Smokeys BBQ and Grill

 

Went to this bar in VIPPS local shopping centre of Masjid Moth, Greater Kailash II last night because there was Karaoke on and one member of our group is a very good singer and we wanted to give it a try.  When we arrived at 8pm the place was deserted!  I thought this can’t be a good sign but, fortunately, it didn’t take long for a very reasonable crowd to assemble.

We started off the food with a few starters which we all shared and they were delicious, from the potato skins through to the salad the tastes were not what I expected from an American BBQ joint.  We then took some time out and had a few drinks and had a go at the singing for a while.  Manish, the guy presenting the Karaoke, was fantastic getting everyone involved and even taking the mike himself to show us how it was meant to be done.

I was surprised at the high level of talent that was displayed on the microphone, I’m used to drunken evenings where people tend to shout rather than sing, so this made a very pleasant change.  Later we decided to have some food from the main course menu and I decided to try a burger.  It was delicious that all I can say, it wasn’t the McDonald style burger at all!  The meat had been hand-made and the dressing and salad were all very fresh.

After a few more beers I regret to say that I took on the mike and managed to destroy a perfectly good U2 song with my friend Rubin.  Still no one seemed to mind and the evening went by in that way a few excellent singers then some who destroyed other songs in a similar way to me.

If you are looking for somewhere fun to go mid-week then Smokeys is your place but watch out the price tag does get a bit steep if you don’t keep a check on it.  The price for the wines are terrible so don’t even look at those (we made that mistake).  I hope you enjoy it and if you have some stories to tell please share them with me.

The Bahai Temple (Lotus Temple) Delhi

East of Nehru place, this temple is built in the shape of a lotus flower and is the last of seven Major Bahai's temples built around the world. Completed in 1986 it is set among the lush green landscaped gardens.  You approach this temple from a dirty street that masks the beauty of what awaits you inside.  Even from a distance, as you approach, the Lotus shape of the temple is in stark contrast to the flat landscape it sits in.

The structure is made up of pure white marble The architect Furiburz Sabha chose the lotus as the symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism and Islam. Adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate.  Around the blooming petals there are nine pools of water, which light up, in natural light. It looks spectacular at dusk when it is flood lit.

As the structure is constructed of marble and the internal space is vast with high ceiling it means, internally, it is very peaceful, quiet and cool.  The guides, who give you a short talk before you enter the temple, ask you not to speak and not to take pictures.  This means that even though I was surrounded by people on my visit I found the place very peaceful and relaxing.  I couldn't resist sitting in quiet prayer for a while before passing out of the doors to the noisy exterior of the gardens once again.

To gain access to the building you have to remove all footwear and then queue patently to enter.  You are then given a briefing before allowing entry to the cavernous interior.  There is no apparent prescribed way the building should be used as there is no pulpit or alter area, that I could see, the chairs seemed to be arranged pointing towards a central area.  I wasn't there for a formal session so I can only report that I don't know how the services would be carried out.  The building has been very much designed with the hot summers of Delhi in mind.  The windows allow mainly reflected light into the interior of the structure which has more than enough light to function well.

The only negative points are that the guards seem a little bit over zealous for a religious venue they were blowing whistles and shouting that we should stick to certain paths, exits and doorways.  If you ignore that minor distraction the Temple provides the traveler opportunities galore for fabulous photos and even time, in the cool, to restore a weary soul.

Depending on your time I would recommend a visit to the on site visitors centre where you get an insight into the construction of the building and some of the background.  The visitors centre is air-conditioned and cool so you can take as long as you need here.  There are some mementos you can buy there but they were mainly just books and and stuff to do with the Bahai faith.  The gifts are sold by the pool areas and are not visible in photographs (thankfully).  I would also recommend coming at around sunset to see the pools lit up in the evening sky.

A Visit to Karim's Restaurant at Jama Masjid Delhi

A cycle rickshaw ride from the Chawri Bizaar metro stop, Karim's is small, hidden gem in the dirty back streets of old Delhi. This drab roadside eatery is accessed through a tiny passage way that opens up to reveal a small courtyard (shown above) when you get inside the restaurant serves up the most authentic Mughlai fare in the city which is what you might expect considering who runs the place. Haji Zahiruddin comes from a family whose bloodline extends back to the chefs who conjured elaborate feasts in the courts of Mughal emperors. Generations of chefs honed their culinary wizardry in the nearby Red Fort until the last Mughal Ruler was toppled by the last British ruler in 1857. Returning to Delhi in 1911 after his family spent decades in exile. Haji Karimuddin, the grandfather of the present owner , setup shop in the same alleyway where his descendents now prepare their family recipes, each one a closely guarded secret.

