Yummy your Tummy in Delhi

Russia's greatest love machine at the Shack

2007-07-23T17:05:00.000+05:30

The other night after a very fulfilling meal of brosted chicken ( will discuss that in another post ) in the Defence Colony market, we felt like a refreshing after dinner beer. Since none of us were very keen on drinking too much we thought we would go to a decent place. We finally decided on stone (located right at the corner as you enter the market in side the Moets building). Stone would have been a nice place for a beer or two but unfortunately, the place was packed. As we came out of stone, we noticed another place bang opposite the entrance, in the same building. It was called 'Shack' and is apparently a lounge which specialises in seafood. The seating is low and comfortable,It is however set too far apart and it is difficult to hold a conversation unless everyone scootches and sits crammed together. The ambience is nice and relaxed , something so often missing from the lounges in the city.Needless to say the food menu was put back unopened and a round of Kingfishers summoned. They arrived ice cold (Dont you hate it when they are anything but and the waiter mumbles something about the refrigerator being in bad health?).

I am no sure if it is always the case or if sundays is '70s pop night' but the DJ was belting out everything from Boney M to Abba and beyond. It was a wonderful change from all the other kinds of music you normally come across at pubs across the city.After a glass or two of the amber liquid we were merrily singing along to' rivers of babylon' and 'Mama Mia'. We then proceeded to request the corniest songs we remembered being subjected to as hapless kids by unrelenting parents. By the time the Dj got to 'Rasputin' we were having a hoot. At about 11 or so the DJ took a break and the new guy refused to move beyond akon so we decided to make a move.

All in all it was a fun night out and the beer was a standard 150 bucks a bottle. I'm not sure if they have happy hours. If they do then it would make 'Shack' really good value. Word of caution though, on our bill of 600 we were charged close to 200 bucks tax. Go figure.

Moola Factor: So-so
Best feature: The 70s pop
Service: Better than ok
Ambience: Very relaxed

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 3/5

Hookah it up!

2007-07-03T13:51:00.000+05:30

As willworkforfood says:

So you you want to go drink at a better place for a change but dont have too much extra cash? The trick is to leave early and get there while happy hours are still on. Hookah is one of the better options and is located at Vasant Vihar, in the Priya Cinema Complex. It is supposed to be a vaguely mid eastern-meditteranean lounge bar on two floors replete with beds along one wall in the basement. Make sure you get a table in the basement even if the beds are occupied.
It is a pleasant enough place although the music varies from ok to trashy .It is however too loud for a lounge. Happy hours extend till 8:00 pm including weekends . Happy hours are good value as you can get two beers for 150 bucks plus tax. Try to make it there before 8 pm and order all your booze when they ask for your last order. This ensures you dont go overboard with drunken bouts of ordering tequila shots for everyone later. The last time we went there that is exactly what happened and , well the tequila wasnt cheap. The service is slow ( how much time does it take to get a couple of beers? they only had one brand anyway!) Its a nice enough place to hang out, especially if you bag one of the 'beds'. The hookahs are the USP of he place and add a nice , if not so unique touch to the place. Word of caution though, stay away from the desserts!

As Ainz says:

Lemme just re-stress on the reach-during-happy-hours part... REACH DURING HAPPY HOURS or end up paying with everything that might come out of those drunken pockets! Its not a cheap place but the ambiance and crowd more than make up for it. The music is indeed too loud for a place like that and the speakers can be heard blazing away some fusion of Indian classical and Middle-Eastern music... though it does start sounding better as you go from tipsy to sloshed! ;-)

Also, you know how they say that if you stand long at Times Square in New York, you meet everyone in the world.... well I say screw that... If you stand long enough in the middle of the square at Priya Cinema Complex... you'll meet everyone in the universe! :-p

Moola Factor: Ok
Best feature: The beds
Service: so-so
Ambience: Pretty good

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 3/5

Sub me up Scotty!!

2007-06-24T01:31:00.000+05:30

This world is divided into two kinds of people. Those who love Sub-Way, and those who'll grow to love it! The sub has everything! Fresh Veggies, scrumptious meat, olives, jalapeño and MAYONNAISE! All sandwiched up to make a roller coaster ride for our tingling taste buds! Now Sub-Way India has a scheme going on here wherein there is a 'Sub of the day'. Every day of the week has one 6-inch sandwich available for Rs. 50 ONLY!! Now thats HUGE because normally a decent sub costs anywhere between Rs. 80 to Rs. 120. But because of this deal, we yummy our tummy and can eat two at the cost of the original one! They keep shuffling around the days and according to the sequence now, the two most delicious subs fall on Friday and Saturday, Roasted Chicken Breast Sub and Chicken Ham Sub, respectively. Though little Sub-Ways are all over the place, today I'll write about two outlets.

