delhi street food – Page 5 – Delhi Food Walks

Posted on December 12, 2015

Baldev Dhaba

Keema Mutton at Baldev Dhaba

By Anubhav Sapra

Where – GTB Nagar Bus Depot

Sweden se aaya mera dost! My foodie friend, who is also a neighbor, runs an Indian food truck in Sweden. Ever year, around Diwali, he visits his family in Delhi. However, more than this, I believe his visit is more about experimenting at newly opened eateries and catching up with the old ones. The other day, we met and discussed the food in Delhi at great length. After a brief question-answer session, he took me to ‘Baldev Dhaba’ at GTB Nagar Bus Depot.

The place is rustic. The dhaba is on the pavement. At one end, stands Baldev and his brother Kishan with a big Patila of keema mutton and at the other, are the benches. It was great to see the hungry souls, majority being bus and auto drivers, sitting and screaming with rejoice, for a plate of keema mutton and tandoori rotis. This place made me recall another eatery that used to be in Ghanta Ghar by the name of ‘Moti Dhaba’ where we used to devour keema gravy with innumerable rotis. Unfortunately, Moti Dhaba is closed but Baldev is running in full force.

The dhaba was started in 1960 by Late Narayan Das Sachdeva and later his two sons Baldev and Kishan took over it and introduced the most popular dish, ‘Keema Mutton’ in 1974.

The keema mutton is priced at Rs 140- 2 pieces of mutton in a small plate are served with rotis. After gobbling up over 10 rotis, all we had to pay was a meager Rs. 30. Over a plate of mutton, Baldev sprinkles some homemade garam masala and serves it straight to the soul with crispy tandoori rotis. Even though the gravy appears to be very spicy, being bright red in color, the spices were just right. The red colour is just a result of the tomatoes used to make this flavourful dish. The minced mutton gravy with pieces of mutton on bones was excellent.

Baldev dhaba also has vegetarian dishes- chana dal, matar paneer, kadi, rajma – all priced at Rs 20 for half a plate and the rotis are Rs 3 per piece.

I mopped the plate filled with gravy and came home satisfied discussing with my foodie friend about the myriad of new options in the food market. In the coming days, I am sure we are going to explore more! And eat even more!

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 December 5, 2015 December 5, 2015

Kashmiri Kebab Wala

By Anubhav Sapra

Where – T-point Phatak Teliya, Turkman Gate

The raging debate on ‘intolerance’ in the country has taken the country by storm. However, far away in foodie land what remains unaffected is the food of Old Delhi. Such a relief! The buff kebabs are grilled to be savoured by the food lovers of Delhi without any discrimination.

A family from East Pulwama, Kashmir has been selling buff kebabs for the past 74 years in Turkman Gate, at a temporary set up, near the scrap market. Every winter, towards the end of November, this family travels to Delhi to sell kashmiri kebabs, just for four months. The shop which is open between 12 noon to 10 pm is located at the T-point of Phatak Teliya, Turkman Gate.

Started by Ghulam Mohd, the little shack is now run by the father son duo- Md. Yusuf and Md. Bilal. His other two sons- Mustafa and Sameer sell the same Kashmiri kebabs at Motor Market, opposite Jama Masjid. Md. Yusuf sits besides the scrap of photostat machines with a grill and a small fan to churn the buff kebabs. While Bilal puts the minced meat over the skewer, Yusuf grills it to perfection.

From young to old, Yusuf seems to be everyone’s favourite. The bond is so strong that any localite, if in Kashmir, stays at Yusuf’s place. When I reached there, I saw a kid relishing kebabs straight from the skewers. Within few minutes, another man came who asked this kid to recognize Yusuf bhai. I have captured the joy of this little one relishing kebabs in a video as well (obviously, with his due assent and the guardian’s consent to it). In the words of Yusuf, it is the “mohabbat” of the locals here that acts as a pull for his family to come every year in the winters.

