Andhra Bhavan

Somewhere deep in my heart and soul, lies a foodie hiding. I don't claim to be a foodie, but the urge to experiment with new cuisines brings me to exciting places. Especially for people residing in Delhi, food corners are a blessing. People say that vegetarians have scanty options to explore. But that's not true.  I have tried it all, from the street food of Old Delhi to posh air conditioned restaurants. (Of course all vegetarian!)

My first stopover was the very famous Andhra Bhawan Canteen, located on Ashoka Road, Cannaught Place, New Delhi.  The price of the thali was Rs 90 way back in 2012 which has been revised to Rs.110 for veg thaali and 130 for non veg in 2014. What' the deal? Oh, the thaali is unlimited. Makes you smile?

Waiters on the go

The Andhra Canteen is managed by the state owned Andhra Tourism and Development authorities. The food is authentic, hygienic and excellent. The large canteen has a decent ambiance with a good number of employees who never let your plate stay empty. The floor supervisor is a very efficient man who commands respect, authority and discipline. The entire team of 65 waiters very professionally manages the huge footfall which triples on weekends. Despite waiting at the reception counter after buying token, your number will be called out in less than 20 minutes and the waiters escort you to a vacant table which has been cleaned in a flash! The waiters lay the plate on your table even before you shuffle on your seat. And it's not just the consistent food quality, or the amazingly low prices that keep customers coming back. It's the assurance that within 30 minutes they will be seated, served, and ready to leave after a well-served, filling meal. You can eat to your fill and still feel hungry after 2-3 hours.

I would personally rate the food a good 4.5 out of 5.

Veg Thaali

The lunch menu consists papad, rasam, sambaar, 2 dry vegetables, 2 curries, 1 sweet, lemon rice, poori, steamed rice and curd. Out of these, papad, lemon rice, sweet and curd are limited to a single serving only. Rest everything is unlimited.

Special chicken biryani is served only on Sundays in the canteen.

Very less oil and minimum spices makes the food palatable. You'd find the food home made yet delicious. It's a treat to be in such a place and feel the bliss :-) Must try for all!!!!

Eat healthy, stay healthy, stay blessed. Day 137 of the year  from my Year Health Book (YHB).