy at ten past one with lights all off. Got seriously activated by half past one, with five groups of diners.

We ordered four thalis with addons of Bhappa Ilish (steamed mustard Illish), bhekti paturi (steamed in a banana leaves and mustard), fried bhekti and a dish of a fish kofta and mocher jingha (shrimps cooked with banana flowers. Very nice, interesting and delicious. With waiter ladies called Didi and food brimming on our table. Even the dyed in wool Bengalis smiled, reminiscing of their days at Burdwaan and Nadiad. We, half dyed and honorary bongs relished the meal and gave it a Thumbs Up. I asked for the Gandharaaj Lime with newly acquired knowledge og Bangla food. The dyed wool colleagues were aghast and their jaws dropped.
Lastly the misthti doi and pithes, more than pefect, Ate fish like fish (sorry its drink like fish) and the total bill with mineral water was Rs 735/- for all four of us and the Thalis were great as well with Dal, sukto, aloo bhaja. Nice, You have to be there.

Dinner at Kimling

Erstwhile Chinatown, then leather town and now eating town, Tangra. I do not remember ever having gone there during the day. It’s always been at night. With shadows lurking, strong smell of a tannery, a Chinese sauce factory (Sing Cheung Chinese sauces, oh, how much I want to buy the sauce brand as a business), smell of green chilli sauce and soy in the air mixed with overhanging gutter smell. It has the eerie feeling of the 70’s Bruce lee films with a mega restaurant named after his film Big Boss. The restaurants I have been to are Kimling, Chinahaus, Goden Joy and yet again Kimling many times.

It does have the old world charm, it an old fashioned fare and approach to the whole experience. They actually put in bright fresh tomatoes in their Hot and Sour Soup. I love their unpretentious fried snacks. We ordered, chili garlic chicken a chili onion fish, prawn crackers, chicken wantons and some medium to large golden fried prawns (all fried you see) with their exotic green unbranded sauce. Chased with Director’ special Black for the honorary bong and Vodka a Gorbachow (yes spelt with W), for the half dyed in wool and full dyed in wool bong. The experience exhilarating, the food crisp and atmosphere ,a lot of fun with conversation and jokes with a bunch of guys on the neighboring table. They were serious foodies and drinkers (Jaideep Raha, Tilak and Amit Bhatacharjee). The whole evening a wholesome one with all sodas and mixers thrown in was Rs 1500/- Great Fun.

The morning after : Maharani Snacks

A highly recommended place by Sudipto in tow with Shantanu c for breakfast, the Up bhaiyya influence for Kachoris, Samosas, Jalebis and Gulab Jamuns with Chai. The Kachoris, are more like slightly thick Puris. This the pucca khana (in other words fried food of Uttar Pradesh). It is a nice place, especially, the taste and the prices. Fits into precisely a salesman budget, four plates of Kachori, one samosa one jalebi, two chais all for Rs 45/- its on A C Bose Road close 85 Lansdowne (the designer boutique), near Gariahat.

In all we spent Rs 3000/- for all the above. Stupendous for USD 63, Calcutta is truly remarkable. Oh Calcutta…… Those Bongs

Finally, we did got to Terretty Bazaar on Sun yat Sen Road near the Old Lal Bazzar Police Station for the morning Chinese breakfast market at Old Chinatown. There were six odd stalls, selling, momos (dimsum), noodle soup and Chinese sausage. All made of mystery meat . I realized, I was not a complete convert to eat anything at anytime and for the first time I backed off with a timid hot cross chinese sweet bun to come back another day. I believe there is better action here on a Sunday.
So Long

The Happiest Pie:at The Oberoi Patisserie and Delicatessen

There is a defining moment in everyone’s life. Here is mine the Pie, I just cannot stop thinking about it. We saunter into The Oberoi Patisserie and Delicatessen ( a difficult word for the pastry shop), that’s me, dearest wife Praveen and Detective An. We look at the menus, order a brochette a portion of small stuffed croissants, some red cheddar (probably Leicester) a coca cola, a coffee and a magnificent Philadelphia cheese cake, we walk around and the pastry chef at the oven offers a pie (her name is Vidhu).

She says, would you like a pie (in retrospect it sounds like would you like Nirvana). I said what kind; she says ham and cheese and mushroom and cheese. I am glad I said ham and cheese. She is also meddling with a sausage roll in the oven, I am distracted. No I stick to Ham and cheese.

