Category Archives: Food

All Roads lead to Hyderabad

Posted on by under Food, Hyderabad, Tips, Travel

I finished a much awaited trip to Hyderabad earlier this week. And this time, my experiences beautifully complemented the ones I’ve had on my previous visits to the city of pearls.

Hyderabad as viewed from the heavens above

Hyderabad as viewed from the heavens above

My Friday morning began with a drive to Golkonda Fort, a good 15 kilometres from where I stayed. Golkonda means shepherd’s hill, and rightly so, for the highest point of this citadel requires the strength of a shepherd to scale! This ancient castle was built in the 13th century and has an intelligent acoustic system which it is famed for. What now remain are the ruins of white granite that cast a spell on all tourists that walk on these lands. The complex has landscaped gardens and multilevel arches that adorn the walkways and lead to the base of the ‘stairway to heaven’. And this ‘heaven’ is astonishingly a prison – Ramadas Bandikhana, which is now considered sacred due to the unlawful imprisonment of a loyal Lord-Ram-devotee. A visit to Golconda Fort is highly recommended for the breathtaking views that every yard on the 380-step climb lends the visitor. This heritage site is well maintained and has food-stalls and rest-rooms at strategic locations in the caves. The place is almost romantic with the chipped walls, greens peeping out of stones, and beryl skies playing hide-and-seek behind the white clouds.

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Saturday afternoon saw me waiting under overarching branches of trees outside the Salar Jung Museum as my travel-companion parked the car. This 38-gallery art museum has over a million objects from Far East to North America, and is the world’s largest collection of antiques by a single person. The building showcases artefacts like paintings, carpets, sculptures, arms, apparel, crockery, manuscripts and furniture that Nawab Salar Jung III zealously invested in.

Hot Tip: Time your visit such that you can hear the central grandfather clock chime at the stroke of a new hour.

His Royal Highness’s seat
Dolls from diverse cultures
Miniature jungle for the royal children
Play-house
Toy-town
An English showpiece
Gold-rimmed cut glass

Nightlife and Dining options in Hyderabad:-

(This list is in addition to the eateries I’ve mentioned in my first Hyderabad-post.)

  • The night I arrived in this city, I had the buffet at The Square, Novotel (near the airport). The food wasn’t much to boast about and the couple of drinks we ordered took our bill to almost 7000 INR. But this is a nice place if you’re bored of the airport-food-court and are starving after your flight.
  • Chutneys is a pocket-friendly restaurant specializing in South Indian cuisines. We ordered guntur idlis (very spicy) and palak paneer dosa, and were served an assortment of 6 exotic chutneys (both coconut based and coconut-free) complimentary!
  • Staying in a southern city doesn’t mean you only have to eat South Indian delicacies. Dil Punjabi proves this with flavours of Punjab. We had ordered veg and chicken soups, hara-bhara kebabs for starters, a roti-basket of Amritsari kulchas, naans and tandoori rotis with a paneer dish (large cubes of paneer) and some chicken preparations (for my non-vegetarian friends) for mains. The food was finger-licking good and the portion sizes, befitting a Punjabi eatery! The restaurant closes in the late afternoon, but if you can persuade the maître d’hôtel, you’ll be allowed to order from limited sections of the menu and enjoy a quiet lunch.
  • Hyderabad is mostly a conservative city and has numbered discs, but the party-scene is gradually picking up. I spent my Saturday night at Hard Rock Cafe as the outlet celebrated its 4th anniversary. A large part of the restaurant and bar area was converted to a dance floor and they played some pop and rock chartbusters.

Hot Tip: Ensure you ‘check-in’ on Foursquare if your bill goes over 1500 INR, for a complimentary tequila shot! 🙂

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Insights from an Insider:-

(This is an exclusive interview with a local Hyderabadi)

Praveen in his Deccan Chargers jersey

Praveen in his Deccan Chargers jersey

Me: How long have you lived in Hyderabad?

Praveen: 20 years

Me: Your favourite thing about this city…

Praveen: Our unique language… ‘Hyderabadi Hindi’. You will only hear it in Hyderabad!

Me: Teach me a phrase in Telugu.

Praveen:  ‘garu’ – giving respect to a person. E.g., Oindrila-garu

Me: When does the city go to sleep?

Praveen: Though Hyderabad is one of the thriving Indian cities, the mindset of the people here is still very traditional. You will notice that a typical Telugu girl still prefers to wear traditional dresses over Western. Likewise, the nightlife here is pretty dormant.

