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Food for thought- Restaurant suggestions for India Feb 1-18

Food for thought- Restaurant suggestions for India Feb 1-18

Old Dec 3rd, 2017, 06:38 PM
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jft
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Food for thought- Restaurant suggestions for India Feb 1-18

Thanks for all the input into itinerary for our trip Feb 1-18. Now that we have our itinerary and hotels sorted out (no small feat) I am interested in suggestions regarding restaurants. One of the four of us will be eating vegetarian, the other three will eat most things.We will have access to a driver for most of the trip. We prefer great food in a relaxed environment, moderately priced with the odd splurge possible. Itinerary includes Delhi (staying at Lutyens Bungalow), Agra(Radisson Blu), Jaipur( JasVilas); Chennai (Raintree Hotel Anna Salai), Pondicherry ( Atithi Hotel), Karaikudi (Chettinad- Chidambara Vilas), Munnar(Chandy's Winding Woods), Cochin(Xandari Harbour), and Mumbai( Le Sutra). I will also look on Zomato and Trip Advisor. I know India is a less travelled forum on Fodors than other destinations but I have found it the most helpful in the past.
Thanks
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Old Dec 4th, 2017, 12:32 AM
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We had an amazingly good meal last year in Delhi at "Masala Library". It is unique modern twist on traditional Indian flavours and tastes. We chose the long tasting menu with paired wines which was superb and whislt we did not have it I believe they have a vegetarian version.

A big splurge by Indian standards but very good value by London UK standards.
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Old Dec 7th, 2017, 10:07 PM
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Mumbai:Mahesh Lunch Home in the Fort district.Fantatic seafood! There are other branches, but this is the best known. It's the area you'll be for most Mumbai sightseeing. It's not near your hotel Le Sutra, although there is a branch closer to that at Juhu Beach (which is an interesting place too...but don't make special trip).

I didn't get to Brittania, a famous Parsi restaurant, but wanted to. Next time!

While touring/visiting the Colaba/Fort area (near the Taj Mahal Hotel) if you're near Victoria Train Station at 11:00, you 'll see the famous lunchbox delivery- via-bike system. If you don't know about it, try to watch the marvelous movie, "The Lunchbox" starring the great actor Irffan Khan.
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 09:07 AM
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Delhi: Pindi at Pandara Road, Colonel's Kebabs at Defence Colony Market.

Mumbai: Brittania is very good, especially the Berry Pulao.

Jaipur: Niro's at MI Road.
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 06:35 PM
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Mumbai : not far from ale Sutra is Pali Village Bhavan. Tastefully done, with delicious modern Indian food.

There is a good selection of Parsi food in Mumbai. I would recommend Brittania (though I think a Berry Pulao is over rated) try Jilly’s Kitchen as well.

For authentic coastal Maharashtra food Trishna and Mahesh Lunch home are good (both in Fort area) but if you want to experiment without where Indians eat, do try Highway Gomantak in Bandra East (Le Sutra is Bandra West, around 5 km away in bad traffic).
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 06:42 PM
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In Jaipur try a Spice Court. But if you want the local taste try Natraj Thali at Bapu Bazaar. In Jaipur if you want an authentic home cooked meal, look for Tara’s Place Jaipur.

Pondicherry has. Host of places and the food is mostly modern and continental. If you want. Local taste try A2B (Adhar Anand Bhavan, fast food the but good) or Hotel Suruguru (almost fine dining). If you wanted to relax and take time off Pondicherry is the place. Try Le Maison Rose for a relaxed modern meal. Or the Alliance Francoise there on Beach zroad.
http://www.theuntourists.com/pondich...-where-to-eat/
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 06:46 PM
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Cochin (Kochi) I awesome. Try to find a way to move around the backwaters. We did a look that with an excellent boatman called Sebastian. Warm. Cheerful and knows the backwaters like ten back of his hand.