It arrives on the table in a rather small plate; the rest of the food is yet to arrive. I am entranced, the crust is nice and brown and crisp. The cheese is gruyere is gooey and sometimes stringy, the ham ooh, ooh the ham it’s the best I have ever eaten, soft and whispers to you like silk. Amazing, crust, gooey cheese and strong ham, the flavors and textures are just too overpowering. Oh yeah! I could live like this. Accompanied by Wilkins Ketchup and Wilkins English mustard, which is grainy and nice. Me and Detective An immerse into the folds of the pies, while Dearest Praveen has a bite of just the crust.

Pork has an effect of overpowering madness; the king of most meats, when made well can lead to momentary lapse of reason and delirium. That’s what I felt, so overwhelmed, I was dropping the oversized Cutlery all over the place. The Manager, Payal took the complements on behalf of Vidhu and informed us that they have different specials on most days.

This magnificent dish (the humble pie) is Rs 511/- (inclusive of tax, The Oberoi very smartly prices nearly everything inclusive of a tax, albeit expensive, but you know what to finally expect. The Meal for all was 1850/- But the pie was worth it and more.

If you have a moving food story that made the earth move for you, happy to hear it and host it.
So long!

Triveni Kala Sangam : Cafeteria/ Tea Terrace

Mumbai has Café Samovar, Bangalore has Koshy’s, Kolkata…… well Flury’s in its older Avatar. All these characterize the city or render character to it. Working in a newspaper in the early 90’s and especially in an, nearly all women team had its advantages. They introduced me to eating places where the radicals, writers, artists and thinkers hung out then. Now the corporate suits, lawyers, lovers and an odd artist hang out. But, the food is nice.

In the early and mid 90s, you saw Sudhir Dhar, the Cartoonist with HT, seated tall and alone at lunch nearly every day. I last saw him singing Carols with the kids in Richmond Park in Guragaon a few years ago. We went their then to be a part of the Fabindia fraternity, as a talisman of reverse snobbery rather than for the home cooked food that it Triveni Canteen/ Café and now Tea terrace offered.

For someone who had parathas, gobhi, palak paneer, channa, rajma, kadhi as a regular menu at home. eating at Triveni was a Fabindia statement ( Fabindia was a very Delhi wallah brand then, Its nearly national now), smoking, fruit beer, or just beer, Hindi theatre at Copernicus marg, drinking copious quantities of Indian Whisky, knowing a few kebab joints, having a joint, knowing a friend with an apartment at KG Marg, going backstage to meet the caste of an English play, hanging out with Femina Miss India contenders, English movies at Archana and Chanakya, Kolhapuris, Kohl rimmed eyes for women, cotton saris, jeans, stencil shirts, gifting potted plants……. And holding hands (all seem passé now), but you get the drift of the Fabindia idiom.

A lot has changed, however little has changed at Triveni…. Except the name a few more dishes, higher prices and slightly better service…………

Now for our last experience On a Friday the Discovery Channel Alumni met at the bar Past Times at the India habitat Centre. The next day, Saturday, the Alumni of Mint (the newspaper) met at the Triveni, Tea Terrace. In fact it was a stripped down version. People kept dropping out like nine pins, mother -in-law not well, have migraine, in a presentation with boss, just silence and no excuse. The four of us said what the heck, let’s eat. And eat we did.

Throwing care to the winds we ordered, 4 plates of Shammi kebab, 2 keema and peas, 1 paneer bhurji, I Aloo Jeera, another Paneer bhurji and lots of rotis with a coffee each. It’s supposed to be an afternoon lunch in a budget, we in our ditched out state overcame with stuffing ourselves. The food was nice in fact too much; the keema had a rough and chunky texture. Rahul Verma of The Hindu (who I have mentioned earlier and is way ahead of the game on food writing, has reviewed Triveni before) said, its due to thefrozen keema which has not been thawed and cooked.We wiped the plates clean. Shot the breeze in the sun.

It’s great place that fits into the under hundred rupees per head budget for the Salesman guide to eating out. Its another issue that we ate with vengeance and spent Rs 800/- for four persons (Rs200/- per head). The place is more efficiently run by Meenu Singh. Kamla Rai the founder and the person who ran it for decades is her Aunt.