The kebab is a bit different from the regular ones we get on the streets of Old Delhi. The keema is red in colour, not finely grounded, and contains fewer spices. Md Yusuf brings his own spices from Kashmir; in fact even the garlic and ginger are brought from Kashmir. The kebab is not soft or melt-in-mouth kind, but it is flavoured with finesse. I loved it to the core and for a moment, I could relate myself with the little boy who stood there relishing kebabs straight from the skewer. If I was an Old Delhi child, that would be me! A plate which costs Rs 10 is served with radish and green coriander sauce. One can always ask for Romali roll which is just Rs 13 per roll. A seekh kebab is rolled on a romali roti, doused with chutney and slices of radish to create a bundle of happiness.

There is another Kashmiri Kebab wala who sits at Bulbuli Khana in Jama Masjid. He works as a peon in a school in Kashmir and will be here in Delhi in another week to grill kebabs for the locals. Eagerly awaiting his arrival as I dream of kebabs!

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on November 29, 2015 November 30, 2015

HAZARI LAL JAIN KHURCHAN WALE

By Akshita Todi

ADDRESS- 2225, Kinari Bazar, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi,

TIMINGS- 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Sundays half day)

As I ventured into the winding streets of Chandni Chowk- Delhi’s throbbing market center which was first established during the Mughal rule, I experienced an overwhelming impact of the old Delhi charm. It was a bright summer morning, and the shops at Kinari Bazaar had not opened up yet, rendering the market quiet and unpeopled- a state which is diametrically opposite to its usual crowded, bustling atmosphere. Sequestered within the quiet narrow streets, a lone sweets’ shop was buzzing with activity, infusing the air with the smell of sweet condensed milk.

The shop was established in Kinari Bazar by the late Mr. Hazari Lal Jain 76 years ago and is currently managed by his son- Mr. Sunil Jain. It specializes in a variety of traditional milk-sweets like khurchan, malai laddoo, rabri, kalakand and gulab jamun. It also sells samosas with a filling made of a combination of peas, cashew nuts and raisins, as opposed to the usual potato filling for this is considered to be healthier. The shop is tiny and allows space for two stoves where large quantities of milk are boiled and condensed while 3-4 lungi clad men constantly engage themselves in the process of preparing the dishes. One of these men- Mr. Kalyan Singh- who has been working here for the past 26 years volunteered information about the shop freely, taking great interest in telling us about the preparation method for the shop’s speciality- Khurchan (meaning scrapings in hindi).

Khurchan is prepared by boiling milk for around 1- 1.5 hours. While the milk is boiling, the men use a thin twig to scrape off the layer of malai from the surface repeatedly. These scrapes are then layered with powdered sugar in a metal container. Khurchan has a very soft texture and the powdered sugar causes it to melt in one’s mouth. 3.5 liters of milk are required to prepare 0.5 kg of khurchan. The shop prides itself on using undiluted buffalo’s milk for making and selling dishes which form an essential part of the country’s traditional cuisine.

In the end, Mr. Singh decided to impart to me a precious few words of wisdom about my responsibility to the nation as an aspiring writer while he skillfully pulled out the malai off the surface of the boiling milk. His words brought home the reality of our country’s cultural condition whereby, men like him who strongly hold on to their tradition and make a living by selling the taste of this beloved tradition are simultaneously capable of an amazing sense of adaptability which allows them to endorse the idea of a strong nation with powerful women writers.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on October 19, 2015

12 Chittaranjan Park Eateries To Try This Durga Puja

With Durga Puja kicking off, there is no better time to visit this mini-Kolkata of South Delhi, where you can pay homage to the goddess as well as to Bengali cuisine. And if you think that all you’ll find are sandesh and fish dishes, you are very mistaken. Delhi Food Walks decided to take a little trip down the gallis of Chittaranjan Park (named after the patriot or deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das) to bust this myth and to guide you to the best places for delicious Bengali specialities. Most eateries in Market 1 are located in a single file; you can stop and sample as you walk down the lane and breathe in tantalising whiffs of mustard and fish.

