Year: 2017

Categories
Foodie

Feel the taste of Southern India at Peninsular Kitchen, Vasant Kunj

There are not many dedicated South Indian places in Delhi where you can go in order to satisfy your South Indian foodie cravings. Peninsular Kitchen located in the plush area of Vasant Kunj at Ambience Mall, serves as a pleasant exception. The chefs brought from down south are well experienced to make the best South Indian dishes that you have ever tasted in a North Indian city. All the Peninsular states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are covered in the vast menu along with some other seafood options straight from Goa.

The restaurant happens to be located in the Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj and the average cost per person is about 1000 INR.

Ambience

The decor is amazing and quite unique than anything you must have ever seen. The walls are decorated with huge anchors, reminders of the obvious Peninsula places, which mean the places surrounded by the ocean. The restaurant in itself is not huge, but the amazing lighting and interiors give it the illusion of a massive place. A large pillar is located in the middle of the place, with a boat-shaped base and the models of birds flying over in the sky. Get the idea? A display kitchen is also there giving you an amazing view of how the great best food is being prepared before it reaches on your tables. The lighting is all very soothing and blissful.

 

All in all, the ambiance of the restaurant is quite amazing with a lot to take home with you.

Cuisines

Covering almost all the best South Indian meals, the menu is quite confusing. Especially for the ones who aren’t as well acquainted with the South Indian meals and their names. For the starters, go for an orange colored drink called Sol Kadi, which would make you feel like tasting the beauty of entire southern India. The next stop for us was papad and Malabar Parantha, all crispy and hot. It was accompanied by four types of chatnis- tomato, mint, coconut, and mango. It served as a great appetizer. Spicy pumpkin curry and the very spicy yet memorable rawa dosa constituted my main course and I must say, it was all memorable with a taste I haven’t felt in all the South Indian restaurants that I have been in New Delhi.

For the dessert, I had the Pineapple Halwa which can be described as slowly cooked pineapple with dry fruits and coconut milk and this summed the meal up for me perfectly on a very happy note. The food exceeded my expectations quite well and considering the fact that I had to spend less than 900 on such great food seemed like an all-around win to me.

Highlights

While South India is the hottest spot for beaches, boasts of a different culture and cuisine every few hundred kilometers, there is hardly any such destination in the North with such diversity. Peninsular Kitchen takes the lead in bringing us quality coastal food and is a must visit place for such foodie cravings. The other main highlight of the place remains its ambiance, giving a feel of being in the middle of an ocean. Well tried!

There is no another place serving south Indian and coastal food better than Peninsular Kitchen in New Delhi. Go for it without thinking.

Categories
Adventure Itinerary North India

How you can spend a day being at Leh!!

The dream of almost every other travel fanatic in the country, Leh is a snow-capped region in the north most part of the country. Brimming with the great Himalayan range as its backdrop, Leh is a dreamland having some most astonishing visuals one can have.
How to reach
Shimla and Manali are two entry points where the access to Leh becomes easy. Although the Srinagar airport is the nearest to the place, so a road trip from Srinagar to Leh (434 Km) is advised to be the safest medium of approaching the place. One can hire the taxi as well as take the state government bus to reach there. Those who prefer to reach here by flight can go for Indian Airlines which operates 3 flights in a week between Leh and Delhi and Jet Airways which operates six flights in a week between Leh-Delhi.
Best season so visit
While rest of the country is facing the hard blows of heat waves, it is the best time to have a trip to Leh. The months between May to September are considered the best.
Sightseeing
Leh being one of the dearest tourist destinations in the country offers some great sights one can have the good fortune of visiting. A few of them have been mentioned below.
Leh main bazaar– The best place for the tourists and the locals where they could shop is Leh main bazaar. One can gather woolen clothes, accessories and other souvenirs from the market which also happens to have some stalls of delicious local cuisines.


