It would be difficult to cram all the popular spots in Delhi and have a comfortable day in the end. So, the plan was to pick the top 3 places (totally personal) and food spots around the area and plan the day according to the opening times of the places. Here’s what I did: This was not really a planned trip, and I was on a work trip to Noida for a week. As the daytime during the weekdays were occupied with work, I only had the nights and one Saturday to spend. Luckily, due to my spot-saving habits, I had enough food spots saved in and around Delhi, but none in Noida, so started the googling.
On my first day, I decided not to roam around and just rest for the day; lunch and dinner were from a Haldiram’s nearby my hotel. You can find a Haldiram’s probably every 100m in Noida and can have hygienic and safe food.
For the next day, I decided to try out some street food from Brahmaputra market and it was the best food I had in Noida. I tried the mutton sheek kabab roll and malai chicken tikka. The roll was exactly how I like it - without any unnecessary sauces and extras; the chicken tikka was soft along with the creamy malai sauce. There’s also a sweet shop nearby where we had rasmalai and lassi. One regret I have is not having enough lassi during my week in the NCR.
Lord of the rings in Garden Galleria was my last dining out experience in Noida and man was it disappointing. The idea was fascinating, a mall exclusively for pubs, and I went with my colleague who is a native and out of my love for microbreweries. What we got was heavily watered down IPA ‘flavoured’ beer. 3L tower for ₹3000. Go here if you like loud Punjabi/Hindi remix songs played by a 'DJ'. They also have a dance floor.
It was finally Saturday and I got a day free to explore Delhi. Well, almost a day since my flight was in the evening. If you’re only looking for food spots, they are as below. But if you want to know which of them are worth visiting, please continue reading, as Google Maps ratings only tell half the story, and more often false stories.
Paranthe Wali Gali Old Famous Jalebi Wala Abdul Ghani Qureshi Kabab Corner Aslam Chicken Sidecar bar
Now, above are all the places I had marked in Delhi. I couldn't go try all of them but I was able to cover most in my limited time. I had 2 nights free during the weekdays and I chose to go to Nizam’s Kathi Kabab one day and Gulati’s the other day. From Nizam’s, I tried the Double mutton single egg, and chicken rolls and was very disappointed. It was way too oily but no unnecessary mayo or sauces(which I like). They provide excellent WiFi, though. Instead, you could try Wenger's (deli or bakery) for their excellent Paninis, sandwiches, and Tiramisus.
Moti Mahal is supposedly where the butter chicken was invented, but recent map reviews (a tip to filter out the genuine ones) show it's not worth the time. So, I decided to check out Gulati restaurant instead. They have a wait time of about 45 mins which I did not anticipate, so I gave my name in Havemore as well which is adjacent, and thought I’ll just go into whichever called me first. I got into Havemore and unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. It was pretty basic for an expensive butter chicken(750 for full). It looks like a basic restaurant inside too, but the good thing is they take down our phone number and will call you, unlike Gulati. Maybe I’ll try Gulati’s next time if I have time, but I expect it may not be that great as well.
We chose to stay in Karol Bagh for Friday night (don’t ask why), so the next day places/food spots were planned accordingly, the final destination being the Delhi Indira Gandhi Airport. Make sure to wear shoes all the time you walk in Karol Bagh. I found it the hard, rather, slimy way.
The actual places I wanted to have breakfast were Giani’s or Natraj Dahi Bhalla, but they only open by 10/11am, so I decided on breakfast at a nearby popular spot - Roshan Di Kulfi. I tried the channa batura (not a channa batura person) and of course the kulfi. Both were pretty good. The First ‘tourist spot’ to reach was the beautiful Humayun’s Tomb. Reach here as early as possible to roam around and chill without the excruciating Delhi heat. The lawns and the tomb were simply stunning. You get perfect pictures from anywhere since it’s all symmetrical. I just wish they had maintained the water area better as it was mouldy green and you could also see plastic waste underneath.
Next was the Red Fort, but unfortunately, it was closed due to Independence day preparations. So I decided to roam around Chandni Chowk instead. I always wanted to see the Old Delhi they show in the films with all the hay-wire (heh). On the way was the Old Famous Jalebi Wala where they were making fresh batches of jalebis. There were a few foreigners along with a tour guide, so I guess the place is indeed famous. The rabdi has a peculiar taste and I couldn't eat more than 2 spoons with the jalebi; it just wasn't for me.
The plan was to walk to Jama Masjid nearby through the alleys of Chandni Chowk and maybe have another snack from Paranthe Wali gali if I had the stomach. But due to questionable cleanliness and difficulty walking with my 2 bags in the scorching heat, I decided to call it quits and get an electric-rickshaw instead. The e-rickshaws were a great way to travel through narrow roads, with the charm of bygone/ancient days and without the added guilt of using a man-powered rickshaw pulling us along, because on the one hand, we want to help the person struggling with such manual work. However on the other hand it feels inhumane in this day and age.
Remember to dress modestly and avoid shorts
In most places, popular high-rated restaurants tend to disappoint you, but Aslam Chicken deserves all the praise it gets. The USP of the place is butter chicken, but unlike normal butter chicken, this one has chicken tikka actually bathing in butter along with malai (I think). It is served in a big bowl to dip from and some rumali roti on the side. Make sure to not miss this one! We went right at the opening hours, so it was practically empty.
I probably could have squeezed in Qutab Minar before leaving for the airport, but decided to call it a day to be safe. Maybe next time I’m in Delhi. India Gate and the nearby Connaught Place area were covered during my short night visits. I would suggest anyone coming to Delhi to make use of the metro to travel around. It truly is a blessing and also an escape from the constant honking drivers. I’ll definitely miss the huge wide roads of Delhi and the NCR, it is the capital after all.
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