Tag: delhi food

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CRISPY TOKRI

CRISPY TOKRI

By Shreya Chowdhury

 “Dillwalo ki Dilli” is often used to describe Delhi and Delhiites, and the one thing very close to their Dil (heart) is food, especially street food. To cater to this love for street food, a small outlet named Crispy Tokri has opened in PVR Anupam Complex, Saket.

tokri chaatTheir most famous is the Tokri Chaat, from which it derives its name. It was truly a delight for the taste buds. The dahi was sweet and fresh. The bhalla, anar (pomegranate), aloo bhujia, paneer, the tokri, mixture of balanced spices create a very interesting and flavourful mouthful. The Tokri chaat makes a great snack, nice and light, perhaps after a movie at the Cineplex.

The most popular dish is their Chole Bhature. It is a delight for health-conscious people, as the bhatura is fried in olive oil. They are nice and fluffy and very importantly, non-greasy. It tastes amazing! It has some spices which enhances the taste. The Chole was cooked to perfection, and the taste was authentic Delhi style. The chole, bhature, green chutney, onion and achaar make a great combination. It tastes good and is very filling.

Their other famous dishes are aloo tikki, raj kachori and golgappas. For foreign tourists, aloo tikki is suggested. It is comparatively less spicy, also cooked in olive oil. The golgappa is fresh and crispy, with a good balance of sweet and sour.

In today’s world, people avoid street food because of hygiene reasons. In that premise, Crispy Tokri is very hygienic and is one of the reasons why people love the place. Also, the people serving are very hospitable. Overall, it was a good experience. The price is also reasonable and doesn’t burn a hole in the pocket. The maintenance of hygiene, the use of olive oil and RO water for the golgappas just adds to the fact that they do have great street food.  They also have home delivery and take away. So, if you cannot go out but are craving for tasty, hygienic street food, Crispy Tokri is a good choice.

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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Bhaijaan Kebabs

Bhaijaan Kebabs

By Anubhav Sapra

Last Sunday, Delhi Food Walks conducted its first community food walk of 2015 – the Kebab and Biryani Trail in Old Delhi. The food walk started with galouti kebabs and ended with the famous sutli kebabs of Bazar Matia Mahal. The highlight of the kebab trail was Bhaijaan Kebabs. The name of the shop itself will arouse the curiosity of anyone visiting the shop. When I first visited the shop, I was expecting a well-built, husky fan of the Bollywood star Salman Khan. However, I met the rather gracious owner, Mohd. Shamim, who started selling kebabs three years back just out of his passion and love for kebabs. The shop is run by his son, Ubaid, and his cousins, Javed and Ameen.

WP_20150110_18_43_17_ProLet me tell you the location and directions to reach his shop. Keep walking straight in Bazar Matia Mahal until you reach Chitli Qabar Chowk, then take a right turn from there, and ask anyone the directions to the famous Flora Bakery. Bhaijaan Kebabs are right opposite Flora Bakery. The complete address is shop no. 2202, Bazar Chitli Qabar, Opp. Flora Bakery, Delhi-6. The shop is closed on Tuesdays. You can contact Bhaijaan Kebabs on the following numbers – 9811020272, 9899145777.

The shop is named Bhaijaan (literally, brother) Kebabs because the age difference among the siblings in Mohd. Shamim’s family was not much and everyone in the family started calling him “bhaijaan”. Bhaijaan, originally a contractor for painting work, used to invite his family and friends for daawat back at home. His kebabs were so delectable that the guests who tasted his kebabs in dawaats convinced him to take his passion of cooking to the next level and open a kebab shop. He opened a small shop selling chicken shami kebabs in a narrow alley in Chitli Qabar.

WP_20150110_18_31_22_ProAn interesting part of the most of food joints in Old Delhi is that they specialize in a particular dish and pass the recipes from one generation to the next without tweaking the recipes. Keeping alive the Old Delhi tradition, Bhaijaan Kebabs sells only one kind of kebabs – shami kebabs. The keema of shami kebabs are made with chane ki daal, dried red chillies, green chillies, and Bhaijaan’s secret spices. A piece of kebab costs Rs. 10 and a kg of keema for shami kebabs is Rs. 200. The kebabs are half fried and kept in a glass box. On order, the shami kebabs are deep fried, chaat masala is sprinkled over it, and is served with green chutney and onion in a dona. The kebabs are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The uniqueness of his kebabs are the fibres which one can experience in the first bite. The taste of the kebabs was delicious, and the spices and whole red chillies added to the interesting mix of flavours.

