Eat Like Ushi

I'd read that Delhi was actually a wonderful city for food. I suppose it is partially because it is within a country known for street food quality (although hygiene may be in question) and has restaurants catering toward the standard class as well as Western prices for rich and tourists. I had already decided to go to Bukhara (or Dum Pukht) for the final meal of the trip and so I thought trying a modern Indian restaurant would be a good way to start the trip. It may have been better to start with the traditional first and modern last but the schedule of hotels and day itineraries meant the other way was most convenient. 

Varq is also reputed to potentially be the best restaurant in Delhi/India and is currently the only Delhi restaurant to remain in the San Pellegrino Top 50 Asia (#32 currently, #30 in 2014) whilst Bukhara and Dum Pukht have fallen out. It is located within the Taj Mahal Hotel in Delhi, one of the luxury Taj brand places where each car is security screened upon arrival and Barack Obama was going to stay the following weekend for Republic Day celebrations.

The restaurant setting is beautiful. Mood lighting, exceptional decoration and an outdoor area that would be perfect in warmer weather. Even with only 2 tables occupied inside, the outside was primed with tables and large charcoal pits to give atmosphere in the emptiness.

- Saffron lassi
- Pink ginger lassi
- (complimentary) amuse bouche - sweet tiny wrap of potato and pomegranate seeds.

The starters (aka entrees in the Western world) were served with wonderful aromas emanating upon approach.

- Varqui Crab (layers of crab meat, tandoori shrimp on crisp filo sheet) – very highly crab meat flavour with soft texture, thin filo, top of shrimp, surrounded by a cumin balsamic sauce with small slices of red chilli;
- Chicken Three Way – ganderi kebab (soft mince kebab, sweet sugarcane, tangy raw mango sauce), bhatti ka murg (cheese sauce and fenugreek & fennel succulent chicken breast), murg methi malai tikka (7 spices including cardamom, cloves, cinnamon etc excellent grilled chicken thigh) served with coriander sauce.

I couldn't resist the sound of a lobster soup. In hindsight it wasn't all that I dreamt of but I couldn't know that at the time. In any case they served a complimentary soup so that my dining partner wasn't excluded from a course. Very considerate.

- Lobster Rassa (Cochin prawns, black pepper & fennel rusk, robust lobster broth) – small shrimp, sliced slightly firm scallop which was quite good, calamari encrusted with couscous/polenta which had odd texture. Perhaps lobster is prawn as the broth had mild prawn and fish flavour but minimal lobster. Weird crouton stick;
- (complimentary) Kale Channe Ki Cappuccino (cappuccino style flavoured black chickpea broth) – an odd soup but unexpectedly nice for kale.

The entrees (aka mains in the Western world) followed. There was great excitement given the quality of the starters. Any hint of fullness that was creeping in soon disappeared.

- (complimentary) Guava, fennel, black pepper sorbet palate cleanser which reminded me of a fresh tomato sorbet flavour;
- Duck 4 Ways – slightly disappointing. Duck egg (fried), tamarind roast (chewy roast with tangy tamarind), duck samosa (delicious green chilli dry heat), chef's special masala confit (thick chewy slices without enough tenderness or nice flavour). Overall not much duck flavour;
- Green Chilly Tulsi & Pinenut Fish (pan seared Chilean sea bass, flavoured with basil & pinenut, mango & coconut curry) – perfectly cooked and textured fish, good tasty crust, outstanding phenomenal raw mango and coconut & cashew curry (how I expect butter chicken should ultimately be);
- Camembert & Truffle Naan - I could smell the truffle but not really taste it (I suppose the cost would limit this). Plain or garlic naan is probably better value although standard.

At this point dessert was not necessary. In fact if it had not been a fancy restaurant or if it was somewhere I would ever likely return again in this lifetime, I wouldn't have ordered it. After reading the menu and looking at the display items I couldn't quite help but get one.

