Month: May 2014

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Nizamuddin Food Walk

 

 

Nizamuddin Food Walk

By Anubhav Sapra

Delhi Food Walks organized a food walk in collaboration with Sair-e-Nizamuddin, a Self Help Group formed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Historically known as village Ghiyaspur after the name of the then Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban, this place was later named Hazrat Nizamuddin after the arrival of Sufi Saint HazratNizamuddin. The community represents a range of interesting cultures, traditions and values which are deeply rooted in its history. From the food practices to the religions and social norms that are followed, everything reflects the history of the community and its people.

The walk started with a visit to the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin, the fourth greatest Sufi saint of Chishtiya order. The dargah is one of the most visited shrines of India and attracts thousands of followers of all religions and cultures.

Kit Care Kebab Corner: (Situated near MCD School)The owner, Ameer Hasan, was inspired by his father who was a chef in the Italian Embassy. Initially, he started with Chicken Soup, Mughlai Dishes, Chicken Tikka, Chicken Changezi, Paneer Tikka and ShahiPaneer. As time went by, new items were added to the list to cater to the needs of the public. Chicken Fry, SeekhKebab/Rolls and Roasted Chicken are a few of the new additions. The owner is planning to open a branch in Connaught Place.

Muradabadi Biryani: (Situated near Baoli gate of DargahHazratNizamuddin)The owner, MohammedMajid, started this restaurant in the year 2000. A resident of Moradabad, Western U.P, Majid got inspired by his father who was a well-known chef of Biryani in Moradabad.  The fame that is father garnered motivated him to start a restaurant here in Delhi. He specialises in both chicken and beef biryani.

Mann PasandNahari or MeekuNahari: (Situated on Ghalib road opposite LalMahal) This place was started in 1990. Mr. Meekuwas a Delhite and he started the restaurant with Beef Nahari and NaliNahari. After the demise of Mr. Meeku, it was renamed ManpasandNahari. Today, Mohd. Akbar is the owner of the restaurant and specialises in the same dishes. Chefs in this restaurant have served the Saudi Foreign Ministry for 12 years.

Hussaini Hotel: (Situated next to the Mann PasandNahari shop)The owner, Mohd. Hussain, started this restaurant in 1957. He came from Meerut, a town in Western UP. Today, his son MohdYameen runs the restaurant. They specialise in dishes such as Paya, Daal, Kofta, Chaanp and Qorma. They are the pioneersof Sheermal in the Basti. Also, every Thursday and Sunday they cook a special Biryani for their customers.

Ghalib Kebab Corner: (Situated next to Hussaini Hotel on Ghalib road)The owner, Mohd. Hanif Qureshi started this restaurant in 1971. He was inspired by his family members who were famous chefs in Old Delhi. He invented a type of Kebab which he named after the famous poet ‘Ghalib’. He has recently introduced other dishes such as Qorma, Mutton and Chicken Seekh Kebab, Paneer Tikka etc.

Al-Rafiqu Restaurant: (Situated next to Ghalib Kebab Corner on Ghalib road)The owner Mohd. Rafique Qureshi started this restaurant in 1974. His family has been in the restaurant business for a long time. He specialises in Achari Chicken in the morning hours, Malai Tikka, Chicken Roasted/Tandoori, Fish Tikka and Mutton Qorma. Mr. Rafique is planning to turn his restaurant into a family restaurant in order to cater to larger groups of people.

Al-Quresh Hotel: (Situated on theMarkazi Market or Attar Street)Mohd. Iliyas Qureshi started this restaurant in 2002. Al-Quresh specialises in Chicken Masala, Handi Chicken, Chicken Qorma Boneless, Chicken Haryali Tikka, Chicken Reshmi Kebab, ChikenQalami Kebab.

Hussain Sweet Corner: (Situated opposite Markaz near HamdardDawakhana)The owner Hussain Ahmed started his confectionary shop in 1971. He learnt the process of baking confectionary from his uncle and when time came, chose it as his profession. He began with GajarKaHalwa, Imarti and GulabJamunall of which continue to be in demand till date.