Nearest metro station:Nehru Place from the Violet line and then auto ride to Market 2.

When to visit: After 6pm, for an evening of merriment!

Raju Puchka Wala

Location: Near Canara Bank, Market 1

We started off with puchkas (the Bengali iteration of golgappas) sold by Raju who hails from Bihar’s Kishanganj district. For the last 20 years, Raju has been delighting customers with fried wheat puchkas filled with a spicy mixture of jeera, coriander, black pepper, green chillies, potatoes and black chana (most golgappas in Delhi are filled with saunth and made of suji rather than wheat). He also sells a Bengali variant of the ubiquitous aloo chaat – aloo kabli is made of boiled potatoes, tamarind water, chickpeas, green chillies, onions, masala, and salt. Chaat lovers should also try the churmur, which is rather like a hybrid of puchkas and aloo kabli. It’s a tangy, crunchy and sweet concoction featuring chickpeas, tamarind water, boiled potatoes, crushed puchkas, green chillies, cilantro and black chana.

Ghughnee Wala

Location: Opposite Kolkata Biryani House, Market 1

At Shyamal Barua’s stall, the signboard advertises both momos and ghughnee, but it’s the latter that you’re really here for. Mr Barua proudly exclaims that his mother is the master chef behind the finger-licking ghughnee which he has been serving since 2003. An extremely popular snack in Bengal and in parts of Bihar and Orissa, ghughnee is a curry made of chickpeas (motor in Bengali) that are soaked in water overnight. There’s a veg version as well as one with minced mutton.

Kolkata Hot Kathi Roll

Location: Shop No 8, Market 1

We can forgive the owners for misspelling “kati rolls” as “kathi rolls”, a mistake made by most people outside of Kolkata where the dish originated at Nizam Restaurant; the word kati means skewers in Bengali and was applied to kebabs and then to kebabs wrapped in paranthas. You’ll find a wide range of mutton, chicken and paneer rolls here, but it also serves up prawn cutlets, veg chops, Mughlai paranthas, barbecued meats, shawarma and even a small selection of Chinese dishes among a host of other preparations. Don’t get too distracted, though – the rolls are what stand out, livened up by different sauces, including the mustard-and-raw-mango kashundi, a secret masala and chopped onions. Perfect.

Roll ‘N’ Roast

Location: Shop No 7, Market 1

This place is right next to Kolkata Hot Kathi Roll and provides head to head competition to its neighbour, serving many of the same dishes. Their menu claims “Delicious Start Right Here” and they aren’t far off the mark. They are famous for their Chinese specialities (let’s not forget that Kolkata is considered to be the birthplace of Indian-Chinese cuisine) as well as their chops and kobirajicutlets. We highly recommend the Chinese chat which comes with a variety of toppings and a choice of either noodles or rice. For just Rs 200, a non-veg platter will allow you to sample Schezwan chicken (our fave), lemon chicken, chilly chicken, garlic chicken, chicken wings, chicken Manchurian and sweet ‘n’ sour chicken. The veg platter, on the other hand, costs Rs 120 and includes veg Manchurian, chilli paneer, crispy chilli potato, crispy honey potato, and mix veg salt ‘n’ pepper.

Mad About Momos

Location: Near Evergreen Properties, Market 1

You’ll be spoiled for choice with the myriad types of momos served here — chicken, veg, paneer, soya, steamed, fried or tandoori. The beautiful little stall is made from bamboo sticks and also uses a traditional bamboo basket for steaming the momos – not a common sight in Delhi. It also differs from most other purveyors of momos in the city in that the dumplings are made of whole-wheat rather than white flour. Besides, have you ever seen momos shaped like a fish or a samosa? The fresh, hot momos are served with mayonnaise and a drool-worthy sauce made from butter, sugar, red chillies, tomatoes and onions. There are three other branches of Mad About Momos in Amar Colony, Central Market and Pocket 8 Vasant Kunj.

