Travel Diaries: Day 01 - Jama Masjid Sojourn - #DilliKeDehlviRang with JW Marriott Delhi Aerocity

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Having lived the excitement of #DilliKeDehlviRang with JW Marriott Delhi Aerocity, I admit I have a lot to say and hence this post which is a follow up to the first one. Haven't read the first of this series? Click here.

Yes, the first post thought speaks of the overall experience, it is really just the tip of an iceberg. What really worked on this curated trip was that we were not restricted to just the hotel premises but the emphasis lay in getting down to the streets of old Delhi and experiencing the rustic offerings followed by the more modern and sophisticated dining.

On the first day, our agenda for the evening got us really excited and was surely something each one of us really looked forward to. It involved us taking to the busy street of Old Delhi to explore the first of the 3 sub cuisines that constitute the Dehlvi Cuisine - Mughlai. But before we get going with the food tour, it was important to understand the origins of this cuisine. 

Now that must be a good enough hint to where we might have started off? Delhi is rich in history and heritage; right from Tomar dynasty in 700 BC to Independent India starting 1947. It's wonderful to walk the streets which express pride in the history that's been lived here. We started with a visit to the historical monument and a place of worship; a marvel created during the time of Mughals who migrated to Hindustan not to loot the country off its wealth but to make it their home. One such result of it is the magnificent Jama Masjid. 

Yes, we did take a tour of the masjid guided by Kanika Pabby representing 'India City Walks'. This clearly set the tone for the rest of the evening around the periphery of Jama Masjid where we were food hopping from one place to another in search of that food nirvana of sorts. The road ran along Gate 3 of Jama Masjid on one side and not the other it was a line up of joints serving food either by the street or with some seating of sorts. This stretch seemed quite busy with the hustle bustle of motor vehicles, people walking around, cycle rickshaws making their way through all this rush. Complementing this was the diversity of food on offer. 

We could no longer hold the wait and started with a small joint called Qureshi Kabab Corner that kept rolling out sheek kebab like never seen before. Of course we stood there coz they are believed to dish out some of the best she's around. They served 2 varieties of sheek - Beef and chicken. While I don't eat beef, I settled for chicken. The sheek kebabs are served with a coriander - mint chutney and slivers of onions. The flavor of the chutney, the crunch from the onion and the succulence of the sheek complimented each other really well.  Had it not been a longer night planned, I'd have settled for these with a few roomali roots to go along. Voila!

Next on out list was the famous fried chicken. For this, we walked into one of the by-lanes to arrive at 'Haji Mohd. Hussain'. Like Qureshi Kabab Corner, this is a must visit too. Chicken was fried and served a really spicy chutney and accompanied with again slivers of onion and radish. The coating around the chicken was extremely crunchy, chicken moist and chutney really - really spicy. The heat of the chutney only got insane from the time we got started here. However, there was no stopping until it was time to head to the next course of our food walk.

After the long hours spent taking a tour of Jama Masjid, walking around the streets savouring delicacies a sit down meal was something I really sought. And here we were at Al-Jawahar for dinner. We were a group of about 20 and I'm sure this might have already given you a fair idea of the amount of food and the variety that would have made an appearance on our table.

There was mutton quorma, chicken stew, Chicken kalimirch, Kaleji Gurda and a lot more that was accompanied by fluffy and wonderful looking Khameeri Rotis. The Khameeri roti was excellent and of the gravies the most I enjoyed was the mutton quorma. The other dishes were nice but nothing really to speak off. I'm not sure if it was a bad day but I fail to really see a justification of the hype around this place.

As we walked around all evening, our eyes were fixated on Shahi Tukda for dessert and while it was available all over, we had a designated stall chosen for our visit. The shahi tukda at Haji Tea Stall was excellent. They also serve a variety of shakes, puri, sabzi halwa and a lot more. Desserts always hold a dedicated area in the stomach and so it was just a Shahi Tukda for the sweet tooth and then a paan from another stall by the corner to call it an evening. 

It was a lovely evening curated by JW Marriott Delhi Aerocity with experiences that really stood out to make it a memorable experience. Some of the key highlights and my recommendations from the evening were:
- Visit the Jama Masjid area in groups to make the most of the evening if food is your focus.
- Definitely visit Qureshi Kabab Corner for sheek kabab, Haji Mohd. Husain for fried chicken.
- Visit to Jama Masjid that ties culture, heritage, architecture and the bond between history and present.
- Do complete the evening with Shahi Tukda.

Signing off now with more travel stories. Safe & fun travel!

Note: This event was attended on invitation from JW Marriott Delhi Aerocity. However, the opinions expressed are solely mine and are absolutely unbiased nor influenced by the brand in any way.

#DilliKeDehlviRang - JW Marriott Aerocity's Way of Showcasing Dehlvi Cuisine, Delhi

Twitter: @nkandhari     Facebook: Review Of Restaurants     Instagram: Review Of Restaurants 

What comes to your mind when Someone asks you about food in Delhi? Butter chicken, butter naan, aloo gobi, paratha and may be a couple of dishes more.. Yes? or Yes?

