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.