A N R Chakraburti’s Pakora Stall

Location: Near Kendra Bhandar, Market 1

The shop traces its origin to 1971, the time when Chittaranjan Park was just a piece of land allotted to displaced people from East Pakistan. For lunch, they serve rice served with either egg (Rs 40) or fish (Rs 60).

Their aloo chop (pronounced alloor chop in Bangla), bread pakoras, beguni , chop pakora, mirchi pakora and onion pakora make for perfect evening telebhajas (fried snacks), best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea.

Kamala Sweet Shop

Location: K-1/101, Market 1

Prabir Kumar Mukherji, the proud owner of Kamla Sweets, has been successfully operating for past 30 years. Here you can sample the quintessential misti doi (sweetened curd), available in traditional mud pots of different sizes (100gm to 1kg), as well as Bengal’s most famous dessert, sandesh (the “a” is pronounced as “o”) in different shapes, sizes and colours. Their conch- and fish-shaped sandesh are masterpieces and the steamed version (bhapa sandesh) guarantees love at first bite to the sweet-toothed. Other specialities on the menu include chum chum, dudh pulisita bhog, chandrapuli, rosogolla, bundi laddoo and lobongo lotika. You can also try chhena poda (Rs 500 for a kg), a caramelised cheese sweet that actually originated in Orissa. I you visit around breakfast you can also try savouries like khasta kachori, matar kachori and radhaballabhi (urad daal stuffed in a puri); they also make beetroot chops, a rare delicacy in this part of the country.

Vivek Tea Stall

Location: Behind Mother Dairy, Market 1

Don’t be deceived by the name. This game-changer of a stall not only serves tea or “cha” but also cold coffee with ice-cream and dry fruits, hot coffee (pick from Nescafe, Bru and Davidoff), hot chocolate Bournvita and a variety of teas — lemon, tulsi (green), Arabian, jasmine, among others.

The best part about this ‘cha’ stall is that you can have your tea customised to your taste. His lemon cha was the highlight for us – it contains a flavourful medley of amla, black salt, black pepper, jeera syrup and Hajmola that will cause an explosion of flavours in your mouth.

Vikas Bishwas — Jhaal Muri Waala

Location: Market 2

His fame speaks for itself as crowds throng his stall. With a genial smile on his face he tells us that he been known as the jhaal muri wala of CR park for the past 12 years. Hailing from Krishnanagar in Kolkata, Vikas started off as a shopkeeper at Annapurna Sweets, but now specialises in all things tangy and spicy. He reels off his specialities in a breathless monotone: ghugni, ankur chaat, aloo kabli, bhel puriand, of course, jhaal muri which he sells for Rs 20 only. Do try his mouthwatering mutton ghugni – a hot chickpea curry with minced mutton served with a garnish of onion, tomato and cucumber.

Annapurna Sweet House

Location: Shop No 38, Market 2

A former accountant at Shaw Wallace, Mr Benoy Majumdar, has been running this place since 1984. Their star dishes include chhena jalebi(a jalebi made of cottage cheese instead of flour and with a taste quite similar to a gulab jamun; Rs 140/kg); the enticing jal bhara sandesh(a sandesh with a liquid centre); kheer puli (a doughy sweet dish made predominantly of kheer that melts in your mouth like a soufflé; Rs160/kg).
They also serve every Bengali’s favourite breakfast dish – radhaballabhi, a puri stuffed with dal and veggies.
Want further proof of their popularity? They often stay open well past the closing time of 10pm because the orders just don’t stop coming.

Dadu Cutlet Shop

Location: Shop No 9, Market 2

Opened by Narender Mistri, affectionately called Dadu, in 1992, the shop is now managed by his son Shyam Mistri. Their fried bhetki fish is fried to crisp perfection (the audible crunch as bite in is evidence) and their famous egg devil chop is sin on a plate: hardboiled egg filled with cooked egg yolk and potato all wrapped up in crispy bread crumbs. The Mughlai paranthas are yummy too, and their samosas (calledsingharas) contain a unique filling dominated by coconut and chickpeas.

