Where to Lunch in Old Delhi

I'm headed to India with a group of university students in early January. Can anyone recommend a terrific place for lunch in Old Delhi? Anywhere near the Jama Masjid would be ideal. Nothing designed for tourists please. Something delicious, hygienic, and "authentic". Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

Wait.... Boarding call ... Will post when I land.

Kareems, bang in front of Jama Masjid, cant get any more authentic than this.

We second that, several times over. It's just down the road opposite the south entrance to the Jama Masjid.

Karim`s is a good place with a tasty foods and it`s really easy to find.

--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iz7t...eature=related

--> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TidYr...eature=related

As you come out of the Metro for ChandniChowk, you hang left, and squeeze through a narrow lane. You'll encounter a small and crowded chaat shop - Ashok Chaat or some such name. His Aloo tiki and dhai bhalla are class in themselves. You can choose to either stand as many do; or go upstairs and be served while sitting down.

Ask a rickshaw guy to take you to Khari Boli and try Kachori from Narayan Halwai - They are fresh cooked right in front of your eyes. It cannot get better than that.

You have to try jalebis from Jalebiwale, a corner shop, off Chandni chowk in Dauba ?? kalan Gali.

Take a rickwallah, ask him to take you to Afghani restaurant in Ballimaran called Kabuli. Here you should try their dry-fruits laced pullau and meat curry.

First locate the McDonalds on Chandni Chowk Rd. Take a left on the next lane (you'll begin to see all electrical and electronics stores) This is the lajpat Rai market, go straight; you'll see a fork in the road, and a large banyan tree. Hang right till you reach a school building - I forget it's name. Turn right and walk you'll see a few vendors grilling kaleji (Liver) Do not eat it there. Make it to go !!! Eat these liver pieces in your hotel room with roomali roti and strongest whiskey you can buy

The problem with Purani Dilli - a.k.a Old Delhi/ChandniChowk area, is that regulars rarely remember the street names; but will take you through the winding lanes..

While not exclusively Old Delhi, there is a sweets shop a.k.a Halwai run by a sikh family now in their third generation - Known for their artery choking, asli ghee laced suji ka halwa - a kind of offering you will get in any sikh temple a.k.a Gurdwara.

Finally, go away from Purani Dilli and visit the Canteens run by various State Government houses. I think I once posted a link on IM. Try a thali meal at Andhra Bhavan, Kerala House, Gujurat Bhavan etc..

Kareems is so last century I'd go there (If I could get up early) for payas The family has expanded and in purani dilli - All that is left is out of towners - finangi and desi kind.

Further on Karim, for some photos check this post and scroll to the bottom of the page
Zoom the last photo and you can read the menu.

Thanks to all you gluttons for your terrific insight and advice! It seems that Kareem's is quite the favorite. The videos and photos are tantalizing! But I'll keeep nycrank's suggestions close at hand!

I so appreciate your expert and detailed advice for "this century's" hot spots, and I plan on trying them all at one time or another. In January, I will be with a group of 20 university students. Are any of your kind suggestions conducive to a group of that size? Thanks!

Oh That's the intersession. Would these be students that have never ventured out of TX ? Or are they young culinary explorers in-the-rough-cut ? Nearly all of my suggestions are great for eating standing - just like eating from a hotdog cart or out of a truck-stand.

Do they think Emeril is exotic and Bourdain is whacked ? If even 50% of presumption is true, then I suggest Karim's would be just fine for them** to experience the old dilli ambiance The Gummint canteens run out of the State guesthouses would be an excellent choice. To experience the chaos and mayhem in a controlled environment, visit Andhra Bhavan canteen during the weekend afternoons. Pre warn them that McD don't serve beef burgers, and Pizza Hut dont do sausages.


[** Hey, it took me a decade of eating steaks up and down the coasts to realize what a good parilla steak was when I was in Argentina..]

I'd sorta thought that was the point. I mean, if you're schlepping a gaggle of starry eyed, (putatively) virgin Texans to see the Jama Masjid, why not hit the old eatery sixty steps away?

I'd be reluctant to guide a mess of tenderbellies to street food on their first trip to India. distaff reckons you'd end up herding twenty sick students around for the rest of the trip. I figure it wouldn't be that bad. Surely even Texans have stronger stomachs than that. I suspect you'd have no more than two with the heaves, three with the squits, one with fevers...

It's a good idea, though, to introduce them to the echt-Indian food experience, though. You might look into Paranthe wali Gali, the alley just off Chandni Chowk lined with restaurants specializing in (wait for it!) paranthes. You could parcel them out five-to-a-shop and not overload any one restaurant.

If you decide to go for something relatively clean, you might consider Haldiram's on Chandni Chowk diagonally across from the gurudwara. nycank will no doubt sneer at the faint whiff of a ladies-who-lunch fast food place, but it has its advantages. The ground floor is an extensive sweets shop, the next floor up a counter-service "fast" food restaurant with the available dishes shown in lighted pictures above the counter. One advantage of this place, which is usually crowded at lunch, is that they'd probably be willing to throw open the large overflow room on the next floor up, so the whole contingent can find seating. I would caution that the fast food here isn't really so fast, but it would give your mob a chance to rest in the cool while waiting for their orders to come up.

One thing that you as a tour guide might consider is that both the much-reviled Karim's and Haldiram's provide toilets for their patrons. In each case both men's and women's rooms are tiny, cleaner than one might expect to find elsewhere in India but none squeaky-clean. In Haldiram's particularly there is a considerable demand for the rest rooms, and a line of twenty-one anxious Texans might have a bit of a wait.

sperehealfe

You Indian foodies have been so helpful - may I impose on you for more? On Day 2 in Delhi , the students and I will be touring the Q'Tub Minar, Humayun's Tomb and the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. Any terrific, "authentic", local eateries along the route that can manage a group of 25 for lunch? Please, nothing designed for western tourists - a place where Delhi delights eat! Thanks in advance! Bon appetit!

I am nothing against Haldirams. I love haldiram's sweets.

Eat the free simple Langar at Bangla Sahib. Of course one would have to sit on the floor to eat It is a unique experience. Qutub and Humayun's tomb area I have no idea. I'd let the Delhi locals chime in.

this link may give you a few more suggestions but not sure if many of the places listed could cope with a large group.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/201...er?INTCMP=SRCH

I guess two are also in my list One could stand and eat - which is what street food is all about. I dont takes notes or remember addresses, she has to