The Khar– Since the early parts of the 17th century; this magnificent monument named the Khar has been the best landmark in Leh. Missing the visit to the Khar is something you might regret later on.
Shanti Stupa– Built on a decent hilltop in the Changspa region of Leh, the most popular monument in the entire region came into existence in the year 1991. The entire Leh town is somehow visible in a panoramic view from the altitude of 14k feet.


Hall of fame– The museum like settlement will fill the heart of the patriotic Indians with a feeling of immense pride and joy as the settlement basically, honors the Indian soldiers who died in the notorious Kargil war.


Sankar Monastery– The very popular monastery is a few minutes away from Leh and given the fact that it only allows visitations from the tourists in evenings and mornings, a brisk walk to it is advisable.


Datum Sahib– Datun Sahib is a meswak tree is located right behind the Jama masjid situated in the Leh main bazaar. The tree is said to have been planted by none other than Shri Guru Nanak sahib Ji and holds a great significance to the religious people of Leh.


Sindhu Ghat– Soothing and calm place where you can sit down on the banks of the Indus River amidst the beautiful surroundings and thank the gods for making you visit the place. The place is ideal for some lazy and calm picnics away from the rustle and chaos of the main city.
Although Leh is quite cold a place and won’t suit everybody, but there is no denying the fact that this place is what they call- The dream of a mad traveler coming to life.

Categories
Adventure Corporate Outings North India

River rafting in Rishikesh – A must experience for adventure junkies

River rafting is already the favorite water sport for the adventure junkies. Although it’s done under supervision and the accidents happen rarely, it still scares the weak hearted tourists to some extent. Rishikesh is one spot in the northern India that is somehow considered idol for the river rafting sport. The ever electric and gurgling current of Ganges is enough to give a thrilling ride.

How to reach Rishikesh

Rishikesh being one of the most popular tourist destinations in that part of the country happens to be well connected to other big cities via road, air, and railways. Jolly Grant airport located in Dehradun is the nearest airport to Rishikesh, approximately 35 kilometers away. When it comes to the railways, Haridwar railway station happens to be nearest which is approximately 25 kilometers away. You can then hire a cab or a taxi to enter Rishikesh. However, journey by road would be the best bet. Rishikesh has a good network of buses linking it with important places such as Haridwar, Dehradun, and New Delhi.

The season

During the post-monsoon seasons, the overall fun of rafting ten folds and it dates from September and extends up to June. Although, winters also allow the rafters to have some fun but still, it would be best if you try and avoid them as the water would be unbearably chilly.

The spots

There are many rafting spots in Rishikesh where the rafters can have some of the best fun they ever had with water spots. They are classified by the rapids or currents of the rivers. The highest grade rafting is the most difficult while as low the rapid is, so is the difficulty and danger level.

Brahmpuri to Rishikesh- The grade 1 rafting is quite easy and mostly preferred by the beginners and the less adventurous ones. In the distance of about 9 kilometers, the current of the river remains stable and that makes it suitable for almost every age group. The estimated time it takes to finish one trip is about 1.5 hours and the cost per person is RS. 450.

Shivpuri to Rishikesh- The grade 3 and 4 current of the river makes it one of the most thrilling rafting experiences one can have at any place in the country. The route has some high octane hurdles which just add up to the thrill of the raft. The 16 kilometers raft takes about 3 hours to be done and over with and charges about RS. 650 per person.

Marine Drive to Rishikesh- Now this one is scary. The grade 4 and 5 raft is hard on the nerves and not definitely for the shallow of hearts. This is the highest level to push your adrenaline. The rafting route is the longest in the city at 24 kilometers and it takes about 4.5 hours to finish. The per-person cost is also the highest as it goes up to Rs. 850 per person.

Do try Bungee Jumping

There is much more to this place than just rafting. Bungee Jump in Rishikesh is the highest Bungee Jump in India with a total height of 83 meters. Try Bungee Jumping amidst the calm Ganges on your next visit. Experiencing the adrenaline rush of Flying Fox is also worth it!