Doesn't come as a surprise: these are probably the most commonly available dishes. But the next set of question I've always had on my mind is, Is this all that this cuisine has to offer? Which cuisine does this injustice? Every cuisine has a story/history; what's it for this?

Curiosity to learn and explore this cuisine in more detail had me accept the invitation from JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity to join them on a specially curated tours to indulge in the flavours of Delhi.

My first learning on arriving was that the cuisine comprised of 3 sub- cuisines:

1. Cuisine of the Mughals in Delhi (Non-Vegetarian)

2. Cuisines of the Marwadi Community (Vegetarian)

3. No points for guessing this one - Punjabi cuisine

JW Marriott played gracious hosts to set stage for a perfect 2N3D experiential tour of these cuisines which amalgamate to form what is called Dehlvi Cuisine. Our experiences were diverse in every way; be it:

- Dining in possibly the finest restaurants housed in JW Marriott Aerocity to dining on the street side with barely any ambiance to speak off.

- Spending time at leisure in the plush hotel property to attempting to achieve the 'been there done that' in the really busy and bustling streets of Old Delhi.

- Commuting in some of the finest luxury car brands to exploring Delhi 6 on the famed cycle rickshaws.

This list can go on but in a nutshell, our 3 days in Delhi were a fun-filled roller coaster ride of diverse experiences; each better than the other. While I will share my detailed experiences in upcoming posts, here's a sneak peak of what is to come:

Day 01:

It all started on this fine day with lunching at K3 Restaurant housed in JW Marriott Aerocity which easily has the most extravagant buffet spread I've seen on my travel stints across the country. Trust me there is not one bit of exaggeration in the previous statement I make. My thoughts were running wild, "If weekday lunches were so extravagant, then how would the Sunday brunch offering be?"

Anyways, the evening was what I (well, all of us I'm sure) really looked forward to. We toured the magnificent Jama Masjid and then spent the rest of the evening around the periphery of Jama Masjid where we were food hopping from one place to another in search of that food nirvana of sorts.

At the end of this wonderful evening and a really really long day, I looked forward to calling it a day and crashing in the comforts of my bed back at the hotel.

Day 02:

After a really long previous day and the much needed sleep the night before day two, we kicked it off with a healthy dose of breakfast perfect to get us moving for another wonderful day of exploring another segment of Dehlvi cuisine. This time, it was a tour of the Chawri Bazaar aka spice market followed by the food hopping exploring the vegetarian take on this cuisine. Honestly, at first I was not really excited about this tour (When it's vegetarian; you know me ;) ) but the excitement only grew as time went by.

In between all the food, was another place of worship that we visited and I have to acknowledge that my visits to Delhi have never been complete without a visit to Gurudwara Sees Ganj Saheb. Food seemed to follow us where we went and here at the Gurudwara, it was the Karao Prasad that's undoubtedly inimitable.

Back at the hotel one does expect luxury and to be pampered and what better way then to unwind at the plush spa' is what I thought. However with the limited time available, I chose to  hit the very well equipped gym and take a plunge in the lovely open to air pool. 

Evening was a Jugalbandhi between 2 chefs -

Chef Asif presenting Kababs in our very own Delhi style

Chef Arif showcasing Kababs from the land of Kababs; Lucknow.

If someone said 2 worlds existed; JW Marriott Delhi Aerocity was the place hosting it that evening exclusively for us. Every course of meal offered 2 distinct cuisines from 

Day 03:

Originally planned was a drive to Murthal for the parathas and more at some of the famous dhabas but socio-political condition in that part of the geography played spoiled sport. With a goal to leave no stone unturned, the team at JW Marriott Aerocity headed by Exec. Chef G Krishnan recreated the experience in the hotel property with a special touch of the brands hospitality standards.

With rest of day 03 free and available at our disposal, I hit the street of Delhi to visit Karol Bagh for some chole chawal at Gafoor Market followed by a chilled glass of badam milk at Roshan Di Kulfi to beat the heat. By now, it was time to head back to the hotel pack-up and get set to say something I didn't wish to - 'Goodbye'.

Signing off now with more travel stories. Safe & fun travel!

Note: This event was attended on invitation from JW Marriott Delhi Aerocity. However, the opinions expressed are solely mine and are absolutely unbiased nor influenced by the brand in any way.

Getting into Bali (Indonesia) has never been easier 'Visa on Arrival Decoded'

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Bali - a floating island state of Indonesia has a very distinctive culture. It may best be described as a wonderful marriage of complimentary opposites. A famous tourist destination among the Australians; this Indonesian state has been attracting a lot of visitors from India as well. 