Sub-Way, M-Block Market, G.K. II

Now this place is small... and I mean small... but not tiny as other Sub outlets. Infact, this is one of the bigger Sub-Ways around (not counting the food courts please!). The place is done up in the usual 'Sub-Way wallpaper' with two sets of sofa seats and other regular table sets all along the length of the store (there is no breath). The staff is friendly and seems to be busy with something all the time (even though we've never seen more than 3 people at the store at the same time.... ever!). It usually takes about 15 mins to get the sub and you can wash it down with ice tea or coke and sister brands. There is also an option to try out some yummy cookies (which are not cheap) as a 'sweet dish' after you're done with your subs. This outlet has a few of them (chocolate chip, oat-meal, oat-meal and raisin cookies) always stacked up right in front of your face as you pay for your sub and so don't be hard on yourself for being a little greedy, drooling and indulging. ;-)

Sub-Way, Savitri Cinema Complex, Nehru Place

This outlet is probably two thirds in size of the one at G.K. II but incredibly still has room for 3 tables! You get pretty much the same thing as at any other Sub-Way, but when I visited last (today) were no cookies there! And somehow during lunch hour, they managed to run out of chicken ham (the sub of the day) and had to offer something else to the hungry lot asking for it (I got the last of the chicken ham... snicker snicker :-D). But again, the staff is friendly and somehow (like their counter-parts at G.K. II) they are tuned to give out only ONE FREKKIN' TISSUE at a time when you ask for it! I mean come on people... Sub-Way won't go under because of a few tissues! :-p

The best part of Sub-Way is that you get to choose what you want in your Sub and that includes the sauces. Mayo and mustard are more or less on every sub, but if you want, you can also add Caesar sauce, Mint sauce or a Mustard-Honey Sauce! I would personally recommend all three and also that you try out the sub of the day (if you already haven't) cause the deal doesn't get any better than this!

Moola Factor: Good
Best feature: Its fresh, yummy and packed to the hilt
Service: Friendly
Ambiance: Comfortable

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 3.5/5

The Best Parathas in town

2007-06-21T17:50:00.000+05:30

The moolchand parethewala is one of the great culinary institutions of south delhi. It is pretty easy find. just follow your nose when anywhere in the vicinity of moolchand. For the nasally challenged, it is bang opposite vikram hotel in Lajpat Nagar. It is nothing but a small shack with a huge tawa. The parathas are always made fresh right in front of your eyes. There are a host of parathas to choose from including anda, gobhi, aloo, aloo-pyaaz, paneer etc. etc.The anda and aloo-pyaaz are highly recommended. None of the paarthas cost more than 10 bucks or so making it the cheapest place to get a quality meal. You can also get raita , butter and rajma as accompaniments while pickled green chillies are complimentary. You can either get the parathas delivered to your car or you can eat at one of the two crude tables which have been set up outside the stall. You will have to however contend with the mandatory stray dogs. If you want water or a coke, the panwalla across the road will help you out. The best way to end the meal is however to order a chai at the parathewala. It is sickeningly sweet but very satisfying. The best time to go is a cold night in January or sometime during the peak of the rainy season. You will surprise yourself with the number of parathas you manage to gobble down. The downside is that the place is also extremely popular with the guys who like a bite after they've downed a bottle of royal challenge or two in the privacy of their cars. You can always hear some of the choicest hindi abuse in the background as you are at your parathas. Don't get me wrong, the place is absolutely safe as there are always a few policemen around, no doubt enjoying some free hospitality at the expense of the parathewala. It is rumored that Shah Rukh Khan used to be a regular here, but please don't let that deter you. It seems Mr. Khan has good taste in food if nothing else.