Shams-ud-Din Paan Corner: (Situated next to Hussain Sweet corner)Mohd. Shams-ud-Din started this betel leaf shop in 1949. He came from Amroah district in Western UP. This was his ancestral business, which he has successfully carried on till date. His son, Shahab and Subair run the shop at present. They specialise in various Paans such as Meetha Special, Tobacco Special, Qimam Special and Sada Special.

We ended the walk on a sweet note with their Meetha Special! We thank Md. Asif and Md. Aamir of Aga Khan Trust for Culture for helping us organize a food walk in Nizamuddin. Delhi Food Walks will be having their second walk in the series of Nizamuddin Food Walks in the month of August. Till then, Happy Walking!

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
http://www.delhifoodwalks.com
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Pabrai’s Fresh and Naturelle

                                             May 16, 2014

 Pabrai’s Fresh and Naturelle

                        By Anubhav Sapra

 

After a long stressful day at work, coming back home and switching on the TV to see the same old rhetoric by political parties can make life despairing. However, a visit to an ice-cream parlor can rejuvenate the senses beyond measure. I realized this when I was invited to review different varieties of ice-cream at Pabrai’s Fresh and Naturelle at Connaught Place. The outlet is opposite to Haldiram’s in outer circle, near Bhape da Hotel. The franchise is owned by Mr. Harsh ( Cell no. . 9582812144) There is another outlet of Pabrai’s in East Patel Nagar, run by Mr. Harsh’s son-in-law, Anujeet Singh.

Bubblegum 2This Kolkata-based ice-cream parlor was founded in 2008 and has 28 outlets across India.The brand claims to deliver natural ice-creams without any artificial essence or added colours. The ice-cream is procured from Kolkata by Rajdhani Express twice a week. In fresh fruit flavors, I tasted Watermelon, Musk Melon, Chikoo fruit, Tender Coconut, Anjeer and Alphonso mango. They also have the kind of flavors that, regardless of our age, can make our heart pine for- Bubblegum and Banana Toffee.  But the ones I liked the most were Pabrai’s Nolen Gur, Chandan, South Indian Coffee and Toasted Almond. The scoops are priced between Rs. 39 and Rs. 129 (excluding taxes), and tubs (500 ml) between Rs. 222.220 and Rs. 417.780.

NGPicPabrai’s Nolen Gur ice-cream is served with real nolengur (a variety of molasses) and has chunks of jaggery in it. It is a treat to the taste buds. I enjoyed it thoroughly. The South Indian Coffee has the taste of strong filter coffee, popular in South India. The owner informed us that this flavor has seen an increase in demand since the time it was introduced.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this parlor. It certainly is worth a visit. After all they do have an impressive clientele -The Park, Sheraton, Taj and many others.

 

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
http://www.delhifoodwalks.com
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Channni Pishori Chicken

May 17, 2014

Channi Pishori Chicken

By Anubhav Sapra

 Continuing its endeavor of exploring the unexplored parts of Delhi’s streets, Delhi Food Walks (DFW)recently conducted a food walk in Vikaspuri, its third food walk in West Delhi after Tilak Nagar and Rajouri Garden. Most of the inhabitants of West Delhi are refugees who left Pakistan to settle down in India. The food, the names of the dishes and the cuisine are greatly influenced by this fact.

Of all the places that we visited in Vikaspuri during the food walk, my favorite was the famous Outer Ring Road wale Sardarji’s Channi Pishori Chicken. The place is owned by Daljeet Singh(cell 9810326023) and the address is Shop no. 29, J-Block, DDA Market, Vikaspuri. Daljeet, whose ancestors migrated from Peshawar in Pakistan, took over the shop in 2004 from his ailing father-in-law Channi and moved it to the DDA market from Outer Ring Road.

20140504_194901My foodie friend Kunal who is a resident of Vikaspuri recommended that I try their Tandoori Chicken. We ordered a plate with Roomali Roti. Served with nicely cut onion rings and green chutney, this was the best tandoori chicken I have ever had. The chicken was juicy and soft. I was intrigued to know what went into making this delectable dish –the preparation starts in the afternoon with the marination of the chicken with yogurt and spices; the chicken is then roasted to perfection and finally, the roasted chicken is garnished with mayonnaise, cream and spices. At Rs. 300 per plate, this dish is a must try’! The shop is open in the evening 5pm to 11pm.