A vacation was on the cards and the destinations of our pick were Bangkok and Hua Hin in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia. Bali was our first destination for the holiday. We flew Thai Airways (via Bangkok) and the flight brought us into Denpasar, Bali at around 2 past noon. With a lot of the day already being spent travelling to get to Bali; we headed straight to the immigration counters.

The process was really simple and technically does not need more than a few minutes. If you are an Indian passport holder and travelling to Bali, here's a checklist of what you will need to carry with you and to get through the immigration process on arriving at Bali:

• Passport must be valid for more than 6 months as on the completion date of travel
• 2 passport size photos on a white background (>80% coverage)
• Visa fee of USD 35 per person as an entry fee to Bali
• Completed application forms (immigration and customs form) provided on flight to Bali
• Itinerary and return air tickets

With the necessary requirements met, here's what you can expect on arriving at Bali - 

• Get ready for your immigration process by sliding in your boarding pass and completed immigration and customs form in between your passport pages.
• Follow the airport sign boards and you will be guided to the payment counters where USD 35 per person will be collected against each passport as an entry fee into Bali. Retain the payment receipt in the passport along with the boarding pass and other forms.
• Head to the immigration counter where you will be asked to produce your passport along with the boarding pass, visa payment receipt and the immigration form.
• Get ready for a photograph at the immigration counter and receive your passport with a 30 day visa stamp.
• Proceed to baggage carousal, collect your baggage and then head towards the custom clearance counter before finally heading out of the airport to your desired destination in Bali.

Quick Tips:

Keep your itinerary and return tickets handy for the need of these may arise at the immigration counters.

With the influx of travelers, the queue can get really long and thus taking at least an hour or more to get through the complete process.

Note: An exit fee of IDR 200,000 (equivalent of approx. USD 20)  is levied at the airport during departure from Bali. The currency needed is IDR - the local currency of Indonesia.

Happy & Safe Travels!

International Travel: With plenty of time at the airport.. here's what you can do

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It might be really hard to find someone who does not love to travel. Everyone travels for a purpose - may be for business, leisure or any other. Even with the same purpose, the objectives of each traveler or a travel group differs. Likewise, be it business or leisure, I love travel for it lets me explore, learn, rejuvenate, experience the life, culture, food, create memories for life and so on...

Okay, so I tend to arrive at the airport close to 3 hours before the departure time and this allows me to comfortably get through the check-in process, immigration counters, security checks and leaves me enough time to go explore and go around the international terminal in a look out for anything random and interesting.

I love everything about travel be it - driving to the airport, queue at the check-in counters, sometimes annoying but the necessary security checks, transits at the airport, shopping at the duty free, announcements for boarding the flight, sipping beer and grabbing some food at the airport; knowing that's exactly what I'd be doing on flight other than finding means to pass time. For me, all of these activities build in the excitement, create a tempo and make me look forward to the good times ahead. Close your eyes, think of it and... don't they do so for you as well?

Here are some tips on what's available at the Bangalore International Airport beyond the security check counters:

Duty Free Shopping:

• Shop perfumes, liquor, chocolates, heritage goods, cigarettes, cigars,and a lot more.
• We all know it; a single passport and boarding pass  is also a ticket to a maximum of 2 liters of liquor from the Duty Free Shop at Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL). This is the norm at most if not all international airports across the globe. 
• Pick your favorite whiskey or explore from the fabulous range of different liquors on sale. I must tell you, "The pricing at KIAL is better than most airports I have traveled through or purchased liquor from. Dubai included - Beat that!" 
• #DidYouKnow - You get a minimum of 5% off when you pre-order as you depart from Bangalore; Your order is ready for pick-up at the Arrival duty free when you return from your travel.

Food & Beverages:

• 7 Tawas & Noodle Bar - A one stop shop for hot and fresh Indian and Chinese food. For me kathi rolls from 7 Tawas have been the best bet so far. 

• Bar 380 - When at airport, nothing beats a bar with a view. Seated at Bar 380 provides spectacular view of the Airport runway and Nandi hills across it.

• Urban Food Market - Not enough time sit and enjoy a good bite? How about a quick bite for the road! This is exactly what Urban Food Market caters to.

Shopping:

• There surely aren't extensive shopping opportunities but a fair selection of books, travel accessories, gifting and more. There are also stores like Shoppers Stop, Fab India and the likes.

Spa: 

• Kick start you holiday with a relaxing foot massage or a spa package while you have the time to board your flight. O2 Spa offers a wide range of services so why not treat yourself special from the very beginning of the travel.

Power Sockets:

• Grab a comfortable chair, and make the best of your time. Read a book, browse the Internet with the available free wifi. 
• Worried about electronic devices running out of charge? I'll say, "Worry no more, most seats are equipped with charging facilities for all electronic devices.

Smoking Chambers:

• Smoking is prohibited in the public areas at the airport but care has been taken to provide for specifically designed chambers where travellers can smoke.

For a more detailed review, please visit my previous blog-post on Kempegowda International airport ==>> Click Here