- The Dome (chikki kulfi with Bailey's rabdi) – chocolate shell with kulfi treated by a Cognac flambee then smothered with Bailey's and thickened milk. A thick milky dessert overall with nice chocolate tones;
- (complimentary) House Cheesecake – gulab lined and topped with rose. After dessert and asking for the bill they surprised with more food. After sampling a small slice they offered to pack it which was unnecessary. I hope the staff were allowed to eat it themselves as I suggested;
- (complimentary) Betel leaf – rose, peppermint which had a sharp taste designed to palate cleanse. They gave another 4 to take home for no reason at all.

Bukhara is a restaurant institution such that it has included accolades of best Indian restaurant in the world, best restaurant in India and the Top 50 San Pellegrino Asia restaurants list (peaking at #26 in 2012). I had a tough time deciding between ITC Maurya's two outstanding restaurants (the other being Dum Pukht, which has also been in the SP Top 50 and rivals Bukhara in terms of foodiness) but after the Bollywood Masala challenge, Bukhara won out. The article I found online that included all the top end Delhi restaurants on my list (http://www.traveller.com.au/india-the-battle-for-delhis-bellies-36qux) influenced my decision of what I wanted to order - raan and dal.

Despite having a booking, it seems it's more a matter of waiting for a table after you arrive. During this time, the bar is open to serve and a quick glance at the cocktail menu lead to two delicious combinations - Dilli High 5 and Spice Route. Soon after a table was ready. The menu imprinted on two wooden boards is presented.

Whilst waiting for the food to arrive, I couldn't help but wander around and watch the chefs at work through the transparent screen especially the large kebabs hanging high and the enormous dexterity required to manipulate a large naan.

- Naan Bukhara (Rs. 1525) – the waiter insisted this was only for 6-8 people but I just wanted to have one on the table. It was huge with some crisp edges and some soft breadier parts. Definitely not the best naan I've had but it was fine to eat with the other dishes and create little sandwiches. I ate about half of it myself;
- Sikandari Raan (Rs. 2925)(whole leg of spring lamb, braised in a marinade of malt vinegar, cinnamon, black cumin, red chilli paste & finished in the Tandoor) – a nicely spiced, seasoned salty flavour with soft juicy meat. It could have been more tender but was certainly acceptable;
- Dal Bukhara (Rs. 795)(harmonious blend of black lentil, tomatoes, ginger & garlic, simmered overnight on slow charcoal fire, finished with cream & served with a dollop of unsalted butter) – what an incredible dish! The lentils had been smoothed into a creamy smokey buttery product that was so rich and luxurious. Sensational. A whole different universe to the dal makhani from other places.

Coriander sauce was nice and spicy and tangy and acted like the Indian version of tzatziki in a souvlaki binding the ingredients together.

The meal was extremely memorable considering how long I had been anticipating it, the reputation of the restaurant, the luxury of the hotel and the heavenliness of the Dal Bukhara. 

Next time I would order small breads and thus a variety of them and pick something else instead of the raan (unless I had a group of people to share this and kababs with).

ITC Maurya was the last booked hotel for the 2 week India trip. This was intentionally done as the Malaysia Airlines flight home at 12pm didn't allow for a transfer from Varanasi by plane or train (and considering the trains were all delayed >10 hours there was no reliability on estimated arrival times) and also because I wanted my last meal to be at Bukhara or Dum Pukht.

I had a really great deal at ITC Maurya known as the 'Winter Special' which included a free massage, free breakfast and 20% off a meal. Unfortunately I contracted Varanasi-belly at approximately 5am and spent the next few hours in the luxurious bathroom. It also meant that I wasn't able to enjoy the full extent of the 5-star buffet breakfast on the ground floor at Pavilion.

There are 3 breakfast options to choose from - the full buffet at Pavilion and two smaller selection buffets that compensate you with high-level views.

The Pavilion buffet has a team of chefs in a circle station who cook fresh noodle and egg dishes to order. Surrounding them are a collection of curries and fried items as would be found in typical Indian hotel breakfasts. Western options also made an appearance with baked beans, bacon, breads and pastries, smoked salmon and antipasto. In my debilitated state I stuck to fresh yoghurt, soy milk, muesli, seeds and nuts and fresh & dried fruit.

If I ever return to Delhi, I'll be staying at ITC Maurya and will certainly relish a second attempt at that breakfast.