Trivia : Triveni Kala Sangam was designed by Joseph Allen Stein and was made in 1963 under the able guidance of Mrs Sundari K Shridharani. The nook the book shop of rare collectible books, has shut down. The Tea Terrace is popular and life goes on.
I am sure you have a favorite Triveni Story if you are a dilliwala or have visited the place. Love to hear it.
So Long !

The Holy Trinity: INS/,UNI and PTI Canteens at New Delhi

Like the holy trinity of Hindu mythology and theology, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. I draw an analogy of the three canteens in and around the Journalists precinct the canteens at INS (Indian Newspaper Society), UNI (United New s of india) and PTI (Press Trust of India). I know I have not been in the content side (in Television) and on the edit side of a newsroom (in print), but I have the gumption to not only write, but write about the journalist hangout joints, that is really the fall of the last bastion.

Like I have often said to some eminent friends on the other side of the Chinese wall (there is supposed to be an imaginary and metaphoric wall between the business side guys also termed as the suits and the content guys, the intelligentsia), that I can learn to write, the point is can you learn to sell. Well let us leave that for the moment and cut to the chase of the eating options at these legendary canteens. These are the canteens where many a time the agenda of the nation has been decided, these are the haloed portals when many a battle of words has been debated. Socialism, Communism, Capitalism, Extreme Right wing, Left, Centre, Further Right have been discussed over many tortured sessions of vadas and coffee. I have often wanted to do this story. Finally two winter mornings and an evening and I had my research sort of, complete.

INS (Indian Newspaper Society)

Got talking with the proprietor of Sri Krishna caterers at the INS, he has had the contract for over 4 years and is a break away or splinter group from the caterers at Andhra Bhawan. They cater for many a function and offices. We had a hot and a quick standing breakfast . My partner in crime Shantanu, yours truly and Robert, a colleague visiting from Bombay.

We order soft and succulent idlis (2 plates), hot and steaming Upma (2 plates) and a plate of Vada and perhaps a coffee each . The Idlis and Upma were nice the vada was forgettable and all we paid was Rs 80/- . Now that is new benchmark breakfast for three at Rs 80/-. Can you beat that. Well below the Rs 100 mark and that too for three. Lo behold ! No wonder, Content is King. They get to eat so cheap. INS building has been around since 1956, I guess , there has been a canteen here since, feeding many a million. Shantanu and I liked the experience, perhaps Robert did too as he went in for seconds or he was plain hungry.

UNI ( United News of India)

A truly heavy weight in terms of a canteen, has been around since 1961, earlier the south Indian Swamis ran it. Even my father, often brought home the South Indian Namkeen packets which were hugely popular in the early 80s they are still available today on a cold January morning in 2010. Unfortunately there have been many a changed management. Rahul Verma an eminent food writer of The Hindu, is the only one who has written about the legendary canteen which has nourished and nurtured again, many millions. And you, know I am one of the suits and get to write a tribute to the scribe kind of places and that feels like a double whammy.

Our experience was quick and hurried the idea was to see the place, is it still there and what is it like ? Yes it is there at the same place since then . We had a upma a plate of vada and two coffees at a handsome amount of Rs 37/-. The vadas were really nice and fresh out and piping hot. The upma was a little flat. Well what do we expect from a Himachali now running the place. In fact I got to chat with Sant Lal Sharma, the owner who also proudly posed for me. An outdoor dining with a shed for a kitchen. The quantities being cooked were enormous. Long live UNI, as we like the canteen.

PTI (Press Trust of India)

This again has been the raising ground for many an illustrious and talented journalist and television content creators I know of Pankaj Saxena, Anil Padmanabhan and I am sure lots more. I had to go to the Canteen. Bhushan, our trusted driver took me their one winter evening this January. The building is posh, atleast better than I thought it would be.

Though, the canteen or the cafeteria in this case was a gloomy tube lit affair. It is run by a Joshi Ji, who has been running it for more than half a decade. He was happy to rattle out the menu for breakfast, lunch and beyond. It was 5 pm, decided to check out nearly everything on offer then. Here goes, 3 samosas, bread and butter, 1 aloo bonda and a pakora, followed by a, made in Kashmir, Lichi drink all for Rs50. The experience was just about normal to average. Maybe there is a better time to be there, probably lunch. It was a little better organized in terms of seating and other stuff.


