Dhabas as they often go, r associated with highways ,
trucks, truck drivers, khaats in the front , wooden
planks on the khaats to substitute as tables, the dust
the grime all adding upto the taste and then this
small kid in shorts and a torn baniyan (vest), who is
invariably named ''chhotoo'' comes to take ur order and
then keeps running around serving all the shouting
truck drivers and the restaurant-owner.
But guys this dhaba I am gonna talk to u bout is kinda
different. In fact is a whole lot different. Now
understand this guy, my financial status does not
force me to while away my hours in cheap (read cash)
establishments. I have been to and entertained and
been entertained in respectable in the joints of
delhi, but there is something really special about
dhabas that does really attract me to them. Okhay too
much use of the word ''really'' in here.
Anyways the dhaba I am talking bout is different in
the way that it breaks the first association
completely. Tell me guys who wud expect a dhaba bang
on the ring road of lajpat nagar, a stone's throw
away from 3Cs and westside which host some really high
class eating joints . No offense to barista or
mcdonalds and all the other eating joints at 3C, they
are amazing I agree but none of them cud be called worth
their weight in gold as they tend to be really heavy
on the pocket.
It all happened like this. 14th feb I came from office
in the morning (yeah I am a network systems engineer
who works in shifts serving the US customers), all
washed out and was looking forward to a bleary day
ahead (yeah guys I didn't have a date as has been
consistent for the past 21 years), but then my friend
called and forced me to leg it out till 3C's food
court to have a gang party with all the friends. So
that I did coz my friend neha can be quite pursuasive
when she gets down to it. The call went like this:
neha : what u upto ?
me : nothing, watching tv
neha : cum to 3Cs.
me : no yaar I dont feel like.
neha : cum to 3Cs.
me : cum on neha I am washed out.
neha : cum to 3Cs.
me : but I am not dressed.
neha : cum to 3Cs.
me : neha it'll take too much time n effort.
neha : cum to 3Cs.
me : I dont have any money.
neha : cum to 3Cs.
( and so on and so forth as long as u get the general
idea )
so I did leg it out there before pausing to buy
orchids for all the ladies in my group at attrocious
rates (thanx to the VDAY fever). well we assembeled
after all the customary hugs and the kisses in the air
near the cheeks (that was strictly for the ladies),
then we decided that we all were literally broke and
wanted something cheap. So we went over to this dhaba.
Now lemme describe the setting :
Its right on the ring road at the entry point to
lajpat nagar market where there's a flyover
construction going on. so in accordance with highways
there was enuff dust around but not enuff to make u
choke. Trucks were replaced by buses and the incessant
honking of the rush hour traffic. truck drivers were
replaced bycops and factory workers and office goers .
and chhotoo was replaced by the faithful bahadur. SO
imagine the scene when one sees walking into this
dhaba 5 poeple in all their chamak dhamak (glitters
and flitters), sidestepping all the puddles and the
rough street.. Finally we got our royal bottoms seated
and started ordering like an army to devour a nation.
Even the girls were not snooty and shy and ordered
well ( I like to c a girl with a healthy appetite, it
looks natural).
And the food was awesome. best were shahi paneer,
chana masala (really khatta one), then the unlimited
salads with green chutni, tandoori naan and the paneer
bhurji. We ordered much more and at the end we were
pleasantly surprised to c that the bill came to just
Rs.217 inclusive of a 2 liter bisleri mineral water
bottle, and a bottle of diet pepsi and a regular
bottle of limca. This was awesome. Go for it everyone
and if u need instructions to get there do let me know.
luvnhugs,
ashvyn
=
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
=================================
Happiness and Love together is like a butterfly...the more u chase it
the more it eludes u. But if u turn ur attention to other things...it
comes and softly sits on ur shoulder !!!
