Chef’s day out
THEY SPEND THEIR DAYS CREATING FANTASTIC DISHES FOR OTHER PEOPLE, BUT WHERE DO TOP CHEFS CHOOSE TO GO TO GRAB A BITE WHEN THEY AREN’T IN THE KITCHEN? HERE ARE SOME RESTAURANTS IN INDIA THAT HAVE THE EXPERTS’ SEAL OF APPROVAL. WHILE EACH CHEF OFFERS FINE (
Knowing the latest big-ticket restaurant is no big deal. It’s the hidden gems, the under-the-radar late-night eateries that are the real deal. But how do you snoop out these spots? Nine culinary kings tell us what their favourite places are.
KUNAL KAPUR, Celebrity Chef
Dimcha, Nehru Place Metro Station, Nehru Place, New Delhi
Dim sums are one of my favourite meal options and I am forever looking for places that serve the fresh variety. My recent discovery is Dimcha. Chanced on this place just as I was exiting the metro at Nehru Place. The setting is spartan but the dim sum selection, the ingredients and cooking are exceptional. The Burmese khaosuey is another must-try here. I love the way fresh dim sums keep coming to my table. They also innovate with South Asian flavours which make the dim sums quite unique. Don’t miss the hot roasted, sweet spicy peanuts here.”
CHEF VICKY RATNANI, Head Chef, The Korner House by Chef Vicky Ratnani
Gurudas Ram Jalebi Wale, Amritsar
Alocal friend took me to Gurudas Ram Jalebi Wale and I have been a convert ever since. This is one of the oldest and smallest
shops in Amritsar and located in what is aptly called the JalebiWalaChowk. The jalebis here are thicker than what you get elsewhere but also crunchier and have more syrup. The best part is that they are fresh off the kadai. A plate costs `20 and holds three to four pieces. It’s light, tasty and hits the right spots. I keep my jalebi date at least once a year.”
GAGGAN ANAND, Owner and executive chef of Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand Kasturi, Ballygunge, Kolkata
Having been born and brought up in West Bengal I have fond memories of the food there. One place I still visit whenever I am in India is Kasturi. They serve some of the best Bengali Bangladeshi food. The ambience is very basic and the food is inexpensive. I love the Dab chingri here. The prawns are soft and juicy and the gravy is smooth and spicy. But the star dish here is the Kachu patai chingri bhapa. It’s a traditional Bengali dish with prawn and aroid leaves with a slight pungency of mustard. I just love it. Be warned of thehumungous queues outside but it’s worth it if you snag a table here.”
RITU DALMIA, Chef and co-owner of the popular Italian restaurant Diva in Delhi
Potbelly, Bihar Nivas, Chanakyapuri, Delhi
When I eat out it’s either street food or
desi khana. I have recently discovered a small place called The Potbelly in Bihar Nivas, Chanakyapuri. It’s a trip down memory for someone like me who has grown up in a Marwari family in Kolkata with Bihari cooks. Apart from the litti I absolutely love the baingan ka chokha served with sattu parathas. It’s simply outstanding. I love chaat and a trip to Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi is a must. I love the dahi-bhalla outside Central Bank and
samosas from Tewari Brothers. But no one can beat the street food of Kolkata. The churmur (panipuri chaat) from Russel Street is incomparable to anything in the rest of the country. I also love the puchkas
(panipuri) of Kolkata.”