Me: One thing nobody must miss doing here…

Praveen: One should visit all heritage locations like Chowhmalla Palace, Chudi-bazaar, Charminar, Golconda, Taramati Baradari and agar aap hyderabad mein hai toh aapko ek bar toh hyderabadi biryani khaani ‘padingi’ ! (a-la-Hyderabadi Hindi) [Now, that you’re in Hyderabad, you must have Hyderabadi biriyani atleast once!]

A Day in Mysore

Posted on by under Food, Mysore, Travel

I never thought I could cover a beautiful place like Mysore in a single day. But I packed a rucksack, boarded a night-bus with a friend, and set out to prove myself wrong.

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I opened my eyes in the morning to a neatly planned city with dirtless streets that cut each other at right angles. I took a deep breath as I alighted the bus – I smelled the cleanest air I had inhaled in a long, long time. We stayed at Parklane Hotel, a quaint, forest-themed hotel which was centrally located and in the vicinity of many tourist-spots. After a square meal (pun intended) of rava dosa and accompaniments, we headed to St. Philomena’s Church.

Square rava (semolina)-dosa with sambar & coconut chutney
St. Philomena’s Church

The Neo Gothic-styled St. Philomena’s Church draws its inspiration from the Kölner Dom in Germany. One has to crane one’s neck to see the the elaborate twin spires of the church. We got back into the auto-rickshaw we had hired for the day-trip as it started drizzling. Mysore receives very light showers in the month of February, and this is the best month to witness spring, summer & autumn – all in a day!

Entrance to the Mysore Palace
Amba Vilas
Mysore Palace

Our rickshaw driver took us to a silk weaving factory and we later walked into the adjoining saree-boutique. Mysore is famous for its silk which is light and rich at the same time. We couldn’t help but buy some fine silk sarees from the store. We next rode to Mysore Palace. The Amba Vilas (Palace of Mysore) is a picturesque royal abode that now serves as a museum. Visitors need to remove their footwear before they can walk into the palace. Photography is prohibited inside the museum-area but I let my eyes capture the skilfully preserved artefacts and paintings.

Chamundeshwari Temple
The complete Kannada meal: puris, papad, beetroot palya, puttu (ground rice+grated coconut), rasam, sambar, curd, whey and payasam (dessert)

After a quick lunch, we started for Chamundi Hills. The ride up the hills affords travellers breathtaking views of the entire city. At the top of the hill, we admired the Chamundeshwari Temple. We snacked on Mysore Pak on our way to the Mysore Zoo and later had a Kannada thali for dinner at a small eatery. We walked back to our hotel to be greeted with classical Carnatic music and a live tabla performance which we enjoyed over a drink. My day in the City of Palaces was well spent. I would definitely return some other day to see the sights that still remained to be seen.

Eating, Shopping & Staying Smart in Jaipur

Posted on by under Food, Jaipur, Tips, Travel

This is the concluding post of the Jaipur-series. You can read about my trip to Jaigarh and Amber also.

Food is an essential aspect of any trip that cannot be ignored. To truly taste the Rajasthani culture, one must taste its local cuisine. And to do this, my relatives and I headed to Chokhi Dhani. Chokhi Dhani means “good village” in Marwari, and true to its name, this theme-park exuded an earthy charm. The turbaned receptionist sprinkled rose-water on us, smeared a vermillion tilak on our foreheads and greeted us with “Ram Ram-sa!“

The fair at Chokhi Dhani
“Welcome to my land”
Chokhi Dhani
The full Rajashthani fare

It was a chilly evening but the warmth of the locals nullified the dip in the temperature. The scene was that of a small village-fair, with kathputli (puppet) shows, music & dance performances, mehendi (traditional tattoo) tents, food-stalls that served chai and pakodis, magic-shows and a series of game-stalls where one could try one’s hand at shooting, archery and umpteen other recreational activities. There was a special dandia-floor for people with twinkle-feet who could join the dandia (a dance in which a pair of sticks are used as props) & garba dancers. Further inside, the fair unfolded into an exhibition of local arts and crafts. Tourists could browse through and buy locally sourced garments, furniture, toys, leather-goods and gift items. Chokhi Dhani offers photoshoot opportunities in the local apparel, and also elephant, camel & horse-rides! I had my first camel-ride here, and felt my heart in my mouth as I struggled to balance myself on the wobbly seat several feet above the ground.

