September 2015 – Delhi Food Walks

Posted on September 27, 2015

Coastal treats from Goa at Machan

Though it might not sound very ‘cool’, I haven’t been to Goa, yet. However, the same is in my destination list for my quest to try upon authentic Goan food. Whatever little dishes that I have tried till now are from Goa Bhawan.

The other day, I had a privilege of being invited to the much acclaimed restaurant in Taj Mahal Hotel- Machan ,to relish the rich Goan delicacies. I was actually looking forward to have an awesome food experience at Taj and I really had. It was indeed great to interact with the Chef Arun Sundaraj and to taste some of his signature dishes at the Coastal treats from Goa over a Saturday brunch at Machan.

I must tell you that you can enjoy this sumptuous spread over a Saturday Brunch till the end of October, 2015. The offering is actually a part of the ongoing celebrations of regional cuisines at the iconic restaurant. However, Taj seems to have taken quite an offbeat step to organize brunches on Saturdays, gradually setting up a trend. Thumbs up to the new trend!

Chef Arun Sundaraj, Executive Chef, The Taj Mahal Hotel was instrumental in relaunching the Lobster Shack which earned the reputation of being the best shack in South Goa. Inspired from his brief spelt in Goa, he has curated the Goan brunch on Saturdays at Machan.

While the live Goan band performed some classic Goan numbers, I had Chorizo Pulao, Clam Masala, Exotic Vegetable Malaguetta, Mutton Xacuti, Prawn Balchao, Goan Fish Curry,and Okra coconut.

Out of all the dishes, I loved Clam Masala the most. The Goan catholics and the Gowd Saraswat Brahmin, both have different ways of making Clam Masala. As told by Chef, the one being served at Machan followed the middle path in style of cooking. It was full of flavours- not too spicy. Chorizo Pulao- minced pork sausages cooked with rice was extremely flavourful. Mutton Xacuti was made with goat’s meat that has the flavor of coconut milk, curd and other spices.

Okra, a common vegetable, apparently changes it flavour after crossing the regional boundaries and I seem to love it in every form. Here, Okra was cooked with shredded coconuts which added a nice flavor to the whole dish. I relished all the dishes to the core.

One noticeable and outstanding section was that of the desserts. I had never seen something like this before. Although there were no specific Goan desserts but the hall was actually full of colourful desserts ranging from carrot cake to kalakand to suji ka halwa. I was really spoilt for choice.

Date: September 2015 – October2015

Price: INR 2600 plus taxes per person for adults, INR 2100 plus taxes per person for kids(6 -12 years);INR 3000 plus taxes for Goan Buffet with Port

Venue: Machan, The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi, Number One, Mansingh Road

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

Posted on September 23, 2015

Daawat-e-Maghrib

Daawat-e-Maghrib @ Singh Sahib

By Anubhav Sapra

Food knows no boundaries. It connects people across globe. I was at the Eros, the other day to be a part of the Pakistani Food Festival named Dawat-e-maghrib, where I had a privilege to share the table with one of the celebrity chefs of Pakistan, Gulzar Hussain. We had such an intense discussion around food that I took him across Old Delhi, the very next day, to sample some of the local dishes of Bazar Matia Mahal in Jama Masjid.

To be clear, Singh Sahib Restaurant at Eros Hotel is hosting a ten-day Pakistani Food Festival, Dawat-e-maghrib till 25^th September. The chefs – Chef Gulzar and Chef Naseem from Pakistan has come to Delhi to showcase the delicacies straight from the land of Pakistan – Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan and Karanchi. This seems to me a not-to-miss-out thing.

Chef Gulzar Hussain is a well known name in Pakistan. Chef Gulzar took his professional training from Japan and worked there for about 12 years and married a Japanese lady. He has also spent years with his family in Thailand and gained expertise in Thai food too. He finally settled in Karachi, Pakistan and opened a Thai restaurant. He also started his TV career with his morning show on a famous TV channel, HUM TV and till date he has worked in almost all the famous cooking channels in Pakistan. His recipes are famous all over Pakistan and he is loved by millions of food lovers (Source: Zaiqa).