In the area of Hauz Khas, one dinner option seemed more unusual than the rest. Rosang was the first place I had read about that specialised in North Indian cooking. Specifically the food is from the 8 North East states and the owner from specifically Manipur where India borders China and Burma. As a result the owner looks what I'd call Asian rather than Indian. Similarly she thought I might be from North India. How quaint.

Two types of homemade sauces with experimental recipes were served for dipping. The vibrant colours and flavours contrasted each other well. My favourite was the red sauce made from ghost chilli and tomato. It had a smokey characteristic that I wrongly guessed was from paprika. It imparted a sweetness overall. The dark sauce was an unusual combination of black mustard leaf, gooseberry juice and chilli. It had a sourness overall.

- Sougri-Mahi - a sour red type of tea made from a flower ground into powder with jaggery and green chilli. Unusual;
- Pork Spare Ribs (marinated in house special blended herbs & spices accompanied with raja mircha chutney) - looked red and vibrant. The outer shell was crispy but unfortunately it and the meat lacked seasoning. It was also a very very fatty rib meaning most of it was wasted as bone and fat;
- Iromba Insang (assorted seasonal vegetables curry with fish paste) - Fish paste, potato and seasonal vegetables combined to be similar to a basic fish-based soup. A thumb-sized ghost chilli segment made this the spiciest dish on the menu and wow it had intense painful tongue-burning capacity;
- Ngatok (no oil fish curry with indigenous spices & aromatic herbs from the region) - ghost chilli, fish with a lot of bones, tomato and North-Eastern flowers and spices that don't have English names. I was assured the yellow colour was not from turmeric;
- Chaak Hao (Manipuri red rice)

The food was much closer to Asian as well with hints of basic homestyle Chinese and South East flavours. It was a complete change to the 2 weeks of butter, ghee, cream and curries. Overall the food wasn't as incredible as I hoped for but it was a different experience at least and made me curious to try this cuisine again.

The host was exceptionally nice. She sat for 20-30mins for a chat and explaining how she has been highly recommended and reviewed, selected to cook for festivals and in hotels, is finally going on a holiday now that her children are older, and will hopefully expand one day to USA. I wish her the best of luck.

Jet Airways decided to screw my flight. After changing the Udaipur to Delhi flight time, the connecting Delhi to Varanasi was going to be missed. Given there were no options available, I started looking for last minute Delhi accommodation and things to do. The first couple of days there were quite uninspiring and even though I really wanted to see Humayun's Tomb, it wasn't such a strong force to drag me back into the heart of New Delhi.

Reading around I had to decide to either to stay at one of the most luxurious hotels Dusit Devarana near the airport or explore a lesser trodden region Hauz Khas. The reviews of the area are mixed - apparently it used to be a lovely local neighbourhood but in the last few years the more affluent have tried to be bohemian and taken over the area to be seen. As a result a lot of the local restaurants have closed down due to council enforcement.

After arriving and wandering through the deer park, Hauz Khas Village was actually a relaxing area to walk through. There isn't much traffic, smells of cooking fill the air and there's some nice shopping too. Food options in the area included Bombay bhelpuriwala, Navedyam (cheap South Indian), Desiya (moderate pan Indian), Golconda Bowl (higher end Hyderabad). In the end Coast Cafe took the honours with the reputation for excellent Malabar food in a nice setting overlooking the park.

- Fresh Orange & Basil Burst - very fresh orange juice with some basil;
- Summer Fix Masala Butter Milk (with ginger, mint leaf, green chilli) - my first experience drinking buttermilk and not one I'll do again. Intensely strong like drinking sour thin liquid fat. I can't do it;
- Appam & Egg White Appam - really interesting bread alternative with a soft yeasty shell and slight sour tang. The warm egg white froth version didn't add anything special so I wouldn't go for that again;
- Coast Cafe Prawn Moilee (Kerala prawn moilee in coconut milk) - 5 prawns cooked to retain some crunch in a delicious coconut and prawn flavoured creamy sauce. This was excellent;
- Mum's Aubergine Cokum Curry (home-style spicy Kerala curry) - 5 pieces eggplant in a relatively mild tomato curry. Although advertised as the spiciest curry, it wasn't hot;
- Sukha Mutton Fry - dry spicy mutton (but very tolerable) with a good savoury flavour and did not have a strong mutton taste;
- Malabar Paratha - very flaky and great;
- Coast Cafe Masala Cappuccino (masala chai lover's cappuccino) - a mild blend of chai and coffee.