In Kochi if you really want to try the local fare find out Brothers. The best place though not exactly fine dining. Go for lunch and ask for the Thali meal. Ask for Appam (fermented rice paste pan cakes) and Neer Dosa (thin rice paste pancakes). There’s a lot of rush so go early at around 1pm.
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 06:55 PM
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Also are you really looking for. Luxury stay or a more experiential (but still very very comfortable) will do?
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Old Dec 17th, 2017, 09:21 AM
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Delhi: Saravan Bhawan , Karim’s & BarBeque Nation
Agra: Pinch of Spice, Bon barbaque
Jaipur: Jal Mahal restaurant, Chokhi dhani
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Old Dec 25th, 2017, 07:31 AM
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Since an occasional splurge is possible, try peshawari at ITC Mughal, Agra. The cuisine (nw frontier) is the same at Bukhara in Delhi and at peshawari at Agra and Jaipur ITC properties but peshawari is half price of Bukhara.

In Jaipur, I'd second Chokhi Dhani over other places (am from Jaipur, writing this post from there now).

In Delhi, second Kareem's and if your bellies are used to Indian food by the time you get there , then Al Jawahar( note: do not order veg at Al Jawahar).
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Old Dec 26th, 2017, 11:52 AM
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In Mumbai, try the following restaurants:

Samrat (near KC College, Churchgate) - offers à la carte and Gujarati Thali. One of my all time favorite restaurants for Gujarati food. It's a "pure veg" restaurant. In India, restaurants which serve only vegetarian food are called "pure veg". While the ones which offer non-vegetarian dishes aren't "pure veg". All restaurants have to display a green (for vegetarian) and red (for non-vegetarian) symbols outside their entrance and on their menu as well.

Sassanian - offers delicious bakery and milk products. It is more than 100 years old and was and still is owned by Parsis. The Parsis (originally from Persia, they escaped to India and adopted Indian culture and language. It is a fascinating history tale).

Iskcon (Radha Krishna temple) near Chowpatty: It is one of the best "pure veg" restaurants in South Bombay. Owned and managed by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Their Paneer Lallan or other paneer dishes are yummy.

Sigree Grill (in Powai) - Have your belly filled in by grilled Indian starters and then onto the buffet. This one offers non-vegetarian options as well. You may even have drinks. Located in Powai, one of the best maintained areas in Bombay. Trendy crowd.
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Old Jan 14th, 2018, 07:16 AM
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Thanks everyone for your responses. Sorry for my delay in responding. Our trip is coming up shortly- leaving Toronto Jan 31st. A few hotel changes - we are staying at the Ascot Hotel instead of Le Sutra. We are staying at the Trident Jaipur in Jaipur. Casua/experiential is fine re restaurants and preferable.
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Old Jan 14th, 2018, 07:18 AM
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Our hotel in Puducherry has also changed to De l'Orient.
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Old Jan 14th, 2018, 02:18 PM
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Not your "food" question, and it may be hard to change plans now, so i hope you don't mind this feedback JFT.
A friend familiar with Pondy recently told me Hotel de l'Orient and nearly all Neemrana Group hotels, have gone way down in quality. I just checked tripadvisor and according to a review there --fwiw--Hotel de l'Orient has gone downhill even more since being sold by Neemrana group.
The hotels in Pondy i've heard of in glowing terms are Villa Shanti, La Villa, Villa Helena, or the CGHEarth properties (e.g.Maison Perumal) At this late date, it may be hard to get rooms, but might be worth a try. Also check B and Bs or homestays, in addition to hotels. If you've used a travel agent, ask if they can make the change for you--it will save your valuable pre-trip time.

