Enjoy Delhi

Toast restaurant is also a Grill, offering a variety of international cuisine, such as Mediterranean, American, European and Lebanese. And of course, if you have a well stocked bar, what more could you want. After 11 PM, it converts into a nightclub, with an ash wooden floor that can be used for dancing. The restaurant has 2 private areas as well, with a private lounge, if you want to hold parties or celebrations. The lighting is soft and diffused, giving an overall great ambience.
The food here focuses on more of grilled and roasted stuff, and in today’s world where we worry about too much fat and high calorie, these are better dishes, with the food being light and easy on the stomach. However, the place is a bit expensive, with a dinner for two without drinks being around Rs. 900-1000. The bar has a big selection, and you can get a huge varieties of drinks and cocktails over here.

Contact details:

Shop no. 43,44, 3rd Floor,
West Gate Mall, Ring Rd,
Tagore Garden Extension, New Delhi, 110027,
Phone number : India? – 9971990644, 9971990643, 011-43513773, 43513776

Happy Hours: 3:30 PM TO 8:00 PM, Restaurant open from 12:00 Noon TO 1:00 AM

Toast restaurant (Bar and Grill) located in West Gate Mall, Rajouri Garden – Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

The West Gate Mall is one of the larger malls in the area of West Delhi, being one of the 5 malls located in the general area of Shivaji Place District Centre, Rajouri Garden, West Delhi (and located very close to an important road, Ring Road). The other malls located nearby are City Square, TDI Mall, TDI Paragon, Shopper’s Stop. The Rajouri Garden metro station is also nearby. This mall serves as one of the destination points for the localities nearby, such as Punjabi Bagh, Rajouri Garden, Tilak Nagar,Mansarovar Garden, Kirti Nagar, Paschim Vihar and Patel Nagar.
West Gate Mall is pretty large, having 2 levels of basement parking (although there is a huge open air parking just next to the mall that is preferred by most people), and also has 6-7 movie halls located on the top floor. In between the basement and the top floor, there are a large number of shops and eating joints that draw a number of people.

Clothing / accesories shops: United Colors of Benetton, Lacoste, Next, Guess, Adidas, Reebok, Nike, Van Heusen, Levi’s, Jockey, Franco Leene, Urban 10, Taniya Khanuja, BE ME, Leela’s Studio, Lyallpur Instyle, Art Karat, Etam, Max Fashion Retail, Allen Solly, Lee, Straps, Freiburg, Shaw Brothers, Just She, G & B Fashion Pvt. Ltd, Bossini, Arrow, Latin Quarters, Planet Retail Holdings Pvt. Ltd, Lacoste, Puma, Kipling, Portland, GFO, Dremz, Mark and Spencer, Kazo, Pepe, Satya Paul, Pantaloon,

Restaurants: Food Court, TGIF, Ambrosia, Freeze (a luxury bar with the temperature at -10 Celsius), Papa Johns, Golden Dragon, Toast, Moti Mahal, American Hot, Quik Bites

Miscellaneous: Elvy Lifestyle Private Limited, World of Titan, Aryan Lifestyle Private Limited, Ambience, Gelato Vittorio, The Mobile Store, Food Bazaar, The Body Shop

Location of West Gate Mall, Rajouri Garden, West Delhi on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Address: Plot No 4,5,6, Shivaji Palace dist Center Rajauri Garden, New Delhi, 110027.

Regular Delhi residents have their own favorite eating places staked out, and can make getting a place to sit difficult during the night and during weekends. Something similar happens to this Dhaba (and it is not a fancy place calling itself a Dhaba, but is an actual Dhaba with service levels not anyway comparable to a restaurant), where you know that people love the food if you find it difficult to get a place to sit during the weekends. As a result, you will find people getting food packed for a takeway. Also, like other Dhabas, if you need a place where the hygiene seems tip-top, then maybe this place is not for you.
However, the food is very good, and that is the reason why it continues to draw a large number of people on a regular basis. You want to get some good non-veg food, you are at the right place. Order some tangri chicken, or fish tikka, chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, mutton seekh kebab, and who can forget the butter chicken (a rich calorie laden food, but heavenly) and dal makhani. And the nans are hot, tender and great to eat along with these items. You will not get any alcohol at this place, but the food is great and very inexpensive.