Although rafting is fun, but it’s also very dangerous and the beginners must go for the lower grades first.

It is advisable not to take the rafting sport carelessly. Do follow some safety guidelines such as do not try to go on a rafting trip alone. You should hire a guide or an instructor. Avoid going rafting in the dark. Make sure you plan your rafting in a way that you have plenty of time to get back to the campsite before darkness falls.

Categories
Architectural Corporate Outings North-West India

The story behind the deep, dark and fascinating Ajanta and Ellora Caves

Artistically carved inside a hillside huge rock, stands this amazing reminiscent of how amazing the hard work and talent can turn out to be. There are about 34 caves in Ajanta and about 29 of them in Ellora and together they constitute one of the world’s greatest wonders. The caves at Ajanta are mainly Buddhist when it comes to religious significance, while the caves at Ellora are a decent mixture of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain beliefs. They have made a secure place in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

How to reach

The railway is the best way to reach Ajanta and Ellora caves. Aurangabad is the nearest station to the Ellora caves at about 45 minutes away while Jalgaon station makes it to the Ajanta caves as the nearest and it takes about half an hour to reach there. It’s best to hire a taxi or a cab to reach the caves from the railway stations.

Those who prefer to reach here by flight should note that Aurangabad can be reached directly from Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Udaipur airports. The place is about 99 km from Ajanta and 30 km from Ellora.

What to expect

The most brilliant and surprising thing about the caves is that they are totally manmade. No equipment was used in their formation, the manpower and a hammer and a chisel were the only things that were involved in the making. The Ajanta caves are slightly more artistic in nature than Ellora caves as they feature some rich paintings and sculpture while the Ellora caves are known best for their architectural significance.

Let’s begin with the sightseeing.

The Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta caves are series of 29 Buddhist cave temples, some of which date from the 2nd century BC.  The walls inside the Ajanta caves give a great glimpse of the different phases of the life of Buddha and other Buddhist divinities through sculpture and paintings. Out of the most interesting tales that the walls inside tells are the Jatak tales.

The Ellora Caves

The Ellora caves are known for their amalgam of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism emotions. The wall carvings depict the stories of Hindu mythology and feature some great artistic talents of the creators. The site features over 100 caves, of which 34, are allowed to be visited by the public.  These caves consist of 12 Buddhist caves, 17 Hindu caves, and 5 Jain caves, all of which present the respective deities and mythologies prevalent in the ancient times.

Kailasa Temple

It is one of the largest rock cut ancient Hindu temples located in Ellora. What makes the temple at Ellora so special is that is carved out of a single rock. Do not miss the incredible view of this temple, from the top of the rock; A little climb could get you to see massive scale of it all. However, bringing a torch to explore the caves is advisable as the lighting is quite poor inside.

Jain Caves, Ellora

There are in total 5 Jain caves at Ellora and that date back to the ninth and tenth century AD. The important ones are the Indra Sabha (cave 32), Chhota Kailash (cave 30) and the Jagannath Sabha (cave 33).

Where to stay

Hotel Kailas happens to be located right on the opposite side of Ellora caves. Ajanta T Junction guest house and Ajanta tourist resort are two places that cater the most of the tourists.

Time to visit

Although, a trip can be made any time a year but the time between November to March is considered to be the best for having a trip as the season is cool and dry.

Restaurants and Local Food

The cuisine of Aurangabad emanates the flavor of North India and Hyderabadi cuisine. Kailash Restaurant, Tandoor Restaurant, and Bar Bhoj Restaurant can be explored here.

Ajanta Ellora festival

Tourists planning to visit the Ajanta Ellora caves should not miss the three-day international festival, the Ajanta Ellora festival celebrated in the city of Aurangabad. The festival organized every year between the months of November and March is truly a treat to the senses. Various artists will be seen performing in this prestigious festival. A mixture of cultural competitions for children, youth women, and senior citizens are also planned on this occasion.

