Of Belly and Delhi

Every trip to Delhi has always been about the food. Food is such a huge part of Delhi that everyone is a certified Foodie. There is no escaping the Sardars, the Mughals, the Kayasthas and the Firangis. their influence over the food and culture in the City over generations has left us with bellies reeling from long meals or slow- cooked fast food.

As soon as I put the word out, I was sent a list of recommendations, and of course all my local friends had their own lists!

My first day out was spent at the old Ambience Mall in Gurgaon with very close friends- like- family. We had a languid Italian lunch at the Pasta Bowl nearby. The burrata salad was really creamy good. The pastas were all very good too.

After a lot of mall time, S and I gratefully sank into cushioned chairs at the newly opened Paul’s outlet. Paul’s is hands-down one of my most favourite cafes across the world. So much nicer than Starbucks, with real food and real pastry. We went totally ooh -ahh over the pastry counter and what pretty french pastries they were!! Redolent of Paris, with vanille and creme anglaise and fresh fruit mmmmmmm…..!!!

S and I settle for waffles with ice cream and berries. And salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, and cold drinks while we people watched and tucked into our repast. Everything was just perfect and I can’t wait for Paul’s to come to Pune!

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The Buffet Breakfast: breakfast on a holiday is so important! It’s sets the tone for how you will feel and it makes all the difference between hangover and recovery. After a night if excess partying and food, you have to still make that buffet and face the day! The best part of buffet breakfasts are the fresh fruits and the dosa counter. Gimme a dosa and chutney any day!! The Claridge’s does a mean Eggs Bennie which graced my table on several mornings. Evenings were often spent on the front lawns under a white canopy, sipping tea and nibbling on cucumber sandwiches, taking a moment’s respite from my hours of rambling across New Delhi.

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The Claridges breakfast in their cosy cafe is generous and decent enough. The service is really attentive and friendly. But the buffet does pall after the fourth day, and then I just ordered coffee and fruit in the room. I couldn’t bear any more Eggs Benedict or waffles or idlis or dosas. The masala oats were so good. Everything was good but too many deja vu mornings.

We had dinner at the Seville, the Spanish specialty restaurant at the Claridges. The food was very good but not spectacular. It lacked the authentic flamboyance of anything Spain. The music sucked because the hotel controls the playlist. We were forced to endure hours of elevator music and Kenny G and his saxophone when we craved the olas and passion of the flamenco or even Enrique! Champagne set the mood for a mellow, if not effervescent, evening. We were a rather large group and managed to cover much of the menu on offer. Everything was beautifully plated and served. I loved the artichokes and the prawns.

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Guest Chef Jordi Guilleme did blow our minds and palates with his signature dessert.  From the childhood memories of his tea time snack, he has created a plated  dessert of sinful dark chocolate quenelles, a thin ribbon of toasted sourgough bread, citrus caviar and shiny green olives made of white chocolate. All this is perfectly seasoned with a drizzle of magnificent olive oil and a dusting of Spanish sea salt. What you have is absolutely sublime. I dreamed of eating the dessert again but sadly, never managed. This is one for the next trip, if its still available.

All our meals at the Claridges were nice. From pastries by the poolside with my niece and nephew, to delicious Chinese food at Jade, and excellent, authentic Punjabi at their Dhaba, the food and service were very, very good.

The Dhaba restaurant has a very good reputation for its authentic Punjabi khana.

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The kaali daal was divine, outshining every other thing we ate. I was totally overcome at how sublime such a humble dish could become in the right hands. It was velvety smooth and subtle, and sang a thousand bhangra songs on my tongue.

The food transported me to every Yash Raj movie cliche. SRK crooned in my ears as I magically traipsed and glided through a bright yellow sarson ka khet, white dupatta streaming behind as daal dribbled from my mouth. I am in awe of this Dal.

I haven’t been to Punjab so no, I can’t compare. This was certified sublime by my dinner companions who know their Dal! Even such standard dishes such as their kulchas , butter chicken and palak paneer resounded with flavour and verve. I have never enjoyed such hearty food so much, and am so glad I got to eat this.

A few nights later, I indulged in their sumptuous Punjabi thaali. Firstly, three people could have eaten it, it is so vast and generous. I valiantly tried to eat my way through all the paneer and chicken tikka, but settled for tastes of everything, and only feasted on the daal. The rabdi was good too. I got a very disappointed look from the Head Waiter. My mouth is watering as I write this.

Fear not, while I didn’t make it as far as Old Delhi and Chandani Chowk, I did make lunch at the irrepressible Kake de Hotel at Connaught Place for a Sunday lunch. Now that is another prime example of Delhi- style Khana: not mughal, no Punjabi but somehow a bit of both.

We stood in a long line with excited diners, for a long while. We finally managed to squeeze into a table upstairs. Shorn of any cosmetics and any kind of pretension, this hotel is as authentic as it gets. Plastic tables. Steel utensils. Men manned the fires, stirring heavy ladles in large handis on slow fires, emanating the most intriguing fragrances. Our mouths watered well and truly as we hung outside trying to get a foot in the door, standing in a queue with other local gourmands. We waited over half an hour. There are no reservations. everyone looks tense and harried, what if they run out before your turn?

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The service is blunt and honest. You order, they plonk the food in front of you. You get ThumsUp and paper napkins and zero frills. People are waiting for your table, so no leisurely lunches. This is serious foodie heaven. People are gorging on meat, chicken, bheja, kaleji, rotis and rice. The food is humble, spicy, hearty and delicious. Everything was potent and a shock to my senses and yes, yummy. But I think winter is a better season to enjoy the asli-ghee and meat feast. My stomach couldn’t handle this overload of desi goodness and I was in a coma for hours. No, I didn’t get any reaction to this meal, except wanting to curl up and snooze for a week to recover!! Since we were four of us, there was so much to taste and enjoy !!!

This is not all I ate. Stay tuned for more!!!