Tag: delhi food guide

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Vaishnav Chaat Bhandar : *heart eyes*

While wandering around the streets of Kamal Nagar ask any person to point the direction for the best chaat place around and every one will surely mention one place that is ‘Vaishnav Chaat Bhandar’. This incredibly famous chaat bhandar is the go-to for every person in Kamla Nagar who develop cravings for some sweet and tangy chaat. According to this place’s humble owner this place is around six decades old and has a very constant trend of satisfying their customers throughout.

As soon as you enter the lane which carries this amazing wonder you will see a swarm of people mushrooming around this joint  from quite a distance. Even the name board of this place screams how old this place must be as the alphabets are carved on a sandstone rather than using modern day techniques. As we believe that with every change in region in India , the flavours of the chaat has twists and turns of its own. As you proceed into this place you will see the barbecue  grills with seekhs of very delightful marinated paneer and soya chaap which tells you that this place is much more than just chaats and golgappas .

Their vast menu includes pav bhaji ,paneer tikka and various types of soya chaap. The owner of the shop recommended us to try their famous ‘Bhalla Papdi‘. It was basically a dish in which bhalla and few papdis are soaked in dahi which is then topped with chickpeas and potatoes along with some boondi, to add some more flavour to it , tamarind chutney and more dahi is added, then to give a final touch different combination of spices is sprinkled on to it. One particular thing that can be observed is that the chaats here are prepares in a Old-Delhi-style as it is topped with kachalu which is a trend that Old-Delhi chaat vendors follow a lot. This dish was delicious as it kicked the taste buds at all right places with perfect temperature of dahi. All the combination of the chutneys and spices worked perfectly for us. Next in we dug into to the classic pav bhaji , it was served with loads of butter on the bhaji and as well as on the buns too, it was served along with some onions and lemon slice. The flavour of the pav bhaji was amazing with bhaji being slight different in good way from the usual ones.

Even though there is no such concept as ‘ seating arrangements’ at this place , but the flavours and varieties of the tidbits that this place offers are worth a try.

Name : Vaishnav Chaat Bhandar

Address: 66-67/E, Near Chota Gol Chakkar, Kamla Nagar

Contact info : +91 9810195762

 

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Bun Tikki Wale Bhaiya : IPCW ki shaan

Indraprastha College for Women in one of the oldest college of Delhi University situated in the North Campus near the Civil Lines metro station. With  quite a beautiful campus and very welcoming ambience, there is another thing about this college which is the usual ‘ talk of the town ‘ that is the ‘Bun Tikki‘ stall that resides just outside the college gate in a small corner with the most concentration of people. The traces of this stall goes back to  the post independence era around the 1950’s . The current owner of this stall Mr. Ram Dev  proudly claims this stall to be even older than half a century and how this tradition is carried on from his father to him and how it will be carried on to to the next generation very soon.

The stall opens early in the morning around 9:00 am  and serves its delicacies till 4 in the evening. The menu is not very vast but it shows perfectly what this eatery specializes in. The menu includes the most talked about ‘Bun Tikki‘ along with other tidbits such as aloo chaat , chole kulche , bhel puri , papdi chaat and kulcha roll which is perfectly complimented by a popular go-to of each and every Dilliwala known as Bunta which is perfect to quench your thirst along with the sweet and spicy bites this small eatery serves.

This place experiences the most rush during the break time in the afternoon when all the hungry peeps including the students of the college and even the teacher staff are in a search for something delicious to fulfil their hungry tummies and the rush is sometimes even more than that of the college canteen itself . The hot piping tikki  sandwiched between the perfectly buttered buns along with the tangy sweet chutney and a perfect seasoning of various spices makes it just irresistible as it sounds. Another most loved dish here is the aaloo chaat which is made from perfectly shallow fried potato cubes seasoned with the spice mix and topped with the spicy green chutney which we can customize according to our preferences by consulting our very own taste buds.

Mr. Ram Dev is very particular about the hygiene of the stall and keeps it as clean as possible, he particularly mentions about how he uses the fresh ingredients  to make these mouth watering snacks. What makes this eatery even better is the price of the items, none of them are above a range of Rupees 30 . Such flavoursome and zestful snacks at such low costs with maintained hygiene ! What else do we need ?