Good luck, and have fabulous trip!!
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Old Jan 14th, 2018, 09:01 PM
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Perhaps the trickiest part of your research! You need to be careful and have drummed it on this forum nth times. Be careful of what you eat, especially partaking of non-vegetarian meals. I have lived in India all my life but would trust only a few good restaurants when I am out with friends & family alike. In Delhi I would eat at The Embassy & The Host, both in Connaught Place; Varq at Taj Mansingh & The Indian Accent, which has now moved on to The Lodhi. The Indian Accent was exceptionally good at The Manor. Of course you have some great Restaurants like Bukhara, Dum Pukt (ITC Maurya), Orient Express, Masala Art (Taj Palace) & 1911, Spice Route (the Imperial). The Olive near Qutab Minar, A roof-top restaurant at Vasant Continental Hotel is quite good and so is .
At Agra The Peshawari (ITC Mughal).
At Jaipur it could be Suwarna Mahal (Ram Bagh Palace), The Orient Occident at Sujan Raj Mahal Palace.
These are all expensive places but atleast I have my peace of mind that I would be fine the next morning!
There are a lot many cheaper restaurants as very kindly reported above but I personally don't have much faith in these. When I am travelling I also do not partake of meals at Mid-way hotels. Sometimes one is tempted to try street foods but for these I would recommend items coming straight from the oven/oil to the plate. The syrups, yogurts & chutneys should be avoided when out on the street.
A Happy tryst with Indian Food!
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Old Jan 15th, 2018, 02:23 AM
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thanks again. Re del’orient. I just checked our reservation and there is no refund at this time. . Even as early as October it was very difficult to get 2 rooms at any of the hotels you mentioned as they were booked. I did try hard. I hesitated to book this one due to some poor reviews . My friends were not thrilled with the Atithi choice so I looked again more recently. I spoke to my contact at Indian Panoramic who booked many of our south hotels and driver and he said he had not heard of complaints at de L’orient as of late. There is a very good review on trip advisor from yesterday with lots of photos from a poster with 30 + posts so hopefully Dune is getting their act together.
I will post following the trip and will certainly review it on tripadvisor.
Re food- I go to the travel clinic today for typhoid and hep A as well as Dukural and we will try to be careful as to what we eat. Hopefully we will do okay.
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Old Jan 15th, 2018, 06:20 PM
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jft, thanks for the update. I just read that latest tripadvisor review for Hotel l'Orient. Great news!!
"Indian Panoramic"--do you perhaps mean Indianpanorama? If yes, smart choice of a company with which I've traveled to India many times. Their ground staff are excellent, so should you have any problems at a hotel IP booked for you, don't hesitate to use the contact number you'll get upon meeting your driver.
While I've eaten at and loved Peshawari at the ITC in Agra ( as mentioned in some posts above) the vast majority of places in India where I've eaten are at a lower
"price point." Drink and brush teeth with bottled water only; use hand sanitizer gel and /or soap and water religiously before and after eating, and after pit stops of course; take 1-2 good probiotic capsules every day, starting now, before your trip (reputable brand name e.g. culturelle) and you'll be ok! Indianpanorama sent me an excellent pre-trip online information booklet which (assuming that is the company) you will have received and should read--great tips in it.
I daresay you will love India!!
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Old Jan 16th, 2018, 02:53 AM
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You are right it is India Panorama. Our coordinator is Moorthy not Tim as I started with a chat inquiry online and he was who responded. He has been very good so far. We are only using the company in the south as our travel partner’s son who lives in Mumbai had a good driver out of Delhi.
i will look over the pre travel booklet again later today.
We are getting really excited. My next task is to try to keep luggage at a minimum so that we can use our largish Briggs and Riley expandable carry on bags that were excellent when we went to Vietnam.
Thanks
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Old Jan 16th, 2018, 12:10 PM
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I travel with carry-on only too, jft. Remember, you can easily buy what you need in India--toiletries clothes, etc-- so pack lightly! DO read that booklet carefully--it covers so much! I always appreciated the comments about what to expect after the trip--how India leaves many people unexpectedly emotional! Because IP started in Tamil Nadu-- later expanded all over the country--that TN crew including tour planners, know the South like the back of their hands, as it is their home. My first trip withIP was to the South and i honestly think my love of India wouldnt be as great without their guidance in that, and subsequent, trips.
Your IP driver will know where to stop, and will have great and safe restaurant recommendations. The planners are step one--the drivers and ground staff are step two as you see your planning come to fruition.
Sartoric and CaliforniaLady, two of the regulars here, took IP organized tours which they both thought were fantastic, in Madurai. It doesnt look like that city is on your overnight itinerary but it might be worth a daytime stop between Karaikudi and Munnar, time allowing . Have a great time ! Darn, I am jealous!! Please report back, after yo've "recovered" from the trip!! I love learning and reading about India trips and all you'll experience there!!
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Old Jan 16th, 2018, 05:11 PM
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An opportunity came up today for two rooms at Maison Perumal. We will lose cost of one night accommodation at Hotel de L’orient....another review was favourable on agoda but we are considering switching.
i will definitely write a review whe n this trip is complete.
My friend introduced me to a great website called
www.travefy.com to organize trip info. Worth checking out!
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