For those who love to travel the past and get an insight into the ancient India, Ajanta and Ellora caves by the river Waghora, are the best sites which bring the ancient India into the limelight

Categories
Culture North India Spiritual Hubs Travel Trends

Places for Ganga Aarti in India

As the dusk descends upon the earth, a few holy cities in India get illuminated with the offerings made to the Holy River Ganges in form of a ritual known as Ganga Aarti. As pleasing as it to the senses, the ritual is highly spiritual and religiously significant to the Hindus. The fire is used as an offering to the Ganges and a small ‘diya’ gets floated in the river as the loud sound of traditional instruments makes the environment psychedelic. The timing for Ganga aartis varies upon the months. There are no fixed timings, but people usually start to gather at the spots as the sun goes down, so you better hurry before the sun goes down if you want to witness a great event.

Here are a few places where you must visit in order to experience the magnificence of the ritual.

Shri Ram Ghat, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh- Located right at the bank of river Kshipra, Shri Ram Ghat happens to be one of the oldest bathing places for spiritual enlightenment in the state. People can be seen taking dips in the river in broad daylight, but once the sun starts going down on the horizon, the preparations for the aarti starts taking place. The priests in long robes and having bright lamps in their hands perform the exquisite Aarti as the time approaches.

Gandhi Ghat, Patna, Bihar- The aarti here takes place mostly over the weekends. The place is known for its golden sunrise, but as the sun starts going down deep in the west, the ghat becomes brimmed with the priests in saffron robes preparing for aarti. BTSC boats are made available for the tourists as they give great view of the ritual. The climate gets filled with the sweet smell of the incense sticks as the aarti commences and everyone watches it with their breaths held in.

Hari ki Pauri, Haridwar- Haridwar happens to be the ultimate pilgrim site for the Hindus, and among other things, the Ganga aarti performed here is the most sought after and grandest thing about the place. The extravagant event involves a lot of priests, tourists, babas, idols of many different gods, incense sticks, loud speakers, and flowers. Some may complain about it being way too noisy, but that’s where the charm lies.

Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh- The aarti that takes place here in Rishikesh is one of the calmest and relaxing Ganga aarti, devoid of all the extravagance. The more spiritual tourists prefer this one among the rest of the country and for all the right reasons whatsoever. The ceremony begins with bhajans, religious songs, and a hawan before the offering is made to the Holy River silently.

Dasaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi- Near the Kashi Vishwanath temple, every evening, once the sun descents on the horizon, a highly choreographed aarti takes place. However, people usually complain that the high magnificence and extravagance takes away most of the spiritual meaning of the event but still, it remains one of the most crowd pleasing aarti in the country. The aarti is performed by a group of young priests, all saffron clad, singing loud hymns and bhajans while making the offering to the Holy River.

Sangam Aarti, Allahabad – Hindu devotees visiting from far and wide take a dip in the Ganges from this ghat and then starts the highly enthralling evening Ganga Arti. One can witness sighting of priests wearing colorful robes burning incense sticks and lighting bright lamps to worship the Ganga Mata. Hymns sung in the background settings create the ideal ambiance to captivate thousands of pilgrims all over the world.

The Hindu worship ritual, Ganga aarti holds all the charm to captivate visitors and nowadays has found its way into the travel itineraries of many. A tryst with the evening Ganga Aarti at these destinations can be defined as spirituality is at its spectacular best.

Categories
Corporate Outings North India Rejuvenate Uncategorized

Tranquil Mashobra – Getaway from Shimla

Home to two presidential retreats, Mashobra is a small town in Shimla and while the architecture of the building of presidential retreat attracts many tourists, the president himself is helpless to its charm.

Known for its beautiful hills and trees, this small suburb fills you with the rustic beauty as you find your way exploring undiscovered hills and treks. The sun-kissed mountains and views of royal summer houses give you a certain delight. How wonderful is it to look upon a wooden house among the hills and even if you are an admirer of architecture, the damage done to these hills in the name of ‘development’ will be inevitably visible even to you.