Address : Beside the main gate of IPCW, Civil Lines

Owner’s Name : Ram Dev

Contact no. : 9319533687

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Sudama Ji Ki Tea Stall : One stop for all the chai lovers

Feeling cold ? have chai (tea) . Want to have a important conversation ? Meet up at chai. After all , who says chai cannot be the solution to your every problem. Chai is the most loved beverage among India and the love indeed doubles when it comes to Delhiites. One such place which was established around 30 years ago by a very humble man popularly known as ‘Sudama ji ‘ by his fellow customers , is “Sudama ji ki Tea Stall” which is located right on the main road from Kirori Mal College to Ramjas College. At any mentioned time of the day you will see people flooded on this tea stall, there doesn’t exist a single person in the North Campus who doesn’t know about this stall. Once you name it and people will tell you the exact spot where it is located at. Sudama ji serves his special tea at as low as Rupees 10. You can taste the flavor of ginger, cinnamon and cardamom in the masala chai  he offers.

The best time to visit this place is the late evening hours especially during the winter nights, you will see every person including the cops patrolling around the area  to the students living in the campus to the staff and even the fellow rickshaw and auto drivers breeding around the stall waiting for their chance to get a glass full of the ‘most talked about ‘ chai  of the campus. This stall stays open until late night with never ending rush for chai which can always be seen boiling down in big vessels by Sudama ji with a lot of passion to make his chai perfect for his customers.

You can also have some rusks , biscuits to accompany the perfect cup of tea even to make it more perfect. While crossing through the university you will always listen people mentioning this tea stall and especially students quoting it very often. So, if you are on a search of a perfect cup of ‘garma garam chai’  along with a swarm of people who are equally passionate and  in love with chai as you are or else need a perfect kick start to your day or want a much needed break then surely this is the place you are searching for.

Name : Sudama ji ki tea stall

Owner’s name : Sudama ji

Address: On the main road between KMC and Ramjas

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Labib’s : The crowded nukkad

Roaming around north campus with a hungry tummy and confused state of mind ?  In this situation enter the very famous   “ Chatori lane” which is a small street in Kamla Nagar beside Mc Donald’s in which you will capture the sight of food in every direction you look at. This street ends with a very famous nukkad food joint  known as “ Labib’s”, it can be seen from quite a distance that this place is very crowded all the time. The first thing any person who visits this place observes is a very long menu with numerous options ranging from various kinds of shakes, rolls and sandwiches etc. This place serves both vegetarian and non vegetarian delicacies.

It is very famous among the college students due to the pocket friendly menu, who can be seen mushrooming on the stairs nearby this joint with the amazing food this place serves. This place is famous for its shakes, black forest shake is a must try and even they serve the best ice mocha. You can even have the rolls including the shawarma roll and the double egg roll. They also  have a best seller called the “chicken chatkara sandwich” which is as delicious as it sounds. This shop generally opens around 12 pm and closes late around 10 pm with its rush hour being mainly in the evening.

They offer their food accompanied with great dips such as the cheesy dip and if you are new to this place they offer your first mayonnaise dip for free. Even the service is quick and the owner is very friendly too. So, if you are looking for somewhere great to eat with numerous options and pocket friendly budget, this place is exactly what you are searching for. So, don’t forget to  visit this place and grab a lip smacking  snack along with a gulp of thick and cold shake and have a very happy meal and leave this place with a satisfactory grin and eagerness to visit it again.

Name: Labib’s

Address : UB-101, Chatori Lane , Kamla Nagar

Contact number : +91999432924

 

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Chaudhary Sweets Corner : End to a good dinner

According to you what can match the satisfaction of ending your meal with a mouth watering and flavorsome dessert ?  This shop in the nukkad of one of the streets in Shakti Nagar which goes by the name ‘Chaudhary Sweets Corner’ is just the right solution for your after meal sugar craving. This place has been satisfying the sweet tooth of Delhi peeps since 1910.   I visit there very often, usually after dinner time which is when this place witnesses the most crowd. Out of all the desserts the most popular position is bagged by our all time favorite Kulfi (a popular frozen dairy dessert from the Indian subcontinent). Although this place never lags behind when it comes to the versatility of the desserts, ranging from rabri falooda to kalakand to firni. The owner proudly claims kalakand and rabri falooda to be his most sold dishes.