Moola Factor: Excellent

Best feature: Parathas like no other
Service: Fairly decent
Ambience: Has a charm of its own

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 4/5

The Great Indian Shawarma

2007-06-21T17:18:00.000+05:30

Alright... lets get a couple of things straight here first. It is pronounced as either of the two:

1. Shower-ma
2. Sha-Warr-ma

What it is not called is:

1. Shore-ma
2. Shour-ma
3. Shoor-ma

Right, thats one, so what I am going to write about today is probably an institution. From its humble beginnings to its incredible fan following now.... The Al-Bake Shawarma.

Al-Bake's Shawarma, New Friends Colony

Ok... now the second thing to get right.... Al Bake's shawarma is not exactly a shawarma... infact... its nothing like a shawarma (trust me, for someone who bunked math tuition classes just to eat shawarmas, I would know). Its more like an Indian invention. Like the 'Chicken Tikka Masala' is Britain's gift to Indian cuisine, like the 'Manchurian' is the Indian gift to Chinese cuisine, similarly, Al-Bake's Shawarma is the Indian gift to Lebanese/Middle-Eastern cuisine. A huge mold of chicken is fixed up on a rotating skewer and is cooked all around from the heated filament flames along the height of it on one side. This is how the tradition shawarma is made and here is where all similarities end. Our shawarma is made by cutting off roasted sides of the chicken mold and rotating the fresh side to the burner. The chicken pieces are then mined on the hot plate below the skewer and spices, tomatoes, mayonnaise and garnish are added to it (real shawarmas have small roasted pieces of chicken, 2 pieces of french fries, 1 piece arabic pickle and garlic tinted mayo). It is all mixed up, then, a small maida roti/paratha is smothered with a little more mayonnaise on one face and then our chicken is rolled up into it. Voila... our shawarma is ready. At Rs. 20 per shawarma, its quite a treat. Ofcourse, one doesn't ever cut it for me and I have eaten 5 shawarmas in one go more than once, but even then, it barely comes out to Rs.100!

The only flip-side to all this is the ridiculous rush that always hangs about that shop now. There was a time not too long ago when we used to just walk up and get a seat inside the shop. Once I even stood with uncle to have a shawarma made to my own specifications. But all that is gone... now three people man a lone counter jus to cope with the sheer number of customers. Also to keep in mind is that they keep a whole bunch of shawarmas ready-made below the counter in a hot-box. If you order 5 or its multiples at any time, there is a good chance that you'll get the not-so-fresh shawarmas. I would recommend you insist on just-off-the-hot-plate kinds and also demand some 'extra' mayo to go with that (trust me on this you calorie conscious freaks!).

So if you still haven't eaten this great Indian treat, I say, STOP EMBARRASSING US ALL and PLEASE PLEASE go and redeem yourself at Al-Bake! :-p

Moola Factor: Excellent
Best feature: Its India's gift to Shawarma world
Service: Can get painful in heavy rush
Ambiance: Don't go looking for that

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 4/5

Oo La-La Country

2007-06-21T13:51:00.000+05:30

Ok... lets just say you don't feel like going for that chicken roll.... you are high and like all people who are drunk, you head to the nearest 24/7 Convenience Store. You know you'll get hot-dogs there and maybe, just maybe (if you are lucky enough) there'll be a whole bunch of girls just out from some club somewhere, falling all over the place (hasn't happened yet but there is always hope).

24/7 Greater Kailash II

Now this place has everything... and I do mean EVERYTHING! But we just go there for the hot-dogs... mostly... no really!! :-p At Rs. 50 per piece, you yummy your tummy and your eyes too (again, if you're lucky). They put mustard and mayo as standard (or you can have plain though I wouldn't recommend it) and the franks are cooked right before your eyes. There is no relish and frankly, I've never missed it. I'm not sure if its the all American Hot-Dog, but its quite tasty. What I don't like though is when there are too many people, you just can't get to the counter soon enough (you do haveta pay first you know). And when you are drunk and happy, standing in a line to give away money seems like a waste of your high.

If you do go there, be careful, you are NOT allowed to eat inside the store and if you follow what the Delhi Police hasta say (they have a board right outside the store, be sure to check it out) then you can't:

1. Eat standing outside the store
2. Eat sitting outside the store
3. Eat while standing outside your car
4. Eat while sitting inside your car (wtf?!?!)

ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BUY 'EM AND THEN STARE AT 'EM?!?!?! There are a few more No-No's... I'll check out the board and update here the next time I visit! ;-) So, anyhow, I would recommend 24/7 's Hot-Dogs as a great snack (drunk or not) and one that is not too heavy on the pocket and available almost any time!