Maa Tara Restaurant

Location: Shop No 45, 46, 47, Market 2

Located in the back alley of the market, this small restaurant specialises in authentic Bengali cuisine. Subhrojit, the son of the owners — Manju and SR Dutta, who are originally from Kolkata — proudly narrates the story of how his parents set up the restaurant about 19 years ago. The Maa Tara Special Thali consists of an assortment of dishes, out of which the mutton kasha shines out. Paired with luchi (puffy flour bread), the tender meat with just the right balance of spices will leave you asking for more. The mustard fish curry stands out too. Fish lovers can choose from pomfret, ilish, chitol, rehu and more — all for under Rs 400. Vegetarians must try the postor bada – a pakora with poppy seeds.

Image Courtesy: Mehak Dhawan and Sabhyata Badhwar

(With inputs from Neha Chandra and Kawal Chandhok)

“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.”

This article was published in Huffington Post India- http://www.huffingtonpost.in/delhi-food-walks/12-chittaranjan-park-eate_b_8318836.html

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 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 August 26, 2015

Dilli 6 Festival at Level-2 Radisson Blu

Dilli 6 Festival at Level-2 Radisson Blu, Paschim Vihar

By Anubhav Sapra

Being a strong street food freak, I try not to miss any festival that celebrates the Delhi’s rich street food culture. To me, it seems that Dilli 6 is the epitome of street food of Delhi and has also inspired chefs to reinvent the street delicacies to be served in the restaurants.

Level-2 Radisson Blu is hosting a street food festival till 30^th August. The lunch buffet is priced at Rs 999 + taxes and Dinner buffet at Rs 1299 + taxes. On offer are the famous street delicacies of Dilli 6- Golgappe, chaat, Dahi Bhalla , Gol Gappe, Kanji Vada, Bhel Poori, Moonglet, Lassi Kulfi, Chai, Allo Tikki, Panathe, Tawa Chicken,Lassi Kulfi, Moong Daal Ka Halwa, Pineapple Halwa and many more.

The ambience is nicely done with live counters of the dishes. Cutting chai counter, however, is worth mentioning – there was a thela (pushcart) with a tea-vendor making tea. There were also the jars of in-house made fen, rusks, and matthi.

The day I visited, I tried almost all the dishes that were there on the Street Food Menu. The highlight of the visit was Aloo Matar tikki (Potato and green peas patty), Rajbhog and Cutting Chai with fen. The aloo matar tikki was crisp and garnished with yoghurt and spicy coriander mint chutney and sweet saunth chutney. I liked it so much that I couldn’t stop asking for another helping; without any sauce-just the tikki. It was simply delicious. Rajbhog consisted of soft bhallas with raisins, cashews and pepper blended with yoghurt, saunth and green chutney. In the main course, I tried the only non vegetarian dish available in the menu- Tawa Chicken and parantha, which was fairly good.

The only missing link was the lack of options for non-vegetarians. I found the kebabs, kormas and biryani which forms the intrinsic part of Dilli-6 missing. However, one can enjoy the regular non-vegetarian dishes available in the buffet at Level-2.

I ended my Dilli 6 journey with pineapple halwa and two cups of masala chai with crisp and layered fen.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on August 14, 2015 August 14, 2015

Shri Banke Bihari Brijwasi Rasgulle wala

Shri Banke Bihari Brijwasi Rasgulle wala
Find it here: D-128, Kamla Nagar
Ring it here: 011-23842116

With a menu ranging from snack bites to a full-course meal- this is a heaven for travellers wishing to try outlandish traditional cuisines in their authentic temperament.

The shop traces its origin to the decade of independence, around the year 1957. Rajiv Brijwasi, one of the three brothers in the third generation of owners, proudly proclaims, “Vrindavan’s authentic taste cannot be found anywhere else, our ingredients are all pure and original.”