I must admit that it was one of the most memorable meals of my life. The food was truly delectable. I started with the famed chapli kebab of Pakistan- the flat kebabs made with whole spices. In India, the focus is more on making the kebabs tender such that they simply melt in mouth. Whereas, the chapli kebabs, I sampled in the festival were coarse in texture and the use of whole spices seem to have added a different taste to it. The raw spices especially the coriander seeds blended well with the meat. Another starter, chargah- whole spring chicken, double cooked, steamed and later fried with spices was delicious too. Lahori fish fry was worth trying- the surmai fish is first marinated with lahori spices and later deep fried. Other dishes in the starters were murgh boti and malai mushrooms.

In the main course, I had mutton nahari which appeared to be quite distinct from the Delhi one. This dish was a little spicier and the mutton pieces were bigger in size. The gravy was excellent and had a stew-like consistency. Chef Gulzar revealed that nahari and siri paya is a popular breakfast dish in Pakistan. The same dishes are still popular in Old Delhi- nahari, magaz/bheja and nalli. That brings our Old Delhi food culture a bit closer to Pakistan. Macchli salan was yet another dish cooked with ajwain and methi.

A vegetarian dish, aloo ki katliyan became one of my favourites. It was a dry preparation of potato with tomato, cumin and turmeric. The recipe seemed to be really simple but the dish was flavourful. The biryani was again full of flavours- memoni biryani – an extremely spicy biryani developed by memons of Gujarat-Sindh region. It is cooked in akhni style. In desserts, pethay ka halwa, sheer khorma, and lab-e-shireen – rich Pakistani custard with fresh cut fruits and dry nuts were served.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 17, 2015

Delhi’s first ever Robatayaki Festival

Robatayaki Festival @ b- bar

One of the perks of being a food writer is that you get invitations to taste the food of different countries at famed restaurants in Delhi. Recently, I got an invitation to try Delhi’s first ever stand alone Japanese Robatayaki Festival at b-Bar at SelectCity Walk, Saket.

Robatayaki is one of the most popular techniques of cooking in Japan. It literally means “fireside-cooking”. This cooking technique is similar to that of a barbecue where food items are placed on skewers or iron griddles and are then slow-grilled over hot charcoal. This technique is further shortened and is famous as Robata, the original, traditional Japanese style of barbecue prepared in front of customers and is served directly, similar to the Sushi preparations and presentations.

The cooking procedure is highly engaging and guests can choose from the carefully selected seasonal vegetables, seafood, poultry and meat from Robata section. Chef then delicately grills the guest’s choice with glaze to utter perfection.

In Indian cuisine, the fish or meat is marinated first, later grilled and served with chutney. In Robatayaki, no marination is required, rather the sauces and dips are served with the grilled dish, says Chef Richard. It thus gives an option to try different sauces based on the guest’s taste preferences.

Some of the choices of glazes and sauces are Gambaba (Lemon leaves, oil, lime juice, chili), Lemon herbs (Lime juice, fresh herbs, olive oil), Teriyaki (Mirin, soy & sugar/spices), Yuzu Chimichuri (Onion, garlic green chili, coriander, yuzu juice), Ponzu (Soy, sake, yuzu juice, mirin, sugar), Angry sauce (Yoghurt, siracha, cream, togarashi), Yakiniku (Light soy, mirin, sake, yuzu juice, green apple), Miso Mayonnaise (White miso paste, mayonnaise, chili flakes). Out of all, ChimiChuri was very close to the Indian coriander chutney.

I tried Robusuta (rock Lobster), Janboebi (Jumbo Prawns), Akachan no niwatori (baby chicken), Niwatori no muneniku (chicken breast), and Zukkini, Akami ( barramundi fish). The most expensive dish on the menu is Ramuchoppu (lamb chops) priced at INR 2455. The manager informed us that the lamb chops are imported from Australia and that adds to the cost. The other dishes are in the range of INR 300 to INR 1500. The menu offers a mix of both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes.

