Eatstory Specials / August 23, 2014

Food Trip to Amritsar (Part-2)

Day-1

Bharawaan Da Dhabha is one of the most famous restaurants in the city and is considered to be the best. By the time we reached there, we couldn’t wait to eat the famous Amritsari Kulcha. The place was full and people were waiting outside the restaurant to get a table. The waiters were having a hard time, dealing with the customers. You’ve got to keep an eye for a table because the place is almost always full. We got a table after few minutes but it took us ages to place our order. After a seemingly never-ending wait for our food, the order finally arrived.

We had ordered for Paneer kulcha with Chole and Raita, Aloo Kulcha with chole and raita, Lachcha Parantha, Tamater Paneer, Kali daal, Baigan Bharta And Lassi. After having few bites of the Kulcha with the daal, my life changed forever. I now knew that I could never have something like this anywhere except Amritsar. The softness of the Kulcha, the flavor of the Kali Dal and the aroma of Chole, along with the surprisingly tasty Baigan Bharta, made us sit quietly and savor every moment. After finishing the appetizing meal, with a glass of Lassi, we hardly had any space left in our tummies. Nevertheless, we couldn’t resist the inviting Phirini (sweet) and shared a portion. This meal was like going on a pilgrimage. No matter how much we had to struggle to attain this gourmet nirvana at Bharawan Da Dhaba, it was all worth it.

Paneer Kulcha, Tamater Paneer, Daal, Baingan Bharta

However, as soon as we stepped out, the mayhem of the city got to us. So, we escaped to Hari ke Pattan, the largest wetlands in Northern India, located 60 km from Amritsar in Tarn Taran Sahib district. The drive became more exhilarating as it started raining. We reached the wetlands and it was the perfect weather to enjoy Bhutta (Roasted Corn) and Banta (Soda Lemonade). We spent some time there and after an hour we headed back to Harike, the nearby town.

We were told that the Fish that you get at Harike is something that you won’t get anywhere. I wasn’t expecting much because I though nothing could surpass the lunch that we had. We reached the market area and saw many Dhabhas and stalls serving fish fry. We were confused because we weren’t sure about two things: the quality and the price. After much deliberation, we ordered Fish fry from Nimma’s Dhabha. After few minutes, in an old newspaper and a plastic pouch we were given small pieces of boneless fish fry. And without any qualms, I can easily call it the highlight of the trip. So much so, that while writing about it now, I am craving to eat it again. The fish was so fresh (thanks to the wetland nearby) that it was melting in my mouth. It was seasoned mildly and a piece of lemon was given to garnish it. I can possibly never forget the taste of it.

On our way back to Amritsar, we saw a Kabaddi match at a village called Sehrolla. After spending some time with the sons of soil we went to Bukhara.

Going to Bukhara was no less than an adventure. Located at Ranjit Avenue, most dishes on a weekend get over by 9 PM. We were searching for it till 9:15 PM. Ranjit Avenue is totally different from the old part of the city. Away from the chaos and traffic, this is area reminds you of the orderly markets of Chandigarh. Finally when we reached there, we asked for the famous ‘Fish Tikka’. To our dismay, they keep it only in winter season. Nevertheless, we tried their Chicken Tikka and I coudn’t believe my luck. Everything I was eating was surpassing the taste of the previous dish I’ve had. The Chicken was creamy, juicy and soft. It was served with green chutney, raw onions and Roomali Roti (thin bread). We also had Mutton Chop And it was not only well cooked but well marinated. I believe I was having the best time eating all the yummy food.

We wanted to try Soya Chaanp and someone at Bukhara told us that ‘Lovely’ is the place to have it. Lovely is located in the same area, so we rushed towards the restaurant and thankfully found it to be open. We had Afghani Soya Chaanp, Crispy Chaanp and Kadhai Chaanp with roti. The Afghani chaanp was melting in my mouth. It was creamy and juicy and it felt like chicken. It was served with really spicy green chutney. The crispy Chaanp were prepared exactly in the same manner as KFC’s fried chicken. It was served with mayonnaise and a dry masala. The Kadhai Chaanp as the main course was really tasty. The whole meal was hearty and I couldn’t believe vegetarian food can be that good.