INDIA: Karim's Hotel

A short tribute to my favorite restaurant in New Delhi. Karim's Hotel is located in downtown Delhi close to Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India.

Welcome!

They built several branches 

in the same location due to popular demand

For one, I liked the location of the place. It's not exactly the most accessible spot in town but I think the journey getting there adds to the restaurant's charm. From the closest Metro station, you'd still need  a short rickshaw trip or a 15-minute walk through thronged streets of the local market. To find the restaurant, you have to ask around for directions until the locals point you to a small dark alley-way.

Please Wait to be Seated

Bring it on!

Inside Karim's, the walls are sparsely decorated yet they bear the essentials. The interior doesn't look contrived or staged, unlike the tourist trap restaurants included in package tours; just plain, simple and honest. Well, there's no need for an elaborate display, I guess. The long history behind Karim's, for which the restaurant is famous for (and its food, of course) makes for a good story. In a nutshell, the techniques used in cooking their dishes were handed down from the family's ancestors who cooked for the Mughals. So, in a sense, you get to taste what the Mughals ate when you eat in Karim's.

Slow-cooking

I especially love the badam pasanda - a sumptuous combination of mutton and almond sauce. I like how this dish has fused the mutton taste with the almonds to come up with a flavor that will make you say, "Yeah, that hit the spot." Fulfilling. The badam pasanda blends perfectly with their plain naan which was soft yet chewy, a tad sweet and could be eaten by itself. I almost forgot; the shish kabab was a welcome appetizer. It whets your appetite for the main course with the richness of the herbs and spices used to marinade it.

Freshly tandoori-ed naan

The Real Mr. Kabab

Kababs

For 3-7 USD, Karim's packs a lot of value for your money and is definitely worth a visit while you're in town. Popular with foreigners and locals alike, Karim's will not disappoint your taste buds. Just make sure to order the right dishes. If unsure, ask the waiter! After eating, you can head off to nearby Jama Masjid and the Muslim market for shopping and people-watching.

INDIA: Public Display of Affection

I was walking down Chawri Bazaar one day when I saw two youngsters holding hands while walking. Initially, I was surprised and I instinctively took photos of them. This wasn't the first time for me to see man-to-man action in India but this is the first that I was able to document it. See for yourself.

The Subjects

I tried to get closer

Wop, there's another one!

I think I was too obvious

Upon asking my Indian friends what that was all about, I learned that that's just really how some Indian boys show affection to their comrades. It's actually very rare to see boy-and-girl holding hands because of the relatively conservative social norms but boy-and-boy is acceptable. I have also seen grown up men (about 40 years old) holding hands and swaying them while walking. And, in a separate instance, I saw two men resting their whole arm over the other's shoulder while looking each other eye-to-eye. There's totally nothing homosexual in holding hands; that's just how they do it on that side of the world.

INDIA: Shopping at Dilli Haat

Shopping in India can sometimes be a hassle especially for foreigners. A typical shopping experience would include being badgered by a number of auto-rickshaw drivers and over-friendly shop owners. Everyone's just trying to make a living and that's the way they do it in India. However, if you're in the mood for a more relaxed shopping stroll, head off to Dilli Haat (Opposite INA Market in New Delhi). My friend, Preeti, and I went there after work for shopping and dinner.

Preeti, my friend

Dilli Haat is a food and shopping plaza that sells mainly arts and crafts from all the states of India. There is a small entrance fee but think of it as "paying for convenience." Inside, the sellers are not as hard-sell as the ones outside. The shops change every two weeks but the whole bazaar is a staple The slots are raffled off to artisans so that each would have a chance to sell in this coveted area.

The prices of goods are definitely more expensive than buying them in the local markets. However, the quality is better and you get to converse with the artist who made the artwork. I bargained for a Madhubani painting for 50% less than the initial offer. Dilli Haat is replete with paintings, crafts, curios, garments and wooden sculptures making it an apt "sample platter" of Indian art.

After shopping, we went to the food complex for a Rajasthani Thali (set plate). But there was a myriad of cuisines to choose from - Punjabi, Bihari, Bengali cuisine, etc. We ate in Paamna Restaurant which had friendly waiters whom I took a photo with. Definitely spicier than the north Indian dishes I have tasted, the Rajasthani thali was superb and authentic (as I soon found out when I backpacked through Rajasthan). On another occasion, I also tried the Kulfi, ice-cream made with pistachio, saffron and nuts, and I crave for them until today.

The Food Area

Rajasthani Thali

Sweat-drenched Turban

Didn't like this one, whatever it is.

Spacious, peaceful and relaxed, Dilli Haat is a suitable place for an evening stroll capped off by a sumptuous dinner. Ethics-wise, shopping there allows you to support the actual artisan who made the product. You're assured that the money you spend goes directly to him.