The festival is on till 30^th September at b-Bar, Lobby D, 4^th Floor, SelectCityWalk Saket.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 17, 2015

Gastronomica

By Prakriti Bhat

Gastronomica breaks all the norms of conventional dining. Its quirky interiors exude a feel good vibe which is bound to make your experience a joyful one. This place works equally well for families and youngsters; it strikes the perfect balance. It is classy yet funky. The moment you step inside, you get an enchanting aroma of delicious flavours emanating from the kitchen which is located quite close to the entrance; a smart move. This tactic reminded me of Tom & Jerry where the tiny rat would follow the aroma of cheese, cunningly used by Tom to trap its adversary! Yes, the irresistible whiff of food being prepared will ensnare your senses.

The interiors were done up very tastefully. They have paid great attention to the smallest of details. Right from the paper napkins to the bare brick walls, everything is absolutely distinctive. To begin with, the napkins are placed on a boat shaped holder and are black in colour. It gave off a very Pirate-like feel. The plates were not round; they were cut parallelly from two sides. They had a lightning bolt symbol at the center, similar to the insignia on Harry Potter’s forehead! The glasses were cut in a slant manner from the top. It took me a while to get used to it as I was constantly in fear of the glass falling off the table! One section of the wall had ‘Cheers’ written over it in different languages. Glass bottles were embedded in the wall to make for an interesting patch of art which reminded me of a similar patch of wall at Wood Box Café on Hudson Lane.

The menu is quite extensive and provides a wide array of European, Pan-Asian, Indian and Italian delicacies. They bring the whole world on your plate. From Tandoori dishes to Dimsums, Crepes to Burgers and Pastas to Nihari, it’s all here, under one roof. The Watermelon Cooler was refreshing and pulpy; a perfect start to the meal. My food journey began with Chicken Ko Thay Dimsums. The filling was quite liberal and well made. The covering was a bit sticky so I wouldn’t say they were the best but it was an okayish start to the meal. From here the ride just got better. The Alfredo Penne Pasta was outstanding. The cheese is bound to give you a foodgasm. Public etiquettes stopped me from wiping the delectable white sauce off the pan with my fingers! This is a must try.

Next came the Primavera Pizza. With a super thin and crispy crust, it maintained a steady equilibrium between taste and health. While it is quite flavorsome with the bell peppers and olives, it is low on cheese. For the record, I am a cheese lover but this didn’t seem like a bad option. The pizza was brought on a huge piece of wood, shaped like a tree trunk while the pasta was served in a small pan. The veggie sliders were cute little bombs of flavor and definitely the winner of our meal. The fist sized buns held crunchy bean patties and was a blessing to the taste buds. These were served with French fries and marked the end of our feast.

Gastronomica has managed to carve a niche for itself in the raging restaurant business of South Delhi. The staff was very attentive even though the place was packed to the gills on a busy Saturday afternoon. With some fine upholstery and interior designing, it stands out among the crowd of fast food joints like Dunkin Donuts, CCD and the likes. Reservation is recommended.

Hop on an exuberant and delicious gastronomical ride @ Gastronomica!

Address- 2^nd floor, M block market, GK 1 (Right above Bercos)

Cost for two- Rs. 1200

Contact No.- 9971172933

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 13, 2015 September 13, 2015

3 Of Connaught Place’s Sweetest Secrets

By: Aradhana Dwivedi-Verma, Anubhav Sapra

The history and origins of the delectable delight that is the rasgulla, has always been a subject for heated debates, but its existence is nothing but a divine blessing for us. And what’s more, eastern India is not the only region that can lay claim to making the best ones. New Delhi’s Connaught Place, an exuberant shopping and eating hub, has a sinful little underbelly that not everyone is aware of. Hidden among the boutiques and swanky restaurants are street stalls selling the most delectable rasgullas and other sweet treats. Sweetening the deal even further are the throwaway prices.

1. Lalji

An amiable gentleman with a kind face, Lalji has occupied his corner of Connaught Place’s H Block for close to 40 years. In the summer months, customers flock to his modest stall to cool down with rasgullas, ice cream and rabdi.