Channi Pishori Chicken has given me a reason to plan another food walk in West Delhi to explore the unexplored.

 

 

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
http://www.delhifoodwalks.com
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18 Paranthewala- Paranthe hi Paranthe

May 10, 2014

18 Paranthe wala- Paranthe hi Paranthe

By Anubhav Sapra

When it comes to breakfast, many of us believe that there are not many good options or decent placesin South Delhi to go to. I believe 18 Paranthe wala has the potential to change that!

Located right outside Gate no.1, Green Park metro station, Yusuf Sarai, this small eatery is easy to spot as the name of the shop is written in large fonts- Paranthe hi Paranthe, 18 paranthe wala. The owner of the shop, Hiralal (cell: 9971232180) is an interesting person to interact with.On an astrologer’s advice, he has named his shop 18 paranthewala in order to bring fortunes!

20140501_095102This small eatery has approximately 39 varieties of paranthas. On Hiralal’s recommendation, I tried Aloo Payaz(Rs 20), Mix Veg( Rs 40), Chicken Parantha( Rs 70), Mutton Parantha( Rs 85) and Egg Parantha (Rs 30). The paranthas are neatly served in a paper plate with a dice of Amul Butter, a small cup of Mother Dairy yogurt and Nilon’s pickles. The paranthas were delicious and it was one wholesome meal I had!

To make chicken and mutton paranthas, Hiralal first crushes the raw chicken and mutton seekh kebabs, which he procures from INA market, and then blends it with onion and some masalas to make the filling. Soft inside and crisp outside, these paranthas were just delectable.

I wiped down the heavy breakfast with a hot cup of ginger tea and left with the thought of finding more breakfast options in South Delhi.

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
http://www.delhifoodwalks.com
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Chennai Hot Cafe

May 3, 2014

Chennai Hot Café- Drink More!

By Anubhav Sapra

Address: E-143, Shop no.4, Kamla Nagar

Contact: 9212407758

Last Sunday, my dear friend Hillary who hails from Manipur, invited us for Easter Celebrations followed by a food fest at Emanuel Baptist Church, Civil Lines. More than being a part of the celebrations, I was excited about tasting the flavors at the North East Food Festival and so I readily accepted the invitation!

After participating in the Church service (songs and sermon) with my sister, we headed to the Lawns to savor the delightful food. We tried Singju (Manipuri salad), sandwiches, and a nicely made Cranberry juice mixed with soda and lime.

20140420_190114A lover of South Indian Cuisine, my sister accompanied me to the Easter Celebrations only on the condition that we visit Chennai Hot Café in Kamla Nagar soon after.  The café is managed by Vipul and Kamal, residents of Kamla Nagar. The duo started the café three years back to serve affordable South Indian food to the student community of Kamla Nagar.

It is deliberate move on the part of the restaurant to have a limited number of dishes so as to maintain the quality of their food. The absence of desserts in their menu was the only downside as I was expecting to savor some South Indian sweet dishes like Payasam and Kesari bath.

20140420_184311

My sister and I had Rawa Dosa, Masala Dosa and Uthapam all of which were excellent in taste and are a ‘must try’.

They have an interesting drink, the Neer More (spiced buttermilk), which is a summer drink quite popular in Tamil Nadu and the rest of South India. A bit different from the regular Chaash available in Delhi, it has coriander leaves, curry leaves, chilli and asafoetida as its ingredients. It was quite refreshing and undoubtedly, it is going to be my favorite drink this summer. Amazing dosas and a refreshing Neer More, need I say more?

 

 

 

Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra
Anubhav Sapra is an avid foodie! He is a Founder but proudly calls himself a Foodie-in-chief at Delhi Food Walks. He is also a street-food and Indian regional cuisine connoisseur and loves to write about street-food.
http://www.delhifoodwalks.com