This kind of completes my tour of the Holy Trinity In and around Rafi Marg. Well all were priced at Rs 100/- and therefore qualify for my eating out under Hundred Rupees qualifying benchmark.
So Long !

Ahmadabad Revisted:Haveli and Galli

With a hiatus of 7 months, I am back in Ahmadabad as a visiting faculty at MICA (Mudra Institute of Communications). I get into the car with Akbar and politely ask him, if we can go for a gastronomic outing. He politely postpones it for the next evening which is a Saturday. Stupid me, I do not take Akbar’s number, I was stranded high and dry (literally as Gujarat is dry state, sub text prohibition/no alcohol, officially). So I exercise in the gym which is hot and steamy as compared to the January winter in New Delhi, I play soccer, after nearly a few decades, Enjoyed it! Meanwhile dear wife Praveen’s colleague and friend Asif Kadri, sends a car for dinner at Agashiye.

Beatific setting for a Thali Meal

Praveen has been to Agashiye and she constantly influences, to extract me from the slumming I find expertise in. After Vishala and Gopi on previous visits to Ahmadabad many years ago, I was ready for another Gujarati super deluxe experience. Agashiye is the roof top restaurant (literally means “on the terrace”) at the house of Mangaldas Girdhardas a 40,000 sqft mansion built in 1924. It has a heritage hotel (check out www.houseofmg.com), two restaurants, a banquet lounge, a handcrafted gifts shop, a spa and a swimming pool.

It’s located at Lal Darwaza opposite the Sidi Saiyad Jali Mosque. This unique Jali dating nearly 500 years ago has, the sculptured tree of life (in stone)the emblem of logo at IIM Ahmadabad and many years ago was the centre structure of the lobby at The Oberoi, New Delhi. More of that later.

I walk in, past the kurta-pyjama-gandhi cap clad receptionists, past the black and white photos of the Mangaldas dynasty. A lift takes me to the top,soft Indian music, an outer lobby, people waiting, I walk in lots of empty tables I ask to seated, I am asked, have I paid at the reception I say no. Have you been served soup and starters in the outer lobby, I say no. I am seated near a Henry Wilson a freelance photographer from UK, we get talking after a while…. He has been visiting India for over 30 years. I interact with the senior steward (a Nepalese), though the brochure claims staff from neighboring villages. I am served a soup (a Cornish soup), with dhoklas and a cutlet made out of a yam, It’s a super deluxe experience for the inexperienced, a bit clinical, with washing hands at the table with a person pouring scented water and collecting the soiled water in a receptacle.

I am served 35 items including a bharta, paneer subzi (with missing paneer), gujarati dal and kadhi, bhakri (wheat thick roti), bajra rotis ( Henry Wilson remarked only if the rotis were a little softer), khichdi with ghee. Served in Alloy Thalis, served ,butter and pickles on a betel leaf ( a nice touch),. basoondi , mal puda ,a nice flavorful ice cream as desserts. Topped with a pan and lastly ber ( a coarse fruit) as a mouth cleanser. Yes in all 35 items at Rs 400/- a pop.

The experience is nice especially for the uninitiated to Gujrati food, good setting, pleasant ambience. The food lacks the scale and opulence of a thali joint, the affection of serving and feeding. I had to wait for some courses. Personally I like the Kathiawadi thali more as it is spicier. Nice super deluxe experience in a historic setting. Well the food, me the blue blooded Indian and Henry Wilson the blue blooded Englishman, both of us agreed have had better Gujarati meals.

Beastly setting of Bhatiyar Galli:

I missed going to Bhatiyar Galli the last time (that’s last summer, please check my previous blog on Ahmadabad in May 2009) and with a last night’s antiseptic Guju experience. I had to immerse back into the famous galli (lane)of cooks for weddings and contractual cooking… the bhatiyars. On the way to the airport I convince Ahmed the other driver from MICA and the betrayer of the previous night Akbar’s brother-in-law, to take me to Bhatiyar Galli. We go past Mangaldas Mansion and Sidi Saiyyad Jali mosque in the old bazaar we park behind Hotel paramount, . The parking wallah cha-cha (uncle), was exaggerative, when we asked if the Mahindra Xylo would fit in, he said, we can fit in a railway engine. I saw him eating a really enormous pan and remarked about its enormity, he said I will show you one as big as an elephant’s ear. He also said you will not get kebabs as there is some mourning being observed today in the bazaar.

