If you have a bed in Delhi, the next thing that you need is a good breakfast. And if you are like me, who believes in filling up good and nice right at the start of the day, I might have some interesting options to share. Let's begin this exercise with Lutyen's Delhi.
I won't say I have tried all the options (it can take awfully long time and mornings are usually spent in the confines of our office spaces, whether or not we like it), but have tried quite a few in the past few years. My recommendations for good breakfast options are:
The All American Diner, Lodhi road, New Delhi
Located at Habitat centre on Lodhi road, it is easily accessible from all sides of Central Delhi. Since there is plenty of parking at two levels in the Habitat centre, as well as outside, it becomes a good and easy choice. Plus, it is also an excuse for joining the events that takes place here all the time. Theatre lovers, writers, poets, painters, photographers and all kinds of people who have something to do with art can be seen here huddled togather. Obviously, I spend a lot of time here, just like many of you guys who are reading this.
Lets get started. The place has an authentic American cafe feel. But this is part expected. So you have beans and meat cans kept over one another in one corner, there are advertisements of cola and oats in the other, and there are pistols ads too of the wild west times. Beretta and its ilk. Interesting is to see Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe pictures, with hour and minute sticks emerging out of their stomachs indicating time of the day and two legs moving to and fro in place of a pendulum. Okay so the place is American and it shows. The sofas are blood red and the back rest goes well beyond your head.
Lets get to the food now. This is the best place to have eggs, bacon, sausages, hot dogs and of course beer. I like to have my beer (Foster's pint here is Rs 110) early in the day. So this last time when I went I chose a Pancake combo breakfast (Rs 185) with beer. The egg was soft and cuddly (it wobbled as I moved about, playing with it for a while in the beginning), the pancakes were soft too and the sausages were flavourful and short of being chewy. The tomato was stuffed with a heavenly dose of cheese and seasonings and the cutlet nice and crunchy at the outside and creamy inside.
Chonas, Khan market, New Delhi
Chonas has two branches in Khan market, the most expensive market in India (and ranked 24 in the world). I chose the older one which faces the main road. This time I was visiting the place after a year or so and was the confident that they must have renovated. The place did look well kept in the first look, but I noticed the same green leather chairs and sofas in the same state with dismay. Little teary, little shabby, the chairs sent a slight judder down the spine. I did well to ignore it and ordered Char grilled chicken (Rs 395). It came after about fifteen minutes until which I chilled myself with a beer ( Tuborg Rs 180). The dish was good. Rather great. That is the high point of Chonas. It never disappoints. The chicken was succulent, the vegetables juicy and crunchy at the same time and the bread warm and soft. Something peculiar happened in the end. One of the staff along with the manager emerged with a rubber tube and headed in my direction. For a moment I was scared. Are these guys going to give me a bath or something. I resisted smelling my armpit but was sure David Beckham (the deo that I use) was very much there. Thankfully it wasn't meant for me. They took it all the way out of the door. I asked the manager the need for the adventure and he said it was the 'water problem'. Wow! (See picture below) That said, the place still is a must visit for good food and beer or wine (Sula in a glass is priced at just 200, red or white).
I decided to overlook the Indian travelers who at places like this tend to talk more and eat less. Someone stepped on my wife’s feet and dropped a fork. It didn’t miss her and she was all red, understandably. We started with some beer (Rs 250) to cool ourselves.
