After food trips to Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur and Ethiopian cuisine in 2017, we rounded off the year with diet trails to Jaipur, Lucknow & Jamshedpur! Great food does enhance a happy mind, so here’s my list of our top ten food experiences in our recent Jaipur trip. The experience enhanced by the presence of dear friends (and nice locals) who believe warmth and hospitality are top priorities in life.

Through my blogs, I aim to encourage friends to live ‘the simple life’ and not be too fixated on brands, calorie counts or health numbers compiled to scare you. Go for hygienic, yummy food which is value for money and that which provide livelihood to small-time vendors. We grew up on similar ecosystems and basics, didn’t we? And did well.

1. Galauti Kebabs & Nawabi Chicken at Peacock Rooftop Restaurant

With an ambience that makes the place buzzing with westerners, a price list that makes meals very affordable (Avg Rs 1000 = 20 SGD = 15 USD for a meal for 4) and a night view sitting in huts and admiring the Pink city. Peacock rooftop restaurant is a must visit place and needless to say each and every dish has mindblowing tastes.

2. Rajbhog Kulfi at Ramchandra Kulfi

Ramchandra Kulfi is a tiny joint at the old city, but a glass full of Kulfi is sinful to the body and taste that lingers forever. They have some twenty different types of Kulfis (and other beverage options) which cost around Rs40-50 ie 70 US cents! Serving – enough to fill half your stomach!

3. Chilla at Kalkatti Chaat Bhandar

Kalkatte Chaat Bhandar is a mobile shop on wheels next to the courts. They serve food on dried leaf plates. The place is often packed and not without reason.

4. Egg Garlic Chilly Fried Rice & Egg Pizza at Egg Dee – Sanjay Omelette

This is an egg special tiny outlet (most eat there standing outside) but specialises in all forms of egg dishes. Egg Pizza, Garlic Chilly Egg biriyani, Egg Cutlets, Egg Rabri, Egg Spring rolls are their jewels in the crown. Eggs. Eggs. Eggs. This has to be one of the most unique places and a menu compilation you may have never seen before. Cost – don’t even bother! Barely 2$ USD per person! This was our 2nd visit in three days.

5. Lemon Coriander chicken soup & Chicken Achari Tilka at Peacock Rooftop Restaurant (Dinner time)

6. Kachoris all over Jaipur

Jaipur literally has Kachori war out there with multiple outlets fighting for being number one. Rawat Mistan Bhandar’s Pyaaz Kachori is the branded star out there, the other one I tasted (unnamed outlet in front of Lassiwaala) is easily lighter and better. But the best kachori I had was Hing Kachori at Kota Kachori (Tonk Road).

7. Jalebi & Mirchi Pakoda at Sodhanis Mishtan Bhandaar

The Mirchi Pakoda and plate full of jalebis at Sodhanis rock. The jalebis are thin and crisp and not very large sized.

8. Gatte ki sabzi – well any traditional Rajasthani outlet.

Gatte Ki Sabzi is a traditional Rajasthani dish. We tasted the best one during our sightseeing tour (details of which are mentioned another blog) in our lunch buffet. However most good Rajasthani joints will serve good gatte ki sabzi.

9. Laal Maas – Spice Court

Laal Maas is a spicy mutton curry which we tasted best at Spice Court. Handi restaurant is the branded one for this dish, but we found that ultra spicy and not recommended.

10. Lassi at Lassiwaala

Lassiwaala churns delicious curd shakes. Have had this first in 1995 and even till date the quality stands supreme. In my recent visit was happy to find a bunch of westerner ladies also sipping the same by the street. Exactly what I want to see, exactly why I blog – encourage people to soak in the charms of ‘the simple life’ also.

Credits: People who guided or took me to the above eateries and experiences – Ashutosh Agarwal, Shradha Agarwal, Ritesh Jain, Shalu Jain, Alok Purohit, Adarsh Kansal & Himanshu Gupta – coincidentally all Engineering friends. Also guided by my MBA friend Abhishek Mathur.