New Delhi

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Varanasi to Delhi is over 12 hours on the train. Again we went for the non a.c sleeper service. We had visited Varanasi Station the day before to get the tickets so we had an idea of how crazy the place is. Boarding this time was quite interesting, a power failure moments before the train doors were opened resulted in hundreds of people plus baggage all pushing, shoving, shouting and screaming trying to find their sleeper berths in a pitch black coach. It is difficult enough moving through the narrow corridor between the berths with a backpack on plus daypack but doubly hard when 400 Indians are determined they are going past you in the other direction! Once settled in it was absolutely fine and again Indian Railways were pretty much on time and the sweet tea (Chai) was consumed by the bucket load as we were efficiently whisked off to the Indian capital.

Both Darren and myself have visited Delhi before so we haven't made a big effort to be running around in the 40 degree heat seeing stuff we've been to before so we've just spent a couple of days chilling and eating some nice Indian food. We're staying in Para Ganj which is the backpackers region of Delhi. They are doing some major building works here at the moment so it's not looking at it's best but it's convenient for the station and has a decent coffee shop/bakery and internet cafes etc.

Daz did a bit of research on eateries and found a place called Karim's which has a restaurant in the Old Town of Delhi. We took a rickshaw down there and had a walk around the busy market there. Delhi old town is predominantly a muslim area and life seems to revolve around the large mosque there. Anyway, Karim's. It doesn't look much from the outside in fact you might say it looks a bit grubby but we sat in, took a look at the menu and I ordered the Chicken Jahangiri after seeking some advice. I was assured it was a spicy and flavoursome dish. I ordered a half chicken along with a paneer (cheese) masala side dish. The photo is shown here and it may not be michelin restaurant standard presentation but the flavour was SENSATIONAL. I ordered another half chicken and ate the lot. Wonderful. It's always difficult to compare great curries when time has elapsed but I think just possibly this was the greatest tasting curry that has ever passed my lips. Before getting back in a rickshaw Daz demonstrated he does have a heart after befriending a young street urchin. She was probably only about 7 or 8 but looked a bit grubby and had no shoes so Daz treated her to a pair of sandals which brought a smile to her face.

The other great foodie venue we found was the All American Diner. Situated in the business district it is a bizzare place. Walk in from the outrageous energy sapping heat of Delhi and you are greeted first with the icy blast of air conditioning, then the 1950's American music and finally the decor of a proper 1950's American diner. The food was great too even if it was a tad pricey given it's location.

We have been toying with going up to Kashmir for a week as everyone seems to be raving about it but have erred on the side of caution (it's still a tad unstable up there) and so tonight will head for Macleod Ganj in Himachal Pradesh instead, right up in the north and in the mountains again where it will be cooler! The Dalai Lama resides there so we may pop in and see him if we have time.

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Photos

All American Diner, Delhi.
Darren's idea.

Outside New Delhi Station
Para Ganj side

Karim's
Delhi Old town

Karim's Delhi
Was this the finest flavoured curry I ever consumed?

Old Delhi Market
Delhi

Comments

[Dan Innes]

CURRY
Any chance you can air freight me a load of the curry.. Looks great!

[richard]

dalai lama
hey rich, have really enjoyed reading these... you gotta see the dalai lama, there was a programme on the telly recently with michael palin and he went to visit the dalai lama as well. he greets all of his well wishers and blesses them all...might be worth the trip to be blessed by his holiness before ehading back here to bosnia... rk