I reached Mashobra during night time by bus from Shimla and then stayed at Tranquil Countryside Homes to get the gypsy feel. It is surrounded by forests giving you a great view. Moreover, there is a bonfire during an evening and the food is delicious.

Mashobra has a history with the British. It was built by Lord Mountbatten and Lady Edwina during the British Raj and even today no person can deny the beauty of The Wildflower Hall at Chharabra. Yet personally, I would rather look at the majestic charm nature has to offer than the usual tourist spots. As I took a climb through Mashobra valley, I came across several regional trees and even crossed Hamlets. Among it all lay, a ‘sacred grove’ whose magnificence had been undisturbed by the cruelty of time.

Mashobra also houses a temple of deity Seep at Deothi.  The deity’s persona is believed to be merged with that of Lord Shiva and there is an urban legend regarding the temple. It is believed that the temple was first in Nehra but the deity talked through its followers and conveyed that there will be a march of ants who would circle a mound and that is the place where he shall reside. Such instance occurred and that is the reason behind the temple’s current location. Hearing the story by a local gave me goose bumps and belief in his tale. The temple wasn’t the only thing that caught my interest as there was also a room for folk musicians nearby.

While I was engulfed by such cultural heritage of these small hamlets, the natural magnificence of this valley also did not evade me. I visited the summerhouses and Presidential retreat and other such spots in Mashobra mainly just to satisfy my curiosity. I stopped at Krishna Bakery a few kilometres ahead of Wildflower Hall because I could not resist those delicious baked goods. The cream rolls and pastries that I tried were just perfect.

As I tried to absorb all the charisma from the place, I decided to capture some shots which might not be as glamorous as being in that moment but would still do the necessary job to refresh my memories of the place once I looked upon it. But after the views from the valley, every time I tried to click a picture of the mountain or just the simplicity of this suburb, the ugliness of brick houses caught the lens. No, I do not wish to say that they were ugly in the literal sense but to me, they looked ugly as they defaced the natural charm of the place.

To me, a naked mountain with nothing but grass and trees would woo me more than one with a cement house built on it. Years ago when I had visited Mashobra as a child, I was mesmerized not just by the valley and this teacup shaped town but also the wooden houses that blended right in with the feel of the place. I would look out the window and the placed felt like a true retreat from the city. But unfortunately, now the city has crept up and disturbed the calm of the place.

You can still find certain untouched beauties and small areas where you can sip your tea in peace and let the surroundings do wonders to your soul.

Walk upon Jakhu Hill to see the breathtaking picturesque views or plan a picnic at Annandale.

Categories
Corporate Outings North India

As we walked down Kandaghat!!

Kandaghat is a small hillside hamlet that is known to be a popular getaway from Chandigarh (which is 100 km away). We started on our journey on road and reached Kandaghat that is just 35 km before Shimla. It was a getaway from the Kalka-Shimla National highway and we stopped there for a few days before our trip to Chail. Since the road to Chail leaves from Kandaghat which is just 29 km away, we thought why not stay here as well? It is a wonderful place in itself and we are always on the lookout for incredible hillside adventures.

We rested at “The Destination resort” which was as luxurious as it can get with great views of mountains from the window, good staff and delicious food. Mostly, it seems like a place for corporate meetings but it is a resort and all you would want to do is relax.

Then we took off for a bit of sight-seeing and were delighted to see the mountains and trees nearby. This is what getaways are for. Such beautiful scenery that takes your mind off all the stress and problems and nothing does the job quite as nicely as nature. Just being there in the lap of nature, listening to birds chirping and feeling the wind on your face is an ecstatic feeling.

We went to Tara Devi Temple which is a temple set on a hilltop and the views from there were breathtaking. The hike upwards is a little difficult for older people but for us, that 2 km went by like it was nothing. Once we reached the top, we could see the nearby town of Shimla and other nearby areas. Inside the temple was an idol of Maa Ambe and it just filled us with such tranquillity and peace. The whole atmosphere is that of peace and calm. We ate the food in the form of prasad at the Bhandara there.