I searched and made two or three quick halts. A kabab wallah on a cart, ZK Fry centre and a mutton samosa and fried kabab stall. The first stop a father and son duo on a push cart offered me a plate of kababs, a bun heated with oil and a plate of onions for Rs 13/-. Small succulent kebabs made of the bada (colloquially means bigger or buffalo), marinated with raw papaya. Nice treat for Rs 13/-

The next stop a tiny stall in a lane selling tiny meat (I guess again bada) for two rupees each. A tiny bite, but the big boys of the famous samosa shops were shut.

Next the slightly more activated ZK fry centre (it was around five in the evening). Frying fish on an enormous Tawa, I have a piece of surmai with a roti and onions (Rs 33). Tawa is generic and peculiar to Ahmadabad. Everything in meat is done on a Tawa, like the Tandoor or the open bar b cue in Northern India. The bazaar sorry Galli is slow and lazy, I am still hungry, I ask for some prawns, yes the owner starts taking me more seriously. They serve me a plate of tawa fry prawns, onions and a roti all for Rs 53/- I love a Thums Up (Rs20)with the greasy food there is something about the cinnamon zing that’s comforting. Now here’s is the math 13 +33+53+20 =120.That is Rs 120 for all the yummy stuff, I did overspend by Rs 20 (over the psychological mark of Rs 100 for the eating out under hundred rupee mark). Like, I said before, I never plan it, happy to make it around the benchmark.

I top it with an enormous pan for Rs 5 and ask Ahmed to speed me to the airport. I have a beatific smile on my face. I did it even if it was on the way to the airport. As a rejoined I met some students at MICA, Amit Monteiro and Arunesh and a few others already have a under Rs 100/- eating out club, with an open invitation for new and honorary members. I have got myself an invitation as a visiting faculty and a visiting honorary member to this elite club. On the radar is RK Egg Eatery, Sarkhej, Manek Chowk. Ahmadabad here I come.

Farmer's Brunch: Heartland Haryana, Hissar

A bunch of guys with Jeeps headed to the Heartland of Haryana, Hissar. Haryana has the GT Road, the Punjabised version of Haryana with Panipat Karnal, Ambala and there is the real Wild West Texas. Jhajjar, Beri, Rohtak. That’s a lot of Ghee, Beedis, and Blankets for entertainment. We were traveling in a Honda CRV, a Bolero and the good old trustworthy MM550 very nicely modified to suit the terrain.

We drove in the still of the night, stayed at the Hunting Lodge as friends, Sanjay, Abhijeet and others fondly called it.A Hunting lodge is a place which lacks a womans, touch which makes it a home. Next morning at the crack of dawn, we were dancing with the wolves. And at sunrise when the shadows grew short and the birds were resting and the canteens ran dry we got, Hungry. We headed to the Chuck wagon; in this case it was a Haveli at village Dabra. Abhijeet’s maternal grandfathers place. The 40 feet high door with metal and wooden embellishments spread open to a wide courtyard, the sun was strong mouth was dry. From the corner of my eye we saw the gringo whose forefathers have been serving seven generations of the Haveli and it’s Household.


We waited before breakfast, in the large and high ceiling drawing room with rafters which were over 107 years old the Haveli is 107 years old. The photos of Risaldars and Risaldar Majors of the Royal Bengal Lancers, though the carpets are plush and the toilets are modern. The haveli is an old building with modern amenities. We were very hungry and the Gringo called out.

I entered I was dismayed at the simple and frugal spread, few rotis, butter and pickles. When I focused better and dug in, the simplicity and the natural taste overwhelmed me and all of us. There was Missi Roti, with Cow’s milk and butter made from cow’s milk. Served with Kachri Chutney (a cross between cucumber and small melons), also used to tender game meat and pulverize table meat. The pickles, simple and delicious, a relish of Carrot, Turnip and Cauliflower also a pickle of fresh green chilies. Delicious. More Rotis rolled six of us wolfing them down the gringo is doing a marathon from the kitchen to the dining room, we are eating and eating.