Originally from Gorakhpur, Lalji lives in Nabi Karin, Paharganj, and earlier sold ice cream in Satyanarayan Katra, Chandni Chowk. Although he makes the ice cream himself, he sources the rabdi from Hathras; it is made by two brothers named Bablu and Mukesh, who also supply it to Haldiram’s, says Lalji with quiet amusement.

The rasgullas at this stall are sweet and juicy, and the rabdi (Rs 10 for a cup), is sweet, textured and melts in the mouth. It is sold through the year, though the Lalji sets aside the ice cream and succulent rasgullas after Diwali, replacing them with gulab jamuns and gajar ka halwa.

Find it here: Next to Punjab Sindh Bank, H Block, Connaught Place
Contact: 8800123521

Lalji sets up his stall at noon each day and leaves at 9pm.

2. Sajan Lal

The first thing that strikes you about Sajan Lal’s shop is the array of posters depicting benevolent colourful deities smiling down upon his trays of rasmalai, kulfi, rabdi, faluda and rasgullas.

Sajan Lal is from Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, but has been living in Delhi since 1982. Like Lalji, he too buys his rabdi from Bablu and Mukesh, but makes his rasgullas and ice cream himself.

As he makes you a faluda-kulfi (swiftly going through the steps — ice cream, faluda, chashni, rabdi, ice cream again and a deft dash of Rooh Afza) he tells you that he lives in Paharganj, as do many others in his trade.

When you’re here, do try the rasmalai; it is soft, flavourful and utterly beautiful to behold. If you’re craving something salty, ask for the dhoklas. The dhoklas are a recent addition to the menu (it was his first day of selling dhoklas on the day of the interview); he is looking to add variety

The best thing he makes is the rasmalai; it is soft, flavourful and utterly beautiful to behold.

Sajan Lal sets up shop at 10am, and stays till around 8.30pm, which is when his stock usually runs out.

Find it here: Near Bank of Baroda, M Block, Connaught Place
Contact: 9953939342

3. Sanjay Agarwal’s stall

Sanjay Agarwal runs a stall near Barakhamba Road metro station, selling faluda, rabdi, kulfi and rasgullas. It is probably one of the most famous sweet stalls in CP, if not all of Delhi – before Sanjay hopped on board, his father had been running it for 40 years.

The place is always crowded, with people asking for their favourite desserts.

Unlike most other vendors, he breaks a rasgulla into half before serving it to you, and when you express surprise upon learning that he too lives in Paharganj and buys his rabdi from Bablu and Mukesh, he tells you that this is no coincidence. Lalji is his brother-in-law and Sajan Lal is his father’s younger brother. In shop number 53, Shankar Market, sits Rampher, Lalji’s brother. He only sells faluda kulfi, says Sanjay Agarwal.

Agarwal’s most legendary dish is the slightly tangy faluda; he explains that while the others use only mango ice cream, they use mango and vanilla. He also explains that their ice cream is the best because they churn the milk more.

In the winter months, they sell moong dal ka halwa.

Find it here: Outside Exit 6, Barakhamba Road Metro Station
Contact: 7834897696

A collaborative project of Delhi Food Walks and Spoon University on Delhi Street Food Series that brings you the best of both worlds- expertise and love for food.

Picture Courtesy: Aakanksha Joshi

This article was published in HuffPost India. Here is the link- http://www.huffingtonpost.in/delhi-food-walks/3-of-connaught-places-swe_b_8101412.html

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 10, 2015 September 10, 2015

ITO ke Mashur Fruit Cream

ITO Ke Mashur Fruit Cream

By Rhea Jose

In Delhi, there is so much of history and culture mixed up with the food. An intrinsic part of the charm of Delhi’s streets is its food. Various places in Delhi narrate many stories through the overwhelming variety of street food that they offer. They’ll inspire you to pull out your cameras, explore new ways, and sometimes, even get into the kitchen and recreate.