The village-home-style dining experience was the main attraction of the night for me. We sat on flat cushions spread on the floor and were served on leaf-plates and bowls and an earthen tumbler. The men who served the dishes egged us to eat more – “Khao, khao! Aur khao! Kitne duble patle ho gaye ho!” (Eat up! Eat up! You’ve worn thin!) The food was a sumptuous Rajasthani fare of bajre-ki-roti (millet flat-bread), makke-di-roti (corn flat-bread), soybean-chat, pudina-chutney, gatte-ki-subzi (gram-flour curry), daal-baati-churma (lentils, wheat-ball roll & sweet), halwa, sarson-da-saag (mustard-leaves veggie), mithi khichdi (sweet mashed rice) and salad (mostly lettuce). And everything was smothered in desi-ghee (clarified butter). I stopped only when my stomach threatened to burst open my jacket 😛

My trip to the Pink City ended with more shopping on my last day there. And you must know that returning empty-handed from a place like Jaipur is nothing but foolishness. So I’ll save you some embarrassment with some shopping tips.

Shopping in Jaipur – What, Where & Why :-

  • Colourful jootis & batuas (small handbags) from street-side shops, because of the unique designs & the slimming effect they have on the feet.
  • Cotton kurtas with Rajasthani cuts and prints (especially bandhani) from the bazaars or exclusive boutiques, for the comfort they provide in the summers. The bazaar-kurtas start from as low as 80 Rupees and the shopkeepers insist the cheap ones are of excellent quality when you ask to see something more expensive! 😀
  • Finished jewellery of German silver, precious and semiprecious stones, because of the workmanship of the jewellers and the intricate designs on the ornaments. Remember to collect the authenticity-certificate if you buy (semi)/precious stones.
  • Soft blankets/comforters/quilts from Bapu Bazaar, because these are light, wrinkle-free, washable & the softest blankets in India.
  • Wood, lac, mirror and painted-glass artefacts (pen-stands, wall-hangings, key-chains, coasters, show-pieces & even ornaments) for giveaways to your friends & family back home. Remember to pack lac-items well; they are fragile.
  • Multani-mitti-pressed saree, for its soft, off-white look.

Travel-tips that others won’t share with you (specific to Jaipur):-

  • Plan your heritage-site trips well and start early as most forts/palaces close for visitors by 5 or 6 in the evening.
  • Elephant rides can be availed in the early mornings and late evenings only as it gets too hot for the animals to walk about in the afternoons.
  • Hire a full-day cab so you can leave your shopping bags inside and travel freely.
  • Wear sneakers when you hit the road. Resist the temptation to wear short flowing skirts and stilettos to sites where you’ll have to walk for miles and ascend many steps. (Just to give you an idea, it’s very hard to walk on cobbled streets even with good quality sports-shoes.) Remember: It’s always a choice between glamorous photos and memorable experiences.
  • Pack some food and water for the road with you. Energy-bars go a long way in satiating a growling stomach when you can’t find a restaurant in sight – these are compact, weather-proof, & pack a punch! Remember to buy bottled water whenever you can. Once inside a fort, the vastness and the glaring sun can leave you parched in no time.
  • Take a leak wherever you find a restroom, irrespective of whether you need to. (In India, you can never tell when or where the next loo will be.)
  • Hire guides. They’re worth their weight in gold. They are also good photographers and excellent for you if you’re a solo-traveller, because you can’t always bug strangers (fellow tourists) to retake your pictures til they get the perfect shot.
  • Carry scarves. You’ll need these both in the summers & the winters and to add a dash of colour to your outfit. (Rajasthan is so vibrant, it can make any colour look drab!)
  • Don’t be shy to loosen your purse-strings a little. Every experience is worth every penny it commands.

Please share your Jaipur-experiences with me and write to me about all the things you’d like me to talk about.

Say ‘Hi’ to Hyderabad

Posted on by under Food, Hyderabad, Tips, Travel

I’ve been to Hyderabad thrice now, and each time I discover something new about this place. My first trip to the ‘City of Pearls’ was in November last year when I flew down from Mumbai for a weekend with some friends. I did not know then that this city would tempt me to come back for more. The drive from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport to the city takes a little more than 30 minutes, and the unusually light brown and yellowish colour of the rocks (from the Deccan Plateau) that man the gray 8-lane expressway (Outer Ring Road) contrast well against the light blue skies.

