Old Delhi's Charm

Over the last weekend, me and a friend got together late at night and decided to go out for dinner. Since it was post midnight, we decided to go to Old Delhi to eat. Going to Old Delhi was easy, the tough part lied in getting to the lane next to Jama Masjid where all the restaurants are located. 

Once there, we went to Al Jawahar(The legendary eatery). There was a wait time of close to half an hour when we reached. At first i thought that since we're only two people, we will not be given preference over other but i was wrong. We were assigned a table as soon as one got vacant. We ordered as soon as we sat to avoid any further delays. Our order consisted of Chicken Tandoori, Chicken Korma & Mutton Kebab. We also ordered Khameera & Roomali Roti to go with it. The food was oily and spicy, but delicious all the way. 

The food is the only reason people visit the place as the service is apologetic. The staff treats you like they are doing you a favour. You are not a true foodie if you have not tried Al-Jawahar. 

Quest for Mughlai Food in New Delhi

My quest for Mughlai Food in New Delhi took me to Bhape Da Hotel in CP last weekend(again). I was introduced to this place in school by a friend of mine. Since then, this has been the place me and my friends hop to whenever we have the urge to satisfy our taste buds.

The staple items on their menu are non vegetarian, but they do serve vegetarian food too. My favorite dish is their Butter Chicken - Tender pieces of chicken roasted in charcoal and served in tomato butter gravy(Slurp). And quite surprisingly, the place has managed the consistency in its taste since the time i first visited them in 2002.

Anyways, what made this trip to Bhape's interesting was that awkward moment when you are gorging on Bhape's Butter Chicken and a group comes in and orders Mix Veg & Dal. :-)

Disclaimer - Iam not related to the owner of Bhape's in any way.

Trip to Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Last weekend, i took a trip to trip to Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The trip started on a bad note due as our transport(bus) did not have all the required papers and we were made to pay 5K to cross the border to Uttarakhand. Then it started raining due to which the driver lost direction and took us more than 70 kms on the wrong road. Post all this, we managed to reach our camp on time and then the fun started. We spent the rest of the day trekking, swimming in the river next to the camp, exploring nature and having a party during dinner time.

The next day, we checked out and travelled to Lakshman Jhoola. A cab was waiting at the other end to take us to Marine Drive(24 kms away) for what is now an Experience Of a Lifetime. We reached Marine Drive and started our White Water Rafting Journey back towards Lakshman Jhoola. The entire journey had close to 8 rapids but the most exciting was "Roller Coaster" which almost knocked our raft over. With the quick thinking of the team, we were able to stop the raft from capsizing.

Once we reached Lakshman Jhoola, we stopped at the German Bakery for a quick bite and a coffee. I had heard a lot of praise for this place and it lived up to my expectations. I tried the cappuccino, the cinnamon roll(best ever - pic below), the peanut and chocolate cookies(pic below) & assorted fritters. All of them were beyond perfect.

On this positive note, we ended our trip and headed back home.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Who is writing this Blog?

Ans - Iam Gaurav. Iam an IT/ITES professional who likes to travel & cook in his free time. I have re-discovered the joy of writing and this blog is my outlet to the world.

2) What is the point of this Blog?

Ans - I used to be quite a voracious writer till the time i was studying. Since i started working, my priorities changed and writing took a backseat. I feel its time i need to re set my priorities.

3) Will this be interesting?

Ans - This blog will take you through what i enjoy doing the most.

4) Can you share any travelling advice?

Ans - Most of my travel has been limited to India. I will love to help out anyone seeking advice on travel within India.

5) Would you be sharing recipes?

Ans - I cook in my leisure time. Though Iam not a professional cook, iam quite good at tossing up a salad, cooking mughlai & seafood dishes(Indian Style) and making cocktails. As i learn anything new, i will share it on my blog.