One such place I recently explored is the famous “Income tax canteen wale” at the ITO lane on Azad Bhawan Road. This place has been serving chilled fruit cream since the past 46 years. It was started by Shri Amarnath in 1969 at the CR building, ITO lane. It was shifted to this spot 4 years back and, today it is run by Vinod Kumar and his brother. The fruit cream is delicious and gives you a very authentic ‘So Delhi’ taste! The cream shake is made with Mango, Banana, Papaya and apple (seasonal) which are churned together with separate cream and ice to make it into a smooth cream. It is then garnished with tutti frutti. This refreshing homemade sweet-dish is made by Vinod ji himself. The fruit cream is a perfect delight on a summer day!

In summers, on an average, 300-350 customers visit this shop daily, and in winters the count comes down to 200. People who are on a fast often have this to subside their hunger buds. It comes in various sizes of Rs. 20, 30, 40 and 50 respectively. If ever you happen to be in ITO, then definitely give this amazing dessert a try! And yes, not to forget, Sundays are off for Vinod Ji too!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 5, 2015

Journey through Deccan

By Anubhav Sapra

Onam, a festival of Kerala is celebrated with a lavish vegetarian feast (Sadya) served on a banana leaf. In Delhi, at Kerala House, every year, foodies queue up despite the humid weather to relish the rich feast. I also had my fill on the last day of the food festival. Such lavish feast it was that I already started missing it the very next day. The moment I tried to convince myself to wait for the next year, I received this invitation from Eros Hotel, Nehru Place.

This invitation was to savour the South Indian delicacies in the ‘Journey through Deccan’ food festival. And I couldn’t have been more happier. The festival coincided with the end of Onam Sadya. The journey through Deccan is celebrating the diversity of food available in the 5 states of South India- Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Karnataka. The menu is rotational covering the popular dishes of the South Indian states. The buffet is priced at INR 1750 plus taxes for the Lunch and INR 1850 plus taxes for the dinner.

My journey of Deccan started with cream based piping hot Rasam and starters like Parippu vada, Shikampuri Kebab, Prawn Pepper fry and Lukhmi (a local variation of patty, stuffed with chicken kheema). Shikhampuri Kebab of Hyderabad was excellent in taste- soft and not too oily.

In the main course, I had Appam (rice pancake), Malabar parantha and Chicken stew. In fact, Appam and Chicken stew (simmered in coconut milk) is a popular breakfast dish in Kerala as it is easy to make and mild in spices.
The other dishes on offer are Thengai sadam (coconut rice), Ambur Chicken Biryani (Tamil special), Mutton Sukha (Andhra Style Lamb preparation), Pumpkin pulissary (white pumpkin simmered in yoghurt gravy), Bendakkai (Pulikozhambu (Okra simmered in tamarind curry)

My journey through Deccan ended with sweet Mysore Pak and Elanir Payasam and a strong flavorful filter coffee served in traditional Madras style Dabarah.

The Journey through Deccan festival ends on 5^thSeptember. Grab it before it’s too late!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 3, 2015

Depaul’s

Depaul’s: The perfect blend of culture & consistency

By: Shagun Nayar

The Cosmetics, Coffee & Snack Shop located on 22 Janpath , Indian Oil Bhavan Corridor is an institution in itself.It stands tall and proud as one of the few remaining old haunts of Dilwaalon ki Dilli. Known widely for its perfect blend of frothy cold coffee & consistency throughout the years, it has managed to withstand the big bad wolves like CCD, Costa, Barista & Starbucks.

I can say with utter confidence that there does not exist any true Dilliwaala who hasn’t visited the infamous Depaul’s. The name itself is sure to stir up conversations stemming from fond memories and nostalgia between friends, students, colleagues and thinkers. Be it discussing philosophy & politics right in the middle of the capital city or whiling away time after bunking lectures to getting that much needed kick of caffeine after the endless bargaining at Janpath, Depaul’s has managed to be everyone’s first choice in the bustling market of Janpath & Connaught Place.

The reason why Depaul’s has successfully continued and further strengthened its legacy is because it emits an aura of permanence & culture in an otherwise fast-paced world where producers are driven not by their craft but by their desire to be number 1.