Contact details:
Address: AB-14, Kamal Complex, Safdarjung Enclave, Delhi- 110029
Phone: 011 26100355 | 9868088961
Landmark: Opposite Safdarjung Club

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

You need to go looking for some classy male stuff (and now also some classy female stuff) in terms of clothes. There is a function that you need to attend, and for which you need to look your best, or more importantly, your marriage has been scheduled, the cards have been printed, and you need to finally decide on your dress. Your fiancee will not hear of you wearing a western suit (does not match her colorful and elegant lehenga), and so you are deputed to get a sherwani or an Indo-western suit, along with the pagri, the jutis (shoes) and the safa. Where you do you ?
Well, you head to Vasari, a shop where you can get all these, along with Indo Western suits, some excellent kurta pyjamas, and so on. You go there, select what you want, get your sizes taken, and then get the finished clothes a couple of weeks later (in busy marriage season, you should estimate it will take 20-25 days).
Location and address:
Vasari
1. Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi
Phone: 011-46502812/13
2. Ajmal Khan Road, Karol Bagh,
Phone: 011-45033029
3. Rajouri Garden
011-41447378
4. Kamla Nagar
011-47042471

Location of Karol Bagh and Rajouri Garden stores on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Sometimes, the quest for getting some fancy suits and dresses strikes a lady. Typically known as party wear type of suits, these are fancy salwar-kameez, or they may kameez with a churidar / pants. The embroidery is far more fancy than normal day to day, and they can look quite beautiful. One place where you can get such ones is called Tamanna De Boutique, and is located in 6 different parts of Delhi.

Shop No-72, 1st Floor, Ch. Kishna Chand Complex,
Jwala Heri Market,
New Delhi, Delhi
Phone: 011 25250320

46-Ub Jawahar Nagar,
Kamla Nagar, New Delhi,
Delhi
Phone: 011 41530901

B 1/3, Lal Quarter,
Krishna Nagar, New Delhi, 110051

72-75, First Floor, Paschim Vihar,
Delhi – 110006
Phone: 011 25250320

F-20, 1st Floor,
Crossriver Mall,
Near Karkardooma Court,
Delhi
Tel: 011 22306080

J-67, Shop No. 1,
Rajouri Garden,
New Delhi – 110027
Phone: 011 25161392

Actually, the Ashok Hotel is a landmark by itself, located next to the Prime Minister’s house at Race Course Road, next to Santusthi, and next to Nehru Park. Here is a link to a funny map from the F Bar site (link) that shows the map of Ashok Hotel with the roads next to it, as well as a map showing how to get to the F Bar inside the Ashok Hotel (link). Astoundingly for a place in Delhi, the site also has 360 degrees virtual tours that allow you to get a view inside the F Bar even if you have never stepped inside (link).
The F bar is fairly big (8000 sq. feet), being spread over many different levels, with some more exclusive zones such as the Fashion Lounge and the super, super exclusive Diamond Lounge for those who consider themselves the elite.
The F Bar is a franchise of FTV, and is a place where you can bump into famous personalities such as movie stars, fashion people, models, etc. You can also spot many industrialists over here. The place is very well decorated, with neon lights that are not tacky, instead giving a psychedelic environment, the one in which your feet start tingling and moving (and the Interiors have a steel black and white finish). The place plays different types of music, including many times bollywood remixes (you know, many people like remixes of Bollywood movies even though they would never admit to it).
Drinks are good, although as you move past midnight, the bar gets more crowded and it could take time to get a drink, and as you are already in an expensive place, you should assume that the drinks will also be pricey.
Address and contact details:
Price Range: INR 1200 upwards (entry costs are: Cover charges of Rs. 2000 for a couple and Rs. 500 for single women)
Address: The Ashok | 50-B Chanakayapuri, New Delhi, India
Phone: (91-11) 26110101

Some videos from there:

Clubbin at F Bar @ Ashok !!