The kebab lovers moved in to another lane of Chitli Qabar for sutli kebabs after relishing the taste of Bhaijaan’s fibrous shami kebabs.

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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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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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
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Bloggers’ Lunch @ Tonino

April 21, 2014

Bloggers’ Lunch @ Tonino

By Anubhav Sapra

 

On Saturday, 19th April 2014, Tonino celebrated their 10th anniversary. I am glad that I was a part of this revelry, celebrating with them a decade of their successful run in Delhi! One of the finest Italian restaurants in the City well-known for serving authentic Italian cuisine, ToninoIs famous for havingbrought to life the romantic old world charm.

Conceptualized and created in 2004 by The Eagle Group of Companies, Mr. Parmeet Singh Sawhney, Managing Partner and Mr. Tonino Generale of Italy, Tonino is known for its exquisitely prepared Italian dishes and extensive wine collection. Meticulously designed interiors and exteriors are proof enough that the Sawhneys with Chef Suman have left no stone unturned to endow the place with the distinct rustic charm of Tuscany.

The lunch started with a brief introduction by Mrs. Simran Sawhney.  She graciously took us all on a tour of Tonino’s history, beginning with its inception in 2004. She shared that “Tonino was created to provide the most scrumptious authentic  Italian cuisine in Tuscan surroundings where you can enjoy your meal in the Al fresco style or dine indoors in the lavish Italian old world comfort”. To her, these 10 years are not about the statistics, but about a journey of passion, of creating a place in Delhi where one can forget one’s background, and experience the romantic charm of Italy. Food is not the only prerogative;the ambience and the people engaged in running the restaurant all collectively work towards adding that personal touch. She beautifully sums up the discussion- “Tonino believes in relationships. People experience the ambience and talk about it”.

The interaction with Corporate Chef Suman, trained with the ‘European Champion’ and the ‘Five Star Chef’, was very engaging. He travels to different regions of Italy every year in a bid to provide a traditional experience to the guests that incorporates regional Italian food and its culture. He said that great care has been taken to keep the taste authentic by using original ingredients imported specially from Italy.

20140419_145402The Chef had planned a delicious menu for the lunch. The food journey started with Aspragi Bellavista 650 (fresh asparagus and roasted red pepper with garlic crumbs) and Pollo con Pesto( pan grilled pesto marinated chicken with parmesan cheese ball).  I liked the Pollo con Pesto as the chicken was juicy and tender.  In the first course section, I had Tortelloni Di Spinachi Ricotta (Spinach ricotta and basil tortelloni with truffle oil and parmesan butter cream) and finally in the main course, I had Costolette Di Pollo Con Salsa Piccante (Chicken chops with BBQ sauce served with grilled potatoes in vegetables) Being a street food connoisseur, my instincts lead me to compare every cuisine. From eating at fine dining restaurants to the food sold by street vendors, I have done it all. The Salsa Piccante reminds me of the desi style mutton chops I had at Sardarji’s meat shop in Bara Hindu Rao. Tonino’s Chicken chops were truly delectable, very soft and juicy. I had finished my serving within seconds.

20140419_152125For desserts I had the wonderful experience of having Lasagna Di Cioccolato which is a Chocolate Lasagna with layers of warm chocolate cake with white and dark chocolate served with vanilla ice cream.  The very process of describing it for my readers is enough to titillate my senses. Apparently, this dessert happens to be Sonia Gandhi’s favorite!

In a nutshell, Tonino is an ideal destination in Delhi for Italian food lovers and offers a perfect place to unwind inafter a rough day. Enjoy savory regional specialties from Italy in a relaxed ambience, under the moon-lit skies.

 

 

 

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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THE DELHI STREET FOOD FEST

THE DELHI STREET FOOD FEST

(Not just another fest)

-Navani Satija

So, the winter chill is on and along with it is ‘the random-thought-gush’. And during this time came the most awaited Saturday. Be it, while brushing in the morning to the talks at the breakfast table or from spending the not-so-fun travelling time in the metro to the boring afternoon coaching session, I spent my entire day thinking about the delicacies across the states in India. Finally came the moment when I was about to have the experience of my lifetime. Yes! It was the much talked about Delhi Street Food Festival held at the Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium. The most amazing part of it was to witness different cuisines spread all over India unite together in one arena just to serve the foodie-delhites whole heartedly.

