Weekends should be fun and vibrant that leave you with good memories and rejuvenated. Eating out is an activity that brings a smile to many faces. However choose right and eat right. Hogging can be risky and land you in bad state of health, needless to mention gastric problems, food poisoning, stomach infection and so on. Okay, I don't intend to scare you. This post is about a famous eating joint in Old Delhi.
Popular for well prepared royal cuisines, Old Delhi holds a record of many titles, unmatched and unbeatable till date. Be it the oldest shop in India since British rule, the most visited place, busiest market or yummiest food. Kaake di Hatti, an eating joint of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi holds the record of being more than 60 years old shop which serves the most authentic North Indian food. As they say, curiosity kills the cat, I got killed too and ventured out on one weekend to grab a bite at the Kaake Di Hatti.
Located in the interiors of Chandni Chowk, this shop is indeed old and almost easily missed. The restaurant serves pure vegetarian North Indian food, with a huge variety in breads (roti/naan). The first floor is air conditioned with basic seating arrangements of tables and stools. DO NOT expect a neat, calm or hygienic ambiance, though the food is neat and served on clean plates/utensils. The first thing one might notice are the dark decaying walls which they have tried hard to maintain. The newly fitted AC in the walls come as a big relief. The waiters are courteous and services are quick. With the limited walking spaces in the narrow floor area restricts your movements. Yet, all you would care about is the yummy food, which is worth the pains you take to reach here.
Another thing that immediately gets your attention is a newspaper clipping framed on the wall which
Aloo pyaaz naan |
Daal makhni |
challenges you to eat a naan (bread) all by yourself. I thought it was a publicity stunt. However my
inhibitions proved to be wrong when I ordered one naan stuffed with potato and onion. One buttered naan has four big pieces which is a full course meal for two! The daal makhni was fairly good and malaai kofta was out of the world! Obviously I failed the naan challenge. Pickle and chutney are complimentary. The menu has a wide variety of naan, vegetable curries, dry vegetable mixes, raita and lassi. Against all expectations, in the menu you
Malaai Kofta |
would find half plate vegetables too, which is a rare practice in many restaurants.
Try the food once and you'd love it forever. It is a must visit place in Old Delhi. You would never forget the pocket friendly delicious meal, which would barely cost Rs 200-300 for 2 people. Post lunch I had rabri faluda from Gianis (which is the original shop) next to Kake di hatti, and it was beyond words. I had never tasted such amazing rabri faluda ever in my life. 70 rupees a glass is worth!!