Travel Diaries

General nukkad-style discussions.
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sbajwa
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by sbajwa » Thu Oct 19, 2017 3:38 pm

by Singha
Talked to my wife we plan to visit chandigarh and amritsar on next round of the north along with jodhpur and jaisalmer.
Try Puran Singh dhaba (original not the duplicates) at Ambala
Try Pal Dhaba at sector 28 chandigarh
For vegetarian snacks (chole bhature, etc) try Gopal Sweets in sector 35 Chandigarh
Try Beera Chicken in Amritsar

Singha
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Singha » Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:52 pm

lahore as the pre 1947 center of punjab culture must have had a lot of good food...probably still does.

sbajwa
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by sbajwa » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:16 pm

by Singha
lahore as the pre 1947 center of punjab culture must have had a lot of good food...probably still does.
I traveled to Lahore in 2005 and as per locals ate at the #1 restaurant in Lahore at Lakshmi Chowk (close to Gwalmandi aka where Gwalas live and yes they indeed still have not renamed the Lakshmi chowk and you could see many buildings with OM written on them). The food was very bad and way too oily the Naans were too big and everybody share the naan., my mother could not eat anything as they had 0 vegetarian dishes. So in my humble opinion Lahore food is too Arabicised and is not authentic Punjabi food.
The dal is cooked with beef, chhole are cooked with chicken and/or beef. The karela (bitter gourd) is stuffed with beef/goat/chicken., they have bastardsized all of the punjabi dishes with way too much meat (goat, cow, chicken) of assorted animals.

To experience authentic Punjabi food (sarson ka saag, makke di rot) visit Haweli when you are approaching Jalandhar it is just before Mcdonald's (about 1-2km before mcdonald's ) (right next to Hawali they have a museam of punjabi culture and the restaurant is part of that museam) close to Jalandhar., for about 300 rupees (in april 2017)., all you can eat in Punjabi style (totally vegetarian) they come to you and give you servings of pakora, samosa, parantha, tandoori roti, Maah ki daal, sarson saag, makke di roti, salad, allo gobi, Bhartha, matar paneer, aloo matar, fried karela, etc, Gur Shakkar, desi ghee, gajar halwa, rabdi, kheer, . A very enjoyable experience.
Last edited by sbajwa on Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:32 pm, edited 3 times in total.

sbajwa
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by sbajwa » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:27 pm

for example in 2005 this building had OM written on top and now something in Arabic/Urdu

Image

Raja
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Raja » Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:52 pm

Primus wrote:
Thu Oct 19, 2017 11:30 am

Years ago we went to Karim's in Nizamuddin with my family and another. There were four women in our group including two young girls. It was a difficult walk from the parking area to the restaurant, we were stared at by bearded young (and old) Malsis all the way. It was very uncomfortable. Vowed never to go back again. The food at Bukhara is much better (though pricier).
What did you expect in that neighborhood onlee? :lol: Yes it is crowded, smelly (used to go thru a fish market if memory serves me right). There are some lanes there where Dilli Police would fear to tread at night though nothing as bad as Garden Reach type areas in Kolkata. Bukhara is very pricey and chi-chi and more suited for those who value ambiance a lot (I don't). You might as well compare a 5 star deluxe hotel with Econolodge EWR. When one of my pitashree's close friends from US would visit us, he would always take us out to Frontier in Ashoka hotel. That was my 1st introduction to Afghan food. Pretty pricey joint as well.

Singha
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Singha » Fri Oct 20, 2017 6:51 am

i have been to bukhara once and handi in the neighbouring taj once as team lunch during my first job in mahipalpur.
bukhara i recall had good daal and kababs and a huge naan that people would tear off from all sides.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Buk ... d77.173631

but these are way off the budget of paying from own pocket except once in years.

Singha
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Singha » Fri Oct 20, 2017 7:00 am

in the good old days there was a Samarkhand restaurant in blr near commercial street that was very bukharaish and had the best clay pot sealed biryanis, lamb shanks and such. but gradually it became tough to get there and the hives of commercial activity shifted away from infantry road mg road area. its still there but a bit forlorn now. cooks were also poached away. a venture called khyber pass i believe in koramangala copied it , then it closed and some pub opened in its place.