IMG_0280This food fest saw not just the delhites but even a lot of tourists throng into the arena to relish the various tastes across India. Another best part of this whole festival was the pricing of the stuff offered by the 50+ stalls set up there.

I decided to take two rounds of the whole fest- first being the photo-walk to capture this unique experience, while checking out what was best to try and the second being the eating part which was totally worth it. So, I started off with the MAWA KI KACHORI available at the initial stalls, which was a cold sweet version of any regular kachori you would have had till date, only difference being that it was dipped in sugar syrup. It was the very first time I had a sweet kachori and it half lived up to all the excitement.

Next, to prove all the false allegations wrong that I don’t opt for spicy food ever, I went in for the spicy VEGETARIAN PANEER KATHI ROLL. It was this plate loaded with hot, strikingly orange, big chunks of soya and paneer balls served with rumaali roti. Extremely hot, just to accompany the cold chill around, it was extremely spicy and full of countless masalas (trust me!).

Moving on ahead, I spotted the word ‘Punjab’ which rekindled my inherent Punjabi soul craving for SARSON KA SAAG AUR MAKKI KI ROTI. (And no prizes for guessing!) It had to be there. But, honestly I’d never thought that I’d be having the best sarson ka saag till date. Along with this they even offered a big chunk of pure white butter and gur (jaggery) which was customary. The team handling the stall were these people who’d come from Patiala and owned a well known dhaba there and since they were Punjabis, they seemed to be up for a chat anytime.

Similarly, there were various other stalls representing other states. For example, there was the Rajasthani stall that I went to and tried their MIRCHI BADA and PYAAZ KACHORI. Now, this was surely one place that you couldn’t afford to miss. The mirchi bada was like a huge chunk of hot fiery green chilly fried with around dozen masalas. It was totally worth trying if you could bear spicy. Nonetheless, the pyaaz kachori was stuffed with lots of onion and other condiments freshly dripped in oil.

Finally, as I walked further I had arrived at the stalls that offered hot fresh jalebis and gulab jaamuns. Needless to say, these were the Punjabi-dominated stalls. Here you’d find people across all ages completely entranced in all the sweetness.

And after all that I’ve tried to express about this matchless experience, there still remains some part which is inexplicable. So, I’d let it be unexplained for this would hold its true essence.

Wishing that everyone gets such opportunities to eat their heart out!

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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Monkey Bar

Monkey Bar

By Poorva Shourie

You know that the food of a restaurant is mind numbingly awesome when you crave for it on a Sundaymorning. True story! And this, according to me, is the best way to introduce the much talked about Monkey Bar.

Monkey Bar is a Gastropub from Bangalore that has everything you need for a good time; mouth watering food, great music, brilliant ambience and superb service!

The minute you enter this ”Gastropub”, the first thing that hits you is the atmosphere. There is this contagious vibe that I have never experienced in any other restaurant before. Everyone working in the restaurant exudes this vibe and it’s very difficult not to catch it and be a part of it. From the moment you enter Monkey Bar its hard not to feel happy.

The place has been done up nicely – it’s located at the glass pyramid building where Ministry of Sound stood previously. They have used the glass building to its advantage – the sunlight gives the restaurant a very warm and fuzzy feeling. The interiors are very raw and rustic. The walls bare a look of bricks and exposed water pipes and are adorned with quirky posters that entertain you as you wait for your food. There is also a pool table and a foosball table that can be used free of charge (they really know how to earn those brownie points).

While the ambience is great and the music is fabulous, the service is impeccable and the entertainment is plenty, what really stands out is their food!

They have the best, and I mean THE best burgers in the City! Almost all burgers come with caramelized onions (a major win), mayonnaise, lettuce and mouth-melting meat fillings. The bread of the burger is soft but what is softer is the patty- chicken, lamb or beef. One bite and you are guaranteed a free trip to foodie heaven. Since I am a chicken lover, I root for the Rooster Booster however if you have no qualms about beef or lamb, go for the MoBar Burger, the Cheese Burger and/or the Lamb Burger.