It is fascinating how this now-famous shop was initially operated out of a shack at the corner of the street for six years by his grandfather Shri Lala Ram Prasad. Then it graduated to a shop where the magic of cooking took place when his father, late Shri Lala Shyam Lal was incharge, eventually establishing itself at its current location. To the people here, the shop has been here forever- and they keep visiting it time and again.

What sets this place apart is the fact that the recipes have stayed true to tradition, and none of the delicacies use onion or garlic, two household ingredients, in their preparation. They end up tasting better than they could ever have tasted with onion. This could partly be because of their other USP i.e. the use of only and only pure desi ghee in cooking.

A tasty Indian meal is said to have a balance of six flavors: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, spicy and astringent. And this place harbours the accurate balance in its decades-old walls.

For breakfast, they prepare Puri Bedmi and Kachori that make up for two of the most irresistible and filling breakfasts. For lunch, we recommend having a thali consisting of Paneer, Dal, Raita and 2 paranthas.

A very quirky and interesting fact to note is that the best known food that they sell are desserts (they practically owe their fame and name, literally, to sweets), and while Rasgulla has been a specialty for as long as its existence, the enticingly creamy Rasmalai, Raj Bhog and Gulab Jamun have been relatively recent additions. These desserts reek of authenticity and you cannot help but savor them through and through.

Verdict: Visit this place as much for their spongy Rasgulla as for the unalloyed, divine experience of Vrindavan in Delhi.

Must Try: While all the items are such glorious relics of authentic street food, you have to try the desserts, especially Rasgulla and Rasmalai.

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.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com

Posted on August 12, 2015 August 12, 2015

Ashwini ji ke Peepey wale Chole Kulche

By Anubhav Sapra

I remember, once while reading the newspaper I came across this article which said that there are almost 250 cafes and restaurants in Connaught Place. Many come and shut down after some time and the shutters remain unnoticed. In midst of that, there are a few street food joints selling amazing dishes uninterruptedly for many years. One of them is Ashwini’s chole kulche (Mob. 9953085746) at the corner of MCD’s Anti Malaria office. The location might not sound attractive but his chole indeed is worth relishing.

It was Ashwini’s father, Late Prakash Sharma who set up this shop in CP. Ashwini ji used to accompany his father every day and assist him. In 1988, while he was pursuing the graduate program from Delhi University, his father passed away and he took over the shop to make both ends meet .From 1988 to 2007, the Committee staff was against him for running this shop. However, he filed a case in court and eventually got the permission to operate his shop.

Interestingly, the chole is cooked in Lahori style, without oil. The chane is boiled in ghee ka kanaster and then homemade spices are mixed into it. It is famously known as Peepee wale (cans of ghee)chole as the chole is boiled for almost 5 hours in empty ghee cans on slow wood fire. The can is changed every 15 days as “the quality of the cans is not up to the mark as it used to be” remarks Ashwini ji.

The shop is open from 12 noon to 4 pm. Ashwini ji pedals his cycle for two hours in the morning with a big aluminium can filled with hot Chole from Wazirabad and reaches the spot at 12 noon. A plate of chole with three kulcha’s costs Rs 20/-. You can ask for bhaturas as well.

The chole is mixed with brown pudina ka paani(thick mint water). The mint leaves are sourced from Chintapurni, hometown of Ashwini ji in Himachal Pradesh. They are dried and grounded to powder form so as to later add it in the chole. Finally, the chole is garnished with onion and lemon juice.

The concoction of all these makes the chole a bit spicy, but that’s how the locals like it. The gravy was just perfect to be mopped up with fluffy kulchas. I liked the lahori style chole with thick gravy and a punch of mint water. I relished it to the core!

What intrigued me the most at his shop was that people from different sections of society ranging from homeless citizens and shoe polishers to office guards to college students and office goers, all relishing chole kulche, at one place. It seemed to be a perfect example of the equal world which we all wish to see.

Anubhav Sapra

http://www.delhifoodwalks.com