Chandragupta
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Chandragupta » Fri Oct 20, 2017 9:02 am

Beware of the Puran singh ka dhaba. There are 4-5 of them in the same lane all absolutely dilapidated and unsuitable for women/children. And all of them claim to be the original.

If in Delhi, you must try Rajendar da Dhaba in Safdarjung Enclave and Al Kauser on Kautilya marg next to Assam Bhawan. Their galaoti kebabs are to die for and RDD offers much more - great chicken curry and tawa chicken with naan etc..punjabi joint in an upscale location so no issue with Malsi hordes.

Dum Pukht I thought was overrated, Warq at Taj and Jamawar at Leela are both underrated and better than Bukhara etc...Jamawar is also a little pocket friendly compred to the other worthies.

Javee
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Javee » Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:40 pm

+1 on Rajindar, one of the best galouti kebabs I had. They have 3-4 restaurants with varying comforts all at the same location. Obviously I had it in the bottom rung one, we had couple beers in the car along with the kebabs and nearly got caught by the cops.

Singha
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Singha » Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:54 pm

checked it on youtube. quite impressive and popular.

nirantar
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by nirantar » Fri Oct 20, 2017 2:03 pm

In my solo trek this Sep to Bhrigu lake near Manali, I chose to land at Amritsar first. After shower, headed straight to kulcha junction. True to reputation. Liked 2 paneer kulcha very much. The late luch was planned at the famous kesar da dhaba. Walked too deep in to the inner area in the periphery of darbar sahib. Total disappointment with Kesar. Ripped seats had numerous roaches. Too oily bhurta. Lassi, rabri both no stock. Had pity on the grandson in his 50s now. Too obese and managing with just 4 cucumber pieces as lunch.

Golden temple was serene especially the chants of ' guru ramrai..tu santa ka sant...'. Near akaal takht, disappointed to see the recently surrected shahidi section extolling bhindrawale and openly equating Indian govt to the mughals on wall writing before entrance.

To continue....

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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by jamwal » Fri Oct 20, 2017 2:15 pm

All you carnivores, do you ever ask the restaurant owner whether the meat is halal or normal ?
A lot of food joints carry halal food. I like meat dishes, but find it hard to reconcile the extra cruelty.

Things are getting so bad that most hotels andr airlines are getting halal meat onlee. This is one thing where you can easily make a difference and counter the stranglehold of malsis.

KJo
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by KJo » Fri Oct 20, 2017 2:42 pm

jamwal, they have a reply to that also. They claim that the cut is quick and painless to the animal.

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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by jamwal » Fri Oct 20, 2017 4:34 pm

True. But asserting preference for non-halal meat is a low effort job with good gains.

Chandragupta
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Chandragupta » Fri Oct 20, 2017 4:38 pm

Some punjabi joints like Rajindar, Kake da Dhaba etc I think have jhatka meat. I remember asking them. There are 0 Muslims in their clientele so may be they actually do serve jhatka. Who knows. I found that in Himachal and Uttaranchal, basically the hilly areas of the north, they only have jhatka and very few places that are actually inside Muslim ghettos will have halal. Everywhere I went in Mussourie for example, they had jhatka meat and told me quite emphatically.

Raja
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Raja » Fri Oct 20, 2017 11:35 pm

At least back in the days, Rajinder da dhaba served 500% jhatka meat onlee. No idea what they do today. Both them and Al Kauser bring back memories of galauti kabab and kakori kababs. One reason why halal is so prevalent is becoz Muslims loudly insist on halal but have you heard any Yindoo loudly insist on jhatka? In the real world, the loudest get the press.

KJo
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by KJo » Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:24 am

Some years ago, a Paki opened a halaal store in our area. Paki Mehrunnissa would get meat from him and claim to all the ladies about how awesome halaal is, how is it is "healthier" :roll: how it is "tastier" :roll: .
Then all the neighborhood Hindu women started buying from him. :evil:
I had to intervene but the Mrs resisted a lot. Then I had to show her how the Paki cheated on weight and then we switched to Whole Foods. The fellow is now out of business.

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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Raja » Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:55 am

Whole Foods chicken purchased with bone is healthier and cheaper per pound (net) than some sooth asian shop even here.

