Cuisine of North India

From age - old eateries in the by lanes of the Walled City to glitzy,
specialty restaurants in five - star hotels, Delhi is a moveable feast. It
offers a choice of Indian and international cuisines in different ambiences
to suit varied budgets.
For gourmets, Delhi is synonymous with
Mughlai and Frontier cuisines. The best of Mughlai cuisine can be enjoyed at
Karim, (both in Jama Masjid and Nizamuddin) where recipes, dating from the
times of the Mughals have been the closely - guarded secret of generation of
chefs.
Delhi Ka Aangan (Hyatt Regency), Darbar (Ashoka Hotel)
and Corbetts (Claridges) are among the many options available in the
expensive range, while Gulati Restaurant (Pandara Market), Angeethi (Asiad
Village) and Degchi (Regal Building) are among those catering to more modest
budgets. The finest Frontier cuisine is available at the Bukhara (Maurya
Sheraton), Frontier (Ashoka Hotel) and Baluchi (The Hilton).
At
the other end of the scale are many popular road side eateries around Jama
Masjid and Nzamuddin where kababs, rotis and biryani are order of the day.
Every five - star hotel in the city has a Chinese restaurant, while most
markets in South Delhi have a medium - budget Chinese restaurants. The
popularity of this cuisine can be gauged by the immumerable Chinese food
outlets of the "meals- on - wheels" and kiosk variety.
The growing sophistication Delhite's palate is discernable in the increasing
number of speaciality restaurants- EI Arab (Regal Building), Dum Pukht or
the process of slow cooking developed in Awadh (Maurya Sheraton), Kashmiri
food at Chor Bizarre (Hotel Broadway), Thai food at Baan Thai (The Oberoi)
and Sukothai (Hauz Khas Village), Japenese food at Tokyo (Ashoka Hotel) and
Osaka (Hauz Khas Village), Tibetan food at eateries near Chanakya Theatre,
and Mexican food at Rodeo (Connaught Place).

Another indication is the frequency and popularity of food festivals
organised by Hotels. South Indians food is another favorite, the vegetarian
variety of which is best in enjoyed at Sagar (Defence Colony), Sagar Ratna
(Lodhi Hotel) and Dasaprakash (Hotel Ambassador). Coconut Grove (Ashok Yatri
Niwas) offers excellent non- vegeterian cuisine from South India.
The best of continental cuisine can be eaten at five - star hotels,
for instance La Rochelle (The Oberoi), The Orient Express (Taj Palace) and
Captains Cabin (Taj Man Singh), though numerous multi - cuisine restaurants
also offers continental food. Keeping pace with the changing face of the
city are the growing number of fast food outlets which serve all manner of
cuisines.
A delightful outlet offering a range of Indian
cuisines are the food stalls ar Dilli Haat, here, the cuisine of different
states is made available at very moderate rates. Set in the mindset of a
spacious crafts bazaar these cafes are a very pleasant place to enjoy food.
For the more intrepid, eateries such as those at Paranthe wali
gali, or chaat at Bengali Market and Sunder Nagar, bhelpuri at Greater
Kailash and sweetmeats from Annapoorna and Ghantewala can be part of the
gastronomical tour of Delhi.
Delhi is also synonymous with the
omnipresent tandoori chicken and tandoori roti, which, when freshly had from
the tandoor, makes a delicious meal. This is often available at roadside
dhabas at a moderate cost.