Whenever you visit this place never fail to notice the satisfaction which people hold on their faces after tasting the yum-yum desserts. The rates of the kulfis start from as low as rupees 10 and ranges maximum to rupees 30. There are a numerous flavors of kulfi which includes classic flavors like kesar badaam, kaju pista and even some unique flavors like caramel which they claim to be their signature flavor, other unique flavors include mocha , paan,  rewari , anjeer etc. You can even have the flavored milk which is served in disposable bottles with handsome quantity of milk and wide range of flavors at very reasonable prices.

This place is actually much more than just  desserts as you can see an extension of this shop selling delicious smelling savory items such as pav bhaji , aloo tikki , paneer tikka and kathi kebab. Moreover it even offers some quick bites such as samosa and bread pakoda which is perfect to cure your not so hungry hunger. What makes this place extra special is the swift service and very sweet behaving staff that stand as the pillars of this legendary joint and the unforgettable cleanliness and hygiene which this place maintains is remarkable.

The journey that started almost a century ago still never fails to surprise us with its consistent and toothsome dishes. We are beyond blessed to have such places in our Dilli.

Name: Chaudhary Sweets Corner

Address: 10/18, near Roshanara Club, Kamla Nagar , New Delhi

Contact number: +91 9871311188

Owners name: Devraj Chaudhary

 

 

 

 

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Kashyap : The evening munching junction

Have you ever been stuck in a situation when you feel hungry but don’t feel like eating much ? That is when you need just a little but tasty snack to munch on. Well, for the people living in Kamla Nagar or nearby areas are lucky enough to have the perfect solution for this problem. “Mr. Sunil Kashyap” has been serving the best snacks to the foodie Dilli wale since 1986.His limited yet so perfect menu includes the drool worthy paneer (cottage cheese) bread pakoda. This dish is made by a slice of paneer along with spiced mashed potato sandwiched between two slices of bread which then is dipped in  batter of besan and deep fried till perfection. This is the most common way in which a bread pakoda is prepared but at this famous food joint this is just the basic step, after this Mr. Sunil Kashyap just adds the right twist to make it more awesome. He adds some tangy spices and tops it with some shredded onion and cabbage and serves this delicacy with two types of chutneys.

Other items on his menu includes Aaloo tikki which is also served with the same twist as  the bread pakoda. This stall is in a small lane in Kamla nagar, which is well known for some famous street food joints including the legendary Chache di hatti. During a small chit chat with Mr. Kashyap he told me about how he never compromises in the taste of the snacks and always serves the dishes quick and warm which proved to be just right as I ordered a plate of bread pakoda  which was served to me in few minutes and as I took a bite of the delicacy, every taste bud in my mouth felt so satiated and delightful.

The thing which adds up to the flawless food to make the place more perfect is the old school FM Radio that plays the evergreens which adds more joy to the environment . Besides everything , in today’s era where street food has so many varieties  and twists, this simple and yet so tantalizing dish stands out to be the perfect solution for our little hunger.

 

Shop Name : Kashyap

Address : Shop number 17 E , Kamla nagar

Open hours : 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Owner Name : Mr. Sunil Kashyap

Mobile number : 9871126805

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SPW Pizza : Serving happiness in the form of slices

Who with pizza covered in loads of cheese and topped with freshly made pizza sauce and toppings is poor? Pizza is not a food but it’s an emotion. This world was blessed with its first pizza in the year 1889 , ever since the  true love for pizza in people’s heart has not faded and in fact it grew stronger with time. When it comes to pizza, what is better than a small roadside stall which offers a huge variety at a low cost ? One such stall resides in the cooks and nooks of Kamla Nagar which is called ‘ SPW Pizza’. It offers a huge variety which includes mushroom pizza, four cheese pizza, paneer pizza, capsicum pizza etc.

During a chit chat with the vendor at SPW Pizza Stall he told how SPW has various branches spread all over Delhi including in Rohini, Ghantaghar, Gtb Nagar etc. This may be not the most heard place to have a pizza but believe me the taste and quantity which this place offers is unmatchable. A perfect crust of pizza is topped with loads of the selected toppings and spicy pizza sauce along with plenty of cheese and of course the oregano and chilly flakes. Your mouth explodes with flavors as you gulp in the first bite of the delicacy which this place offers, first you feel the hotness of the seasoning and then creamy taste of cheese accompanied with the perfect twist of the pizza sauce and the toppings.