You could also sink your teeth in the Sea Food Sliders – three mini burgers with fish and prawn fillings topped with onions, mayo and mustard. For any Sea Food lover, this is their stairway to heaven. These patties are so soft that they almost melt in your mouth. In fact they had to make three small patties in order to prevent it from breaking.

If burgers don’t float your boat then you can always have the Bacon Wrapped Tandoori Sausage Dog. When a hot dog is wrapped in bacon, its can hardly ever go wrong, however what makes this Hot Dog really good is its pork sausage. The Keema Bao is also a great dish to try – it’s like a big dumpling stuffed with Keema and served with mutton Broth. The Keema filling is flavorful but the mutton broth adds that extra punch to the dish.

The best way to top all this delicious food is with a dessert! A must try is the Mobar Sundae – layers of chocolate ice cream, cake, Nutella (yes Nutella) chocolate spread, cookie and tutti-frutti. It’s a wholesome meal in itself, however the only thing that I didn’t like on it was the tutti-frutti and the cold,rather soggy cookie. If the cookie was crunchy and the dessert was sans the tutti-frutti, it would’ve been nothing short of perfection. Also another great chocolaty dessert is the Flourless Chocolate XS Cake – my tip, order it with ice cream.

I can go on and on about the food at Monkey Bar but personally I believe that no matter how much one raves about the food here, it’s something everyone needs to experience for themselves. So this weekend, head to Monkey Bar and excuse me while I go wipe the puddle of drool off the floor.

Price for Two: Rs. 2000 approx.

Address: Plot 11, Upper Ground Floor, LSC, Pocket c 6 & 7, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi

Phone Number: 011-30146033 ext.855

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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Street Food Festival

Street Food Festival-2013

A joke that has been doing the rounds recently is that, the 3rd National Street Food Festival organised by The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) in Delhi was a bigger hit than Dhoom 3! Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was declared HOUSEFUL.

The three day event which began on 20th December and lasted till the 22nd of December, witnessed a footfall of almost 18,000 people. The catchphrase of the gastronomic affair was ‘Swad hai, Romanch hai, Street Foods ki Baat hi kuch aur hai’.

Street food vendors from all across India had come to participate and flaunt their regional speciality. The event was organised by NASVI in order to promote, professionalise and brand street foods. It was also aimed at influencing the policy makers in order to transform the usually ignored genre into a secure zone.

The entry fee was merely Rs.30 and totally, worth it all. Stalls from Chandigarh, U.P., Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Assam and host state Delhi were seen. The fest had something for everybody. The ones having a sweet tooth indulged themselves in desserts like jalebi- rabri and kulfi, while the hard core vegetarians found sarsoon ka saag with makke ki roti to their delight. There were ample options even for the non-vegetarians; there were seekh kababs, chicken tikka, mutton and chicken korma, biryani, fish tikka and so much more. The list can go on.

The first stall that caught my eye was of Bihar. Their speciality ‘littli chokha’ was a popular demand. Litti, a small naan- like thing is made with flour and a ‘sattu’ stuffing and is served with potato curry or a non-veg curry.

Chicken tikka rolls from the Mughlai Cuisine stall were next on my plate. Amazingly soft and perfectly barbecued tikkas tasted heavenly with the green chutney and lemon. The roll was worth Rs. 80/-

The Tamil Nadu stall had Tamarind Rice, Pyaaz pakodas and puddu to offer. I tried the puddus which were cute rice balls. Made of rice, peas, chopped onions and green coriander, they were served with green chutney and sadly, were not so tasty as they looked.

The famous Mysore Pak from Mysore was also a hit with the people.

I then jumped to the Punjab Stall which offered amazing chicken and sarsoon ka saag. It was served traditionally with makke ki roti.

The aloo bada at the Chandigarh Stall was also popular among the visitors. It was a different kind of bread roll, one can say, without the bread of course. The stuffing was similar, that of mashed potatoes and tasted similar too.

The jalebi rabri was the best one I have ever had. The jalebis were crispy, aptly sweetened and tasted very delicious with the creamy rabri.

The Lucknow stall also had interesting dishes on its menu. It had Mughlai Biryani and Boti Kabab for all. The Biryani was amazing. The rice was soft, pleasant and nicely coloured.
Street food is a carrier of culture and heritage and festivals like these help us revive this truth.

My experience at the fest was wonderful. There was so much to explore, so many foodies to meet, so much love to share!

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