The accompaniments, a raw and rudimentary Laadoo (a course sweetmeat, as the Haryanvi’s call them), a plate of Pinniis (more sweets) and some caramelized Gajar Halwa or Carrot pudding. You can run but you cannot hide from the Gringo who is serving us. The Food is delicious we all have nearly 6-7 rotis each, with milk that taste so light smells wonderful. Nothing that I have ever eaten, back in New Orleans, sorry in Delhi.

Amidst the feasting the old timers in Abhijeet’s family uncles and grand uncles tell us stories of the Old hunting grounds of the British India which transport us to the Rudyard Kipling’s India, The Hunter in the Sola Hat. Truly, you have to have, a simple and hearty meal and enjoy the simple pleasures of a simple meal, sharing stories laughter and mirth.

So good , not put on like a commercial Haveli of Rajasthan and quite far from the Bhoppa’s and Bhoppis serving the French in the Neemrana hotels, masquerading as the true Indian experience of this simple meal . Of course it did not cost us anything other than Goodwill Hunting ! Thanks Abhijeet and Sanjay. (Two photos of the haveli are courtesy Randeep. Thanks).

So whats your simple meal story ?

So long!

The 1600 Calorie Brunch : The Claridges, New Delhi

My Dearest wife Praveen is egging me by changing my environment and habitat from Street Food my natural Habitat to not only expensive but very expensive Brunch options. The latest is the 1600 calorie brunch at the lawns of The Claridges, In fact the Trilogy of the British Raj hotels in New Delhi all make very innovative use of the lawns, my previous blog has already mentioned about the Cavalry Dinner at the lawns of The Imperial (apart from wonderful winter lunches), The Brunch at The Claridges in the current post, The Economic Summit at The Ambassador in the upcoming post.

Yes, these three hotels The Imperial, The Claridges and The Ambassador (now a Taj Hotel), exude a certain character of an era. Although they are in different segments, they have a common thread and heritage about them. I got to visit all three within a month, with of course a little help from my friends! Cavalry Dinner (by the subsidy of the Cavaliers Association or perhaps The Imperial, drinks and Dinner for two @ Rs 2000/-) The Brunch @ The Claridges, wholly sponsored by Dearest wife Praveen, who induces me to a good life, otherwise I would have been a highway journeyman.



Now for the lunch which is largely food porn for my street hungry eyes, we started with a glass of wine, perhaps a dry Grover, with platter of cheese , tried six types of cheese, though ineptly laid out and served, cheese appreciation presentation will take a few light years to evolve (a loaded statement from a journeyman). Swiftly followed by Grilled Jumbo prawns and roast duck rolls with chives and plum sauce. Nice prawns, hint of prawn smell and the duck though heated under a lamp, elegantly called the salamander was cold and smelly (as in smelt of duck). Now interspersed with a bloody red Bloody Mary, impeccable service I must say (they spoil you). A slow sampler, of salmon, tenderloin steak, bratwurst (from the Grill). The Grill is very accomplished and the main attraction of the brunch, the eggs station was well unemployed. Sampled, bheja tawa fry, brains on a griddle with a varqi paratha umm okay. What got my heart and my vote apart from the service was the prawn and vegetable tempura with a lovely soya, ginger and wasabi mix (they brought the wasabi and the celery for the bloody marry from the main hotel kitchen on my request) and the appam with the stew, a humble dish but well done.


A quick round of a Mojito (too alcoholic), requested for a virgin Mojito …. Good. Deserts were ordinary, an apple turnover, Vanilla ice cream and Hershey’s kind of chocolate fudge, the hero was badam halwa made from only crushed badams and garnishes. I was too full to even look that way. At Rs 2200/- plus taxes it’s a trifle expensive. It’s a large spread , however, not a patch on the brunches at the Taj and Maurya Sheraton. The Sun and the service….. Oh yeah the service, makes up for everything.




Well personally, Buffet spreads vs. Ala Carte. In a buffet I am a sex crazed monkey, but with the ala carte I am the strong steady Husband or boyfriend at best. I am satisfied with what I have, I enjoy life at my pace and enjoy the dish of life. While in a Buffet, glimpse, ogle, a tit here and ass there at the end of the day could not savor anything tried to grab everything came bloated and unsatisfied. Well, yeah I am Ala carte, and steady kind of guy. I think Dearest wife is secretly testing me by exposing me to the big bad world of Buffets. I like them but I rather stick with Ala carte and her. A beer and a steak any time.