Along with the good taste, the service is appealingly fast and flawless. Even if you are not feeling that hungry this place has a solution for that too, the ‘baby pizza’ which is just the right size to satisfy your baby hunger. Apart from the good taste , good service and economical prices they also have the delivery service which is very convenient and worthy.

If you consider pizza as your soul food and posses an endless love for it, this is surely the right place to make your heart , taste buds and stomach satisfied with the delicious and drool worthy pizzas it offers.

Shop Name :SPW Pizza

Address : 23-F, Lolhapur Road, Kamla Nagar , Delhi

Contact number: +91 9540994357

 

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Ved Dhabha : Worth the wait and the weight.

A wise man once said “Street food is the ultimate salvation for the human race” which indeed is very true, why to spend on fancy restaurants when you can perfectly satiate your taste buds with the wonders on the street? One such wonder exists in a street in Kamla Nagar which goes by the name Ved Dhabha , which offers a wide variety of north Indian food cooked with pure love and dedication. Well, what makes this place so special? This Dhaba is almost 30 years old as well as it offers the best north Indian food at prices as low as possible. This place has a vast menu which includes numerous varieties of sweets. This isn’t only my opinion but every person in that area, from fellow university students to even the rickshaw drivers do not leave a stone upturned when it comes to praising this place for its legendary and authentic taste.

My visit to this place was very unplanned which was the result of the  usual ‘not so good hostel food’ day. It turned out to be a life saver weapon against hunger that day and surprisingly it is still the best weapon I can use to save myself from such days. At first this place appeared like a sweet shop which slowly transformed into a very retro vibe dhaba with wooden seating as I walked into it. To my surprise, each and every table  was occupied majorly by the university students , families etc. But due to the quick service of the very welcoming staff members of that place, we were offered our seat as soon as possible. Further , the universal truth of college students always being broke was what bothered us next, which turned into a sigh of relief as we looked at the prices on the menu. We ordered a smoking hot plate of  butter paneer and couple of butter tandoori rotis , which hardly took a while to arrive.

‘You first eat with your eyes’ turned out be the just right saying at the first glance. The butter paneer was perfectly topped with some extra butter and the tandoori  rotis  were so glazed as if they were dipped in rivers of butter . And lastly, as I took a bite of the buttery roti wrapped around the piping hot curry the ‘title’ of this article was justified. It was such a heavenly and toothsome experience to have such delicious food at such a legendary place in this walled city. I left that place with nothing but a satisfactory grin and a  great experience regarding the food, hospitality and service and of course the low bill.

So, if you are a hungry individual with a lot of north Indian cuisine fandom, make sure you visit this place without fail and have a heavenly experience from the very first bite till the end.

Name: Ved Dhaba

Address: 5307, Chandrawal Road,Kamla Nagar ,New Delhi

Phone Number: 011 23850931

 

 

 

 

 

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Sharma Kachori wale- Age old romance of Aaloo and Kachori

We all have spent our entire childhood listening to the quote ‘Old is Gold’. Having served the numerous generations of Saddi Dilli from decades, this ‘hole in the wall’ street food joint ‘Sharma Kachodi Wale’ is the perfect example for that quote which indeed is very famous for its perfect and  crispy Kachodi (an Indian snack made of maida which is deep fried) along with mouth watering and drool worthy Aaloo curry (potato curry )around the walled city. It lies on the main road towards Shakti Nagar Chowk which is very  near to Kamla Nagar. People gather around like flock of birds to satiate their taste buds with such a legendary serving without even burning a hole in their pocket.

This joint serves five matthi kachodis which are basically kachodis with the stuffing dipped in the ‘perfectly spiced and seasoned’ aaloo curry with a taste which could make every person on this planet drool over. What makes this place even more special is the price at which it offers this delicacy, which indeed is so low that even a broke college student would be able to afford. It offers one serving of the dish at price as low as 20 rupees which is why we can see the people from all the working classes having their bite here.