Founded in 1952 by Mister Dharam Pal Kathpalia, it was more than a distant dream. Surprisingly, hailing from a prominent family Mr. Dharam Pal never got the approval from his father on starting a business venture because his father was sceptical of “business” as a promising occupation. On having been conferred with the ‘Rai Sahab’ designation by the British Officials, he didn’t like the sight of his son leaving a possible future in administration/governance for something as risky or unstable as a business venture.

The lovely Mr. Ashwani Kathpalia; second generation of the family business who was personally attending to all his customers with a beaming smile was more than willing to share with me the history of Depaul’s and how it came into being. So, with absolutely no family support and very little money, Mr.Dharam Pal had no other alternative but to start from scratch by selling mere objects as a street vendor. Subsequently, as a result of his hard work & will power, he opened his very own cosmetics shop in the posh neighbourhood of Janpath where he was joined by his two real brothers & that’s how the family business came into being. After being relocated from the original Depaul’s which was located on the corridor along the main road to its present location in 19 70 , the enthusiastic entrepreneurs of the Kathpalia family expanded their business from a cosmetics shop to a booming beverages corner in 19 68 & that is the story behind their first ever bottle of cold coffee. A decade and a half down the line, the owners decided to further expand and transform Depaul’s to a well stocked shop with Cosmetics, Cold Coffee and a range of Food Items owing to its sheer popularity and prime location.

Depaul’s now houses under its name, The Original Cosmetics Shop, Cold Coffee Corner, An elaborate Snacks Bar with Burgers, Grilled Sandwiches, Korma Sandwiches, Momo’s, Patty’s & their famous Cheese Balls.

Staying true to the principle of customer satisfaction, Depaul’s has managed to keep up with the changing trends by introducing a fresh range of flavoured cold coffees. You can now order anything from a Regular bottle of Cold Coffee to Mocha/Chocolate/Hazelnut/Almond/Sugar Free Cold coffee.

For all those of you who last visited this humble institution in your good old college days or those of you who are new to this beautiful city , head out to what in my opinion is a heritage coffee shop & travel back in time where the coffee is always premium and the quality is always consistent.

Phone Number: 011-23328214

Price for 2: Rs. 150-200

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on September 3, 2015 September 3, 2015

PIZZA EXPRESS – 50 YEARS CELEBRATION

By Ritika Dhawan

Pizza Express hosted a blogger’s night, to celebrate its 50^th anniversary and the launch of its new menu, at its recently opened outlet at Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. Established in 1965 in London, by founder Peter Boizot for the love of real Italian pizza, Pizza Express has mapped its journey with over 500 restaurants in 14 countries across the globe. Every outlet is uniquely designed, with its inspiration drawn from the location of the outlet.

A warm welcome and an assorted non vegetarian platter marked the start of the evening. Antipasto Pollo e Gamberro – an assortment with pesto marinated chicken, prawns on skewers, roasted tomatoes, fresh buffalo mozzarella served with basil pesto, pesto rosso and dough sticks baked with emilgrana (a dehydrated hard cheese). Each item on this platter complimented each other, as explained by the chef the buffalo mozzarella cleanses the palate so as to ensure that we can enjoy the individual flavours of each assortment. Also we were served a drink which was a blend of watermelon, mint and lemon- it was as refreshing as it sounds.

Next was the star of the night – The Pizza !! The chef prepared their signature pizza from scratch; he explained to us every minute detail and walked us through the process of creating this Italian wonder. The importance of evenly stretching the dough, not overloading the pizza with the toppings so as to let the flavour of the base stand out, every tip and trick was shared. The fun was tripled when we got a chance to create our own pizza under the supervision of the chef.

A thin and crispy Romana base, layered with their signature tomato passata sauce which is imported from Italy, topped with fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, flavoured with salt and black pepper and finally drizzled with olive oil was the highlight of the evening. The pizza was not at all heavy, the base maintained its crunch and one could have countless slices of it- a must try.

For a perfect end to a meal, a baked vanilla cheesecake served with your choice of gelato, cream or mascarpone(a soft cheese) delighted the senses.

A place that promises quality and will surely continue to maintain its legacy; if pizzas define Italian food for you, head to Pizza Express now and indulge!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com