Dilli ka dil comes calling

Kuldip Dhiman

Lal Qila, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Kinari Bazar, Meena Bazar, Khari Baoli, Dariba Kalan and so on, conjure up images of bustling bazaars, narrow streets, shopping, and above all eating the amazing variety of food. Old Delhi, popularly known as Purani Dilli or Dilli-6, is a favourite spot for shoppers and gastronomes. Living far away from these dingy streets, you often think if it were possible to have those mouth-watering items in the comfort of a dining hall.

Park Plaza, Zirakpur ( immediately on the right of the Zirakpur flyover if you are driving towards Delhi), thought about it, and have brought this unique experience to 

tricity foodies. “We wanted to re-create Old Delhi street food experience and combine it with fine dining for tricity food lovers. We do this annually and this is the third consecutive year of Dilli-6. It has always been a huge success. We usually have this festival during the pre-winter months. Apart from this we have other food festivals too,” says Aditi Sharma, marketing & PR executive. 

“The décor and interiors of the restaurant have been transformed, giving it Purani Dilli ambience by hanging kites, lights, and old film posters.”

A decorated cycle rickshaw welcomes you at the entrance, and there is a hand cart next to it, both being hot favourites for taking selfies.

At Dilli-6 Food Festival, you could start with soup of Kharode ka ras, Chhali Badam ka Shorba or Nimbu Khumb ka Shorba. In exhaustive buffet on display, you have Gosht Dum Biryani, Hare Masale Ki Subz Biryani, Murg Changhezi, Chicken Ishtu, Nalli Korma, Paneer Lababdar, Dhingri ki Subzi, Aloo Bukhare ke Kofte, Kamal Kakdi ke Kofte, Kaaju Matar Makhana, Aloo Wadiyan, Dal Shahjahani, Kadi Pakode and a lot more.

Talking about the amazing array of food, snacks, and beverages, Executive Chef, Raman Preet Singh Ahluwalia says, “We are trying to revive the old memories of Delhi for people who have been there during their growing up years. For example, as you enter our restaurant, there is a Churan counter. I am sure you too loved churan during your school days. Then there is the Chatwala, further down we have the Ram Ladoo which is popular around Delhi and Punjab region. Then there is a counter that takes you back to Paranthe wali Gali. In Old Delhi, there is this Aslam Chicken Counter that is famous for Chicken Changezi, while Karim’s is known for its Chicken Stew. And not to forget Bhai Jan’s kababs. You can get a taste of all of them here at the festival.”

How did they recreate the recipes which are kept secret by traditional makers in Old Delhi. “We have very highly trained chefs, and they do a good job of recreating the dishes as close to the original as possible. However, we get the mithai such as Habshi Halwa, Palang Tod Barfi, Malai Khurchan directly from Old Delhi every day.” 

 Street food  in up market hotels and restaurants. How was the connection made? 

“You see, most business people, international travellers do not have the time to frequent very crowded places like Old Delhi. We try to bridge the gap by offering street food in a very comfortable and hygienic setting,” asserts Aditi Sharma. Apart from the sumptuous food, there is also an astrologer who can be consulted on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Delli-6 food experiences can be had at Rupees 950 per person. It is available only at dinner time, and is on till November 26.