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 ‘Hyderabad’ literally means ‘lion’s abode’ in Persian, and the city gives you a royal visual treat. My first day began with a drive to Eat Street that runs along the Hussain Sagar lake which holds the waters of the River Musi. This place is perfect for a breezy-breakfast.

My next stop was the world-famous monument, Charminar. This facade with 4 towers (and hence the name), situated in the city-centre, was built in the 16th century in celebration of the second Islamic millennium year. The only way to get to the first level of the Charminar is to climb through the minarets. The inside of the minarets are very narrow, stuffy and dark, lit only by a couple of low-watt bulbs. The steps are very steep, and take frequent and sharp turns. You’ll do well to arrive in comfortable footwear. The climb seems endless, but once you see the sunlight seeping through the top, you’ll know you’ve almost made it. You realize that the climb is worth it as you see that the first level lends a lovely view of the entire city which is choc-a-bloc with black-and-yellow rickshaws and small shops.

Chowmahalla Palace figured next on my list. This awe-inspiring royal palace was the erstwhile official residence of the reigning Nizam, and now serves as a museum. The palace is well maintained as is evident from the sparkling chandeliers and floors. Even the royal gardens are well manicured and gleam like emeralds in the afternoon sun. Intricate designs adorn not only the doors and windows but also the ceiling. The museum houses various items of yore, ranging from currency notes & coins to royal blazons.

My day ended with a visit to the Birla Temple. Most Indian cities have a Birla temple, but this is by far the most beautiful I have ever seen. The temple, made of glowing white marble, is a magnificent place of worship and meditation. It is mandatory to leave all electronic gadgets and footwear outside the temple. The cool marble feels wonderful against your naked feet as the serene interiors draw your attention to the ornate carvings and Sanskrit-writings on the walls.

The foodie in me ensures that none of my trips to any place end without sampling the local cuisine and exploring the restaurant-scene. When it comes to Hyderabad, Cinnamon Fusion deserves special mention for its superior ambience and thoughtfully crafted dishes. This restaurant also has live music, thanks to a popular local band.

Apart from the star-hotels, the lion-city has many popular joints in Banjara Hills and Hitech City, of which Barbeque Nation, Village, Dialogue in the Dark (DiD), Rubaiyat and Nautanki Gali stand out for the unique experiences they offer.

My visit to ‘Dialogue in the Dark’ this February left me humbled and in awe of the visually-challenged experts who run this place. A stop here should be on your must-do list for Hyderabad as this is the only Indian city (among 20 worldwide) that offers such an experience. ‘DiD’ insists that you leave all your belongings (including wrist-watch & spectacles) with the guard before a visually-impaired guide takes you into a room that’s pitchblack, effectively rendering your visual faculties useless. In the dark-room, you are made to touch, smell, hear and feel various objects and effects, and let your ‘other’ sense organs work a little harder. The tour ends with a visit to the cafe where your order is prepared in the dark by people who cannot see (at least not in the traditional way), and you must consume your food without looking at it. This concept was first envisioned in Germany and has left many-a-diners with more respect for people with visual challenges.

I know I haven’t seen this city completely as I’m yet to visit Golconda Fort, Salar Jung Museum, Ramoji Film City and many other places of note. This only gives me more reasons to pay this city another visit. I might have been on a typical tourist-trail, but this incidentally happens to be the best trail to follow when you wish to “see-it-all” over a weekend or two.

Tips from the Traveller:-

  • Travel between October and February as Hyderabad enjoys its best weather during the winters and spring.
  • Carry a sturdy pair of shoes (preferably sneakers) for walking across the vast palaces & climbing sundry steps.
  • Pack a mix of contemporary (for the city-restaurants/clubs) and conservative (for the mosques and temples) clothing. A scarf/shrug should suffice for a weekend-trip.
  • Hire a cab (Ola Cabs/Meru/Tab Cab) for the full-day as this is the safest and most convenient way to travel across the city. The city-buses don’t ply everywhere and the auto-rickshaws tend to over-charge.
  • Don’t forget to buy some pearls for yourself or your family and friends! The quality and finishing on pearl jewellery is remarkable in Hyderabad! Cauvery Pearls remains my favourite jeweller for their elegant and modern designs. They also offer corporate discounts! 🙂
  • DO NOT leave Hyderabad without buying some boxes of assorted biscuits, cookies or chocolates from Karachi Bakery! If you remember this only at the airport, fret not, they have a kiosk at the Arrivals area and also before the Boarding Gates.

Last but not the least, remember to tell me about your trip to Hyderabad! Seri?