They are certainly secrets worth keeping. Sumptuous curries like the lazeez murg saag ( A spicy chicken and spinach dish) or the Badshahi badaam pasanda (tender chunks of mutton simmered in a tangy almond paste) complement perfectly the selection of succulent grilled meats from the tandoor, an array of of flavorful rice biryanis studded with dried fruits and pungent spices and the steaming hot naans and rotis. Best of all these regal delights still come at dhaba prices. In this imperial city even paupers can eat like kings. 

The Health and Safety standards would never pass muster in any European city (that I have been to) but the food is unbelievably tasty, even to my western tongue. The picture below shows a fan blowing the smoke from the BBQ grill up toward the extractor fan (which may actually have worked at some point). There is a long line of customers waiting outside for any free table inside. We were encouraged (subtly) to vacate our table as soon as we had finished to allow other people to take our table.

On the whole the experience would have been daunting for people who did not know what to expect. The streets are narrow, dirty and congested. People push and stare at you and when you arrive at the restaurant the standards of cleanliness leave A LOT to be desired. If you can look past all that you will actually enjoy some wonderful dishes and it is so affordable that it doesn't really matter if you don't like one of the dishes on offer. Just order a selection (especially the dry meat dishes) and share with all the people at the table. Be prepared to eat with your fingers as this will enhance your experience and there is a sink to wash your hands in.

On the way back from the restaurant we didn't take one of the plentiful cycle rickshaws but elected to take one of the new additions to the Delhi street scene an electric rickshaw. These still allow these narrow streets to be accessible however they reduce the amount of pollution in the air around these congested streets.

New Year In Delhi

Happy New Year 2014!

As I sit here contemplating the New Year coming in I decide I am going to count my blessings.  Here am I sitting in one of the most exciting, vibrant cities in the world and reflecting on the year that has just flown by.

2013 was an unusual year year for me in many ways; it started in misery and, at the end of it, I am sitting here feeling all optimistic.  Strange how things can turn out isn't it?  I think I'm going to take many life lessons from this year but the most important lesson I have learnt is that there is always a way to go, an option to take, a decision to make.  No matter how dark and threatening the situation appears, look again, and look again until you can see a way forward.

There have been times over the last few years that my resolve has dropped and I have mentally thrown in the towel.  I then wallowed in misery for a period of time, sometimes for several weeks, before kicking myself in the backside and moving forward.  I have had times where I just looked at the task in hand and thought - why, why push on, why do I even want to try?  However each time I slipped I found a reason to keep trying.

I know that there is a life lesson in all of this for me and I sure I'm going to find out why all this happened to me but at the moment I just too busy trying to find a way out of the mess I'm in to worry about that right now.

I have discovered there are lovely people all around all you have to do is look and they will show themselves.  I have noticed these people reveal themselves through chance meetings and casual incidents, therefore I had to open myself up to the opportunity before I could see these people and KNOW they were coming to me.  It is very freeing to know that the power to meet these people is with you, just ask, open yourself up and these people will come to you.  How wonderful is that?  I can now ask for anything and it happens for me.

I did this before coming to Delhi I consciously opened myself up to opportunities and I meditated on this for several weeks before flying out here.  I then took a decision to accept offers from people, to be open and friendly and then people came to me, slowly at first and then more quickly.  You wouldn't believe the difference in just a few short months.  I had very few friends before arrival in Delhi, even though I make friends very easily, but after arrival I started putting in the necessary effort to develop friendships and things have blossomed.  People now enjoy talking to me and they call me and want to be in my company.

Therefore to round off I will say I am feeling optimistic about the coming year and all I can say is BRING on 2014!! I hope the Lord smiles on each and every one of you - but remember you have to want Him to smile and demonstrate this by smiling first.  Open yourself up and take chances and opportunities that you may well have passed up previously.  I have discovered you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.  A life of boring mediocrity is no life at all - believe me I did it for five years and it sucks!!

QBA Nu Delhi

Over the Christmas period in 2013 I went to two events at this club.  The first one was the Christmas Boogie Woogie night organised by Kalpana Mehra Penfold and the second was the Tag Christmas do.