The prices here are higher than average which reflects the upmarket setting, the upmarket clientele (for lunch it was almost all young or middle-aged Indian women dressed well) and perhaps the gourmet trend. Having said that, the food was great and I would happily come back.

Next time I would order the Prawn Moilee to eat with lots of paratha. The appam is different to try but on a second visit I'd stick to what I like. There's some other fish and meat curries on the menu I'd have also to complete the meal. I don't think the meat fries or grilled fish is necessary.

It isn't actually in Agra nor Delhi. But the only reason you'll actually stop here is because you are driving between Delhi and Agra and need somewhere to stop for lunch and a toilet. I've heard that all taxi drivers (all over the world really) get commission to bring in roadtripping guests, but I can't imagine this one would as the prices are simply too cheap. Additionally all the other people eating there at this time were Indian, but I'd assume the large parking area would also cater to tourist buses.

There is a nice outdoor seated area in a small garden. An elderly Indian man started asking me about Australia and his friends that live there. I was suspicious of his intentions at first, but it turned out he was being inquisitive and polite and then went about the rest of his day. A father and daughter were dressed immaculately busking in traditional Rajasthani clothes and it's a shame they had disappeared before I managed to get a photo. Unfortunately I didn't see anyone else during the Rajasthan trip who was dressed like this (surprising lack of buskers in tourist areas).

The outdoor area serves cheap as chips quick snacks. The inside seated area is perhaps catered toward the less adventurous or more ravenous, with hot meals cooked to order.

- Bread Pakora – fried bread filled with a unexpected blend of peas;
- Raj Kachori – fried ball filled with potato, topped with yoghurt, pomegranate, coriander sauce, sugar syrup. Wonderful combination of flavours and textures with bright visual appeal;
- Vegetable Biryani – for a roadside pitstop, this was surprisingly good and possibly the best of the trip with minimal oil and excellent vegetable flavours.

After the incredible Jama Masjid (combined with the less incredible enforced tourist fee and unnecessary guide fee) it was time for lunch. Luckily Karim's is very nearby and well reputed from Rough Guide and also online. It would good to see the majority of people dining in the room were Indian, from young families to couples to the older generation.

It's a little confusing at first trying to figure out if all the rooms are the same restaurant or if some are trying to feed off the name of another. They reassured me that each was connected to the same restaurant and this was proven in that all the food came from the same central cooking area - a deep pit of a tandoor, pots of curries and a separate charcoal grill with wafting kebab aromas.

- Seekh kabab – incredibly soft smooth mutton mince grilled on a skewer;
- Mutton burra – chargrilled mutton, very strong meaty flavour, soft and melty gelatinous texture I haven't before seen in mutton let alone from any grilled meat;
- Roti – soft aerated bubbly, thicker base;
- Qeema naan – thin crispy deep flavour;
- Vegetable curry – simple looking but tasty buttery curry.

The couple on the table next to me were expertly devouring by hand the mutton biryani and mutton stew, both of which looked excellent. If I hadn't previously been, I just became a huge fan of mutton and this place does it extraordinarily well.

One of the recommended experiences in Old Delhi is the Chandni Chowk trawl. This street is conveniently directly opposite the entrance to the Red Fort and seems to extend all the way to New Delhi station. Despite the road being so long, the dense amount of people and traffic means a short walk is probably enough. Lucky then that Jalebi Wala is located at one of the first intersections and the road the leads on towards the incredible Jama Masjid.

It is a store apparently since 1884. The server informed us there is only two things - jalebi and samosa - in order to specialise and do them as well as possible. And they surely do that.

- Jalebi – sweet sugary honey syrup wrapping a thick batter with a soft core. This is only place in India I tried this, but I can tell this would be one of the best;
- Samosa – ordered this to help fill the lack of breakfast in my stomach and glad I did. It was filled with whole peas tightly bound in the most delicious soft yet crisp seasoned pastry.