A typical night outside 24/7, G.K.II, not much later the cops attacked
and shoo-ed the crowd away

Moola Factor: Average
Best feature: Open late night
Service: Can get slow in heavy rush
Ambiance: Oo La-La ;-)

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 3/5

In Bengali Country

2007-06-21T13:20:00.000+05:30

So you are out for a budget night out and the beer has really made you hungry. Youre in GK 2 and dont want to go too far. so what options do you have?
1. Kathi roll at C.R.Park
2. Hot Dog at 24/7
3. Sub-of-the day at subway.

Kathi Roll at C.R.Park:
C.R.Park is a 3 minute drive from greater kailash 2 but feels like a different country. C.R.Park is Bengali country and they make sure you know it. C.r.park market number 1 ( previously famous as THE fish market) is where the action is. In the market, facing the main road are lots of stalls selling the 'original' calcutta kathi rolls. Im not sure how authentic the rolls are, or if there actually are kathi rolls in calcutta but im not complaining. the rolls are really good, no matter which stall you go to. they are also cheap at 25 bucks a piece for an egg chicken roll. And there is no way you will need more than two.There are many variations of course: chicken, egg, egg chicken ,egg mutton , double egg double chicken ...you get the drift. they also have a vegetarian version but to be honest i havent dared to try it The stalls also have other stuff ranging from biryani to fish chops but you will be well advised to stick to the rolls. the market is however not the cleanest and you will have the complete attention of at least one stray dog at any given time.

Moola Factor: Excellent
Best feature: Theyre pretty satisfying
Service: NA
Ambience: huh?

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 3.5/5

Beer for the Soul

2007-06-20T11:23:00.000+05:30

As Ainz says:

Alright... any guy who loves beer and happens to live in Delhi, knows for a fact that WE DON'T HAVE ONE SINGLE PUB where a guy can just walk in, sit down and have a nice chilled larger without the following happening:

1. Getting ripped off at the entrance (they call them cover charges), if at all they let a 'stag' in.
2. Getting shoo-ed away for not being with a girl.
3. Getting in without a girl and without paying cover charges but still having to dole out upto 5 times the money you would pay at the government 'Wine and Beer Shop'.

So... what does a person, without a girl and no cash do?

I say... get your ass home! You gotta have atleast one of the two! If you don't have the cash, but the girl... well... she can pay for it (We believe in Equality). Or alternatively, if you don't have a girl (LOSER :-p) but do have cash... well then... lets go Soul searching in Greater Kailash II.

Soul Punjab is more of a restaurant than a drinking joint. But after we stopped going to ******, we needed a place and just one day, rather randomly, decided to try out Soul Punjab. It has two sections. We've never seen the basement but have reasons to believe that there is a dance-floor-DJ setup there (drunk people often fly up and down the stairs with loud music blazing out from behind them). The ground floor is where the restaurant is. You have a choice between smoking and non-smoking sections. The ambience is comfy (no deafening music here) and the staff is friendly and doesn't ask any questions (wink wink). One of the best things is that you can watch at least one of the three televisions from almost any seat in the house. They usually have Kingfisher, Fosters, Castle Larger and Sand Pipers, but we have been there on days when they had just one of the above. A bottle of the above named beers usually costs between Rs. 80 to 90. Royal challenge you can get for Rs. 60/peg. Besides that, their Masala Peanuts are alright and go well with the beer. They cost somewhere around Rs. 50. A friend (Panky, with a little help from Papples) once tried their Dry Martini and found it 'nice'.... but you should know we don't usually consider his opinion in the matter of drinks! :-p

So if you live around G.K. II, or are bored of your local drinking hole and need a change, or are just too cheap to go anywhere else, then try out Soul Punjab. Its not the best... but quite convenient!

As willworkforfood says:

What soul Punjab has going for it is that there is absolutely no pretense of being hip. the booze is cheap and the service is really good, even though once in a while none of the waiters will listen to you because they will all be glued to the TV watching indian idol. The beer is always chilled and the masala peanuts good. i am not ashamed to mention that in the million times we have ended up there we have not ordered food once. There is also a small glass container with a small floating candle on every table which make for a novel way to light your cigarette. In your face Flames!!

Moola Factor: Average
Best feature: Convenient
Service: Good enough
Ambiance: Calm and restaurant like

Yummy Tummy Delhi Rating ::::: 3/5