Since Kandaghat is a small town in Solan and unknown to most people, not many people make a pit stop here. Mostly, they just move on to Chail. But those who do stay, like us, get to enjoy the cool weather, the serene sights and such beautiful spots that are popular among the locals.

We got directions from some of the locals and went on to exploring the hiking routes as well to catch a glimpse of , of the Greater Himalayas. Since Kandaghat is going through a green revolution, we enjoyed our walks through herb gardens with lush greenery all around. And to top it all off was the view of the sunset.

We were filled with awe as the sky turned pink and then majestic orange as the sun set. These little experiences that end up making you feel too much are what makes travelling worth it. Another thing that we absolutely loved about Kandaghat was the food. It offers such delicious cuisines. We stopped to eat at Sunny da Dhaba which was a good decision and then later got desert at Lakshman Sweet shop.  Their Besan barfi just melts in your mouth and is such a yummy delicacy. If you ever visit Kandaghat, it is a must-try.

Even after we left Kandaghat to move on with our journey, those picturesque views of this little hamlet atop the hills did not leave our minds and hopefully, we will visit Kandaghat again someday and it would still feel just as good. It was perfect for a relaxing do-nothing holiday where you just wander around soothing your eyes and heart with scenic beauty.

Categories
Itinerary North India Rejoice

Trippy Chail

After our last trip to Mashobra, we were excited about further exploring more hill stations of Himachal Pradesh. So we took a bus from Delhi and headed to another one of the places influenced by the British Raj- Chail which is also the summer capital of Patiala. We will share with you the story as told to us by a local Chai wala as we enquired about the history of Chail as soon as we stepped there. It turns out that Maharaja Bhupinder Singh had made Lord Kitchener angry over some matter and he refused him entry into Shimla. But hey, who wouldn’t want to stay at such a beautiful place but instead of bowing down to the Lord, the Maharaja decided to build his own summer retreat. That’s how we got Chail View Palace. But as Irony would have it, the place was gifted to the Maharaja by Britishers earlier.

After hearing that fun tale, we moved on to my Hotel (Ekant Chail) as we were hoping it would be isolated like the name suggests. Good thinking because we got a good room with great view and total calm. After relaxing, I decided to keep the sightseeing for the next day.

The cricket and polo ground built by Maharaja who was an avid cricket fan himself (isn’t that a trait of every Indian?) is the world’s highest cricket ground at an altitude of 2250 meter. The next thing on the list was Palace Hotel view which was built by Maharaja in Victorian style (probably to make the Britishers jealous). Though the palace has been turned into a luxury hotel, it still has the vintage artwork that reminds you of the time it was built in. People can stay here at a normally priced rate and have the luxury of living like a king.

Next, we visited a place of great significance among the locals. It is believed that the king’s palace was supposed to be built where Sidh baba Temple is but the saint came in King’s dreams and told him that it was his resting place. The king stopped the construction of the palace and built a temple dedicated to the saint instead. It is a place of religious significance but all is well since the King’s palace turned out to be spectacular anyway.

While the Maharaja’s hunted the wild animals at this next stop, it was made into a Wildlife century later on and we saw a variety of beautiful birds there. I stayed there for two hours marveling at the beauty of the place. we asked around to find some more wonderful places to see and some other traveller told me that they were travelling to the Kali Mandir.

Trekking to Kali Mandir was not a difficult job but the view from there was breathtaking. The temple itself was beautiful as well but watching the sunset from there is what won me over. While there isn’t some big mall or grand markets there for shopping in Chail, we did find places that sold handmade Pashminas and rugs and shoes there. But I was more interested in trying the apple wine which was delightful. I also bought some jellies and jams to take home.

This beautiful hill station surrounded by deodar forests and valley beneath it, hills covering it and where the river flows down is truly a marvellous place to spend your time. Chail is one holiday destination that you will want to revisit. From a British territory to a gift, to a royal retreat and then finally a tourist resort, Chail has come a long way.