I enjoyed both functions however there were problems with both - which is not a good sign.  On the Christmas Boogie Woogie the venue was shared among three or four separate parties.  The main floor downstairs was cleared for the night and was allocated to some school reunion for a boys school.  We were allocated an area in the balcony.

Which wasn't too bad as it was private and, because our drinks and food were all covered by the ticket charge then no one else could come and take these.  Problems began when we wanted to use the dance floor, the group downstairs didn't want us to use the floor so the management asked us to leave.  Of course they were told to get lost and the evening was a big success.

The second evening was a sponsored event by Tag.  This means that entry had been covered but we were responsible for our own food and drink, not a bad idea, but it meant the waiters were following you around and there didn't seem to be a way to pay for your drinks also the event wasn't well attended but I enjoyed it anyway.  On both visits the food was forgettable, not good, not bad just forgettable and the drinks (if you have to buy them) are on the pricey side. 

Its not a club I would recommend as there are much better, friendly places around Delhi that could be used for events.  However, if you are invited to an event then go as the live music I experienced there was good (a big loud for me) but the tunes were good.

Just a couple of pictures from the events I went to.  The lower one is the Christmas Boogie Woogie night and as you can see people make an effort in Delhi to get into the Christmas spirit.

Red Fort Delhi Visit

The Red Fort Delhi

I was fortunate to have visited the Red Fort during the winter months as I couldn't imagine walking around this massive structure in 50 degree heat.  The temperature on the day I visited was approximately 26 degrees and skies were beautiful, clear and sunny.  The Fort itself is really easy to get to if you want to travel independently (as I did) however, if you want a guide they are also plentiful.  My recommendation is, if you want a guide, to get one who won't take you to shops and restaurants that he gets paid for.  If you want to go to craft shops then do so but only if it's what you want as the taxi drivers get paid to take you to certain shops and restaurants.

The Red sandstone walls of the massive Red Fort (Lal Qila) rise 33-m above the clamour of Old Delhi as a reminder of the magnificent power and pomp of the Mughal emperors. The walls, built in 1638, were designed to keep out invaders, now they mainly keep out the noise and confusion of the city.

The main gate, Lahore Gate, is one of the emotional and symbolic focal points of the modern Indian nation and attracts a major crowd on each Independence Day.

The vaulted arcade of Chatta Chowk, a bazaar selling tourist trinkets, leads into the huge fort compound. Inside is a veritable treasure trove of buildings, including the Drum House, the Hall of Public Audiences, the white marble Hall of Private Audiences, the Pearl Mosque, Royal Baths and Palace of Colour.  An evening sound and light show re-creates events in India's history connected with the fort.

This is well worth spending some time at because the mood of the fort changes at different time of day.  In the morning it tends to be busy and bustling but by late afternoon the large courtyards are peaceful and calm.  People sit around eating and drinking relaxing in the late afternoon sun.  The evening light and sound show is very impress and changes the mood again of the building.

The pictures here are only a small selection as I don't want to clutter the post but there is plenty to see.  There isnt much to do except walk and take pictures but the layout is fairly user friendly.

The pricing again, in common with all major attractions in Delhi, is 250 rupees for foreigners and 10 rupees for Indians.

Sen5es Restaurant DGC visit 22nd Dec 2013

On the 22nd December 2013 the Delhi Gourmet Club (DGC) went to the Pullman Hotel in Gurgaon to have an event in the Sen5es Restaurant there.

On this occasion there was more than 100 DGC members in attendance.  The event was initially planned to be outdoors but the weather was not brilliant and it was decided to bring the party indoors to the Sen5es restaurant.  The restaurant was all, and more, than you would expect from a top notch hotel.  Great food, beautiful decorations and well trained staff.

We were greeted with drinks and smiles and everyone settled in for a lovely time.  It was only my second DGC event and already I was feeling at home.  People recognized me and came up for a chat which was very nice.  I also met a lot of new people and managed to form some good friendships with some of them.

Above are a few photos I put together.  The table I sat at was the largest (pictured above) and seemed to be the collecting point for people as they came and went.  As the food was served buffet style people would drop by and share one plate and then move off for the next round.  A very sociable way of getting to know people.  I have included a picture of the amazing seafood but I could have literally covered the page with amazing photos of the food.  There was so much the Pullman Hotel could have fed a small army!  The picture on the right shows Rocky, one of the three organizers of the DGC, with the very talented head chef at the restaurant.  I don't know his name as yet but I will try to find out and when I do I will edit the post as I feel his attention to detail is worthy of a mention.