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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by jamwal » Sat Oct 21, 2017 9:39 am

http://www.thedelhiwalla.com/2014/06/12 ... fee-house/
The Jain Coffee House looks terribly modest. Yet it is an essential Old Delhi destination. Situated beside a granary in Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazar, it has been serving fruit sandwiches since 1948.

The sandwiches, with mango, apple, chiku, pineapple, and grape stuffed between slices of white bread, are delicacies you will probably not find anywhere else in the Capital.

The basic ingredients of each fruit sandwich, besides the fruit, are white cream, home-made cottage cheese and sugary kesar chutney. Some of the specialities are seasonal, but the rule doesn’t apply to all seasonal produce. The mango sandwich, for instance, is available year round. They also serve toasted sandwiches with a simple filling of tomatoes and cucumber.

The area where the Jain Coffee House is located has a colourful history. A red-light district during the Mughal era, Chawri Bazaar was famous for its legendary dancing girls. Today, it is the city’s wholesale market for water faucets and wedding cards.

Serious-minded city explorers, however, visit the area to photograph crumbling old balconies and try delicious street-side, vegetarian-only snacks such as the frothy daulat ki chaat dessert, gol-gappas and bedmi puri.

If you don’t have a taste for the fruit sandwiches, you might like the savoury namkeen sandwich which is layered with cottage cheese, tomato slices, pomegranate seeds, and flavoured with coriander leaves and light spices.

Primus
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Primus » Sat Oct 21, 2017 11:59 am

Singha wrote:
Fri Oct 20, 2017 6:51 am
i have been to bukhara once and handi in the neighbouring taj once as team lunch during my first job in mahipalpur.
bukhara i recall had good daal and kababs and a huge naan that people would tear off from all sides.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Buk ... d77.173631

but these are way off the budget of paying from own pocket except once in years.
Raja and SIngha Ji, agree, it is way too pricey even for somebody used to expensive restaurants (where I live, a typical evening out at a good restaurant is over $100 per head). However, since we go to India maybe once every two years, for us it is safe, clean and convenient, so one can tolerate the expense.

When SHQ and I were just married, we could only afford to go to five star places in Ashoka, Akbar or the newly build Hyatt Regency (across from our home in RK Puram) once a year on our anniversary, it was beyond our reach otherwise.

Just as in my neighborhood, in Delhi too (and elsewhere in India) there are plenty of good and inexpensive restaurants. Just need to know where to go, and in that sense this thread is fantastic.

Primus
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Primus » Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:16 pm

jamwal wrote:
Fri Oct 20, 2017 4:34 pm
True. But asserting preference for non-halal meat is a low effort job with good gains.
Hard to do that when almost every restaurant in the area (even one owned by a vegetarian Hindu friend and his Sikh partner) have signs saying 'Only Halal meat served here'.

Since the Jewish practice is similar, Malsis have also jumped on the bandwagon saying Halal is their equivalent of Kosher and vice-versa. Many Malsis I've met are quite happy to eat Kosher meat since it is quite acceptable to them.

But I agree, gently insisting on your preference will work in many situations. At official dinners at a restaurant I always say loud and clear 'I do not eat beef'. They will always find an alternative for me.

sbajwa
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by sbajwa » Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:10 pm

We did had a successful campaign again butterball turkey for claiming that their turkeys are Halal (on an Ad). They had to publicly refute that!

Javee
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Javee » Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:59 pm

Working in a services major means you get to participate in what we call as the customer song and dance routines which when it happens in NCR will end in couple of the restaurants listed out here. TBH, of all the restaurants like Bukhara, Dum pukht, Indian accent etc, I don't think they taste that extraordinary. Even for goras it's a novelty the first time, but where they score is their choice of expensive wines and the customers go gaga over it. Sometimes even our p&l heads advise us to go easy on these expenses. So one of the sales folks would get the wine menu and order it after checking their choice of white or red.

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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by Raja » Sat Oct 21, 2017 5:00 pm

At official dinners I always say loud and clear, “I don’t eat fish or shellfish”. :mrgreen:

saip
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Re: Travel Diaries

Post by saip » Sat Oct 28, 2017 4:29 pm

Has anyone been to Sri Lanka? I have about 5 days to spare this trip to India in January. Intend flying from BLR or Chennai into Sri Lanka. Any suggestions?

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