Categories
Travel Trends

Photo Essay : Quirky Messages Behind the Truck

Himadri Garg, the photographer amongst the #ghoomophirosisters decided to capture the quirky messages that we often see behind the trucks on Indian roads, whenever we are on road trip. Here is her collection of some of those captures. We are sure, you will not be able to control your laughter while reading them through. These messages convey their sense of humor and innocence at the sam time.

Can you notice small plate that says “Sherni Gurjar ki”, meaning owner considers his truck as the Lioness.

Wondering what do two trucks passing by talk to each other?

Quite Philosphical – Think what will go with you, when you will die.

Both the owners seems philosphical and echo similar sentiments.

Owner seems to be ardent lover of his mother and strongly believes in her mother’s blessings.

 

Owner doesn’t trust people;) And he thinks moment you trust people, they betrays you.

He thinks, India is Great!!- True Patriotism

 

Lst but not least, he warns the people around, if you will stay in your limits, you will be happy.

Do tell us in comments, if you came across such witty messages around.

Categories
Foodie

Experience the enticing flavors of authentic Indian cuisine at Diya, The Leela Ambience

What’s Hot?

Specially designed to the delight of every palate, Diya at the Leela Ambience is a true North Indian restaurant. From the ambiance of the restaurant to the class apart hospitality, everything is inviting about the place. Step through the metal-frame rosewood doors into the land of exotic flavors and get mesmerized by the contemporary setting of the restaurant. You won’t be surprised to know that some of the bestselling dishes from the menu are prepared by their in-house celebrity chef, Kunal Kapur. Now, who won’t want to go there?

 

Location

Considering the ease of accessibility to the crowd of both the cities, Diya at the Leela Ambience is located on Delhi-Gurgaon border in Ambience Mall. The mall is located away from the resident zone to avoid the traffic congestion of the city. So, it won’t be a hard time for anyone to reach here.
Don’t forget to try

The signature dishes to try are dal makhani which is heavily loaded with makhan, khattey meethey kofte and Nalli Korma. Baigan ki katli, gilawat ke kebab are good to try as starters. Another not to miss dish is crispy shredded mutton served with assortment of chutneys, the two special ones are peanut-eggplant, and tamarind-dates.


Each dish prepared is unique in itself, and shows creativity not only in terms of the assortment of ingredients but also presentation. Don’t forget to try the Indian mustard-flavoured delicacy, the Kasundi Salmon Tikka. It is as mouth watering as it sounds.
The assortment of desserts is endless; your meal would be considered incomplete if you get up from your place without trying their sweet dish. It is rightly said; keep the good things for the last. Try their Matka kesar pista kulfi, a homemade ice cream with flavor of saffron and nuts, for the healthier option you can even go for Chukandar ka halwa, beetroot fudge.

What’s Special

Experience the dream come true moment at Diya by tasting the food personally made by the world renowned celebrity chef, Kunal Kapur. You never know when you might turn that lucky enough.

Ambience
he decor of the Diya has an old traditional palace look and charm. It remains beautifully lit with dimly lit lamps around the water body along with live music, so soothing to the ears being played in the background. The restaurant is designed in such a way that can accommodate 112 guests easily.
For a private affair, there is a glass enclosed private dining space that can accommodate up to 12 guests. The another highlight of the restaurant is the live kitchen, where you can see your order being freshly made.

Price

The price of the restaurant is slightly on the higher side which is approximately Rs. 3500 for two people, but is worth every penny spent.

Quick Tip

Make prior reservations to avoid the later hassle. In case if you are skeptical about your order, consult the chef and you won’t regret their decision.

The Verdict
One after the other, Diya has won many awards for its unabating hospitality and quality. This is what has kept its name and ranking always on the top. Stepping through the contemporary interiors of the place, accompanied with warm hospitality and soothing environment makes you feel not less than an Indian maharaja.

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