In this era, where street cuisines have a very tough time competing  among themselves ‘Sharma Kachodi wale’ makes this simplest dish stand out and make the hearts of gourmands melt in satisfaction as they munch in a bite of this simple yet so legendary dish. I have always heard my uncle describe this place as one of his favourite joints to grab a quick snack since his childhood. He always adds the phrase ‘consistent taste’ whenever he describes it , which shows how famous this joint is for its consistency and the legendary taste accompanied by their swift and uninterrupted service despite a large amount of people eager to fill their mouths with the gem which this place offers.

No matter how many new and famous hotspot food joints open with time , ‘Sharma Kachodi wale’ will always be the showstopper whenever our taste buds crave for a light and tantalizing snack.

 

Shop Name : Sharma Kachodi Wale

Address: Main Road towards Shakti Nagar chowk , opposite Kaleva

Phone number: + 918800818189

Owner Name : Vijay Rathore

In a world full of samosas, be a KACHORI and that too if it is from such a legendary joint.
#sharmakacoriwala
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Kanshi Ram and Dinesh ke Chole Kulche

Kanshi Ram and Dinesh ke Chole Kulche

By Anubhav Sapra

Every Dellhite’s favourite street food is Chhole Kulche! It is one of the most celebrated go-to food of Delhi and everyone has a favourite local joint. Recently, on the recommendation of my foodie friend, Karan, I tried a very different kind of Kulche chole in Azadpur.

The name of the Chhole Kulche joint is Dinesh ke chole kulcha va garam pulav. Located next to Akash Cinema, Azadupur, it is easy to spot, because of the hordes of people surrounding his cart. The cart is owned by Dinesh and managed by his two brothers Kuldip and Raju. The family hails from Bareily in Uttar Pradesh and they have been into this business for the past 25 years.

image1-4This joint has a distinctive and exciting way of making kulchas. The kulchas are fried in butter with a red curry- a mixture of tomato, onion, garlic, ginger and capsicum. First, a generous amount of oil is put on a big pan and the red puree is added with a bunch of different spices. The kulchas are then fried over the spice mixture on the pan. A big spoon of butter is then spread over all the kulchas.

The kulchas are spicy and delicious, with a unique spicy punch that adds to the flavour. I ate few of them with out the chole. Infact, I asked him for double masala fry to make it more spicy. The kulchas are not for the weak hearted because of the amount of butter and spices that are added to the kulcha. However to soothe it down, a glass of boondi raita is  served at Dinesh’s stall.

After the initial conversation, Kuldip and Raju shared that the frying of kulcha is inspired from Pav bhaji where the buns are fried in a thick gravy with butter.  The joint is extremely inexpensive at only 30 rupees a plate.

After relishing the kulchas at Dinesh’s stall in Azadpur, I headed to his Uncle’s Chole Kulcha shop in Naraina. I was warned by Kuldip that it would be over by the time I reached. Keeping my fingers crossed I drove straight to his place, asking the security guards in the residential colony of E block, Naraina for his shop. The complete address is E-195, Naraina Vihar, Near Gyan Mandir Public School, Mobile number- 9211863472. By the time, I reached, the chhole at his stall were already over but on request I got a small portion of Chhole and a few kulchas.

image1-2Kanshi ram, who owns the shop, migrated to Delhi from Bareily at the age of 7 . When I visited his shop, he was listening to folk songs through his headphone, and sitting relaxed savouring tamatar pyaaz chutney with roti. I spoke to him at great length. His eyes were glistening with pride while he shared his story of hard work towards success that began from being a small street vendor to owning a ig shop.

Kanshi ram, also, has a similar way of making the kulchas. He puts butter over a big pan, fries the kulchas, spread a spoon of red coloured chutney, a mixture of garlic red chillies and tomatoes, and garnish it with grated paneer. However, it lacked the spicy punch that was evident in kulchas at  Dinesh’s stall. This is because of the butter and paneer that makes it less spicy compared to Dinesh’s kulche. Nonetheless, if you like your kulcha to be more spicy, you can ask for more chutney separately. A plate of Kulche Chhole costs Rs 40 at Kanshi Rams stall.

After having my fill, I bid adieu to Kanshi Ram and got the invitation at the same time to try the mutton he prepares, which he is going to cook sometime specially for me. I really liked the two joints and I hope they are able to expand across 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