FTV – F-Bar New Delhi

Location of F Bar in Ashok Hotel, Delhi, on Google Maps

View Larger Map

For the citizens living in East Delhi, starved of some good restaurants, there is a new one that has opened up and promises to improve the overall cuisine standard. Till now, there were the restaurants that were open in the various malls, and now you have a Pind Baluchi that has opened up in the Karkardooma market on the main road (not the best of locations, but it’s okay). The restaurant is small compared to the other Pind Balluchi’s in other parts of the city. It is spread over 2 floors, but overall seating must not be more than 60 people (a guess).
The restaurant has similar interiors such as the other Pind Balluchi’s. Our experience was mixed. We had ordered some Shammi kababas, along with Malai Kofta, Khumb Pyaaz Bhujiya, and rotis (along with raita and onions). The other stuff was all great, except for the Malai Kofta which was pretty much declared uneatable by my companions. We got the waiter over and told him the issue; he was pretty much discomfited, and eventually offered us another dish. We had done with the mail, and did not want another dish, and eventually, after a lot of confabulation with his other staff, he offered us some free deserts, which were superb.
Overall, except for the malai kofta, the rest of the meal was great. The restaurant offeres non-veg and veg, with dishes such as various Kababs, Tikka, Tandoori items, Paneer dishes, spring roll, various north Indian meat dishes, and a good sampling of veg dishes. The Gulab Jamun was superb. No liqour.

Contact details:
Karkardooma Village (next to the Metro station),
Vikas Marg, East Delhi
Phone: 011-22378686, 011-22378787, 9999777881/2/3
They do home delivery.

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is probably the most visited Gurdwara in Delhi. Located centrally in Delhi, it is located on the Baba Kharag Sahib Marg that has Connaught Place at one end, and Gol Dakhana (round post office) at the other end. The back side of the Gurdwara (and the associated school) opens up to Ashoka Road. The Gurdwara was originally the Bungalow of one of the important Rajput ruler Mirza Raja Jai Singh. Jai Singh was a devotee of Guru Harkrishan, and played a role in ensuring that politics being played out in the emperor’s court did not cause Aurangzeb to treat the Sikh Guru badly. Guru Harkrishan had been nominated as a successor by the seventh Guru Sri Har Rai, and was summoned to Delhi by Emperor Aurangzeb in a furtive attempt by his older brother Baba Ram Rai to grab the Gurugadi. Earlier Baba Ram Rai had disgraced himself by giving a false translation of Bani to appease the Emperor. For this he had been disowned by his father and rewarded by Aurangzeb.
The place where the current Gurudwara is located was earlier a palatial home, and it was here that Guru Sri Harkishan had stayed here for a few months as a guest of Raja Jai Singh. It was during this time that there was a terrible epidemic of cholera and smallpox and the Guru spent a lot of time caring for people and distributing help. He was eventually struck by the disease as well, and died in Delhi in 1664. He used to distribute water from a well built in the house, and this water is said to have holy and medical properties. The water is now revered as having healing properties and is taken by Sikhs throughout the world back to their homes.
The grounds include the temple, a kitchen, a large pond, a school and an art gallery. As with all Sikh Gurdwaras, the concept of langar is practiced, and all people, regardless of race or religion may eat in the Gurdwara kitchen (langer hall).

In the heart of New Delhi, on Pant Road, facing Parliament and North Block, there is a beautiful white marble Gurudwara, with entrances on all 4 sides (symbolizing the fact that the Gurudwara and the religion does not support any kind of separation of humanity based on caste or creed). It has a beautiful garden surrounding it. This is the Rakab Ganj Gurdwara, built in 1732 by a devotee (Lakhi Banjara) of the 9th Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur.
It was the year 1675, and the Guru Tegh Bahadur was in rebellion against the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb was a zealot who wanted to convert people to Islam, and Guru Tegh Bahadur was approached by Kashmiri Pandits for their defence. The Guru proceeded to reach Delhi so as to try to negotiate with Aurangzeb (although he knew that his death could happen). He was arrested and then eventually beheaded.
It is rumored that after he was beheaded, there was a massive dust storm and in that storm, his body was rescued by his disciple and taken to the disciple’s home where to hide any special attempts to cremate the body, the disciple Lakhi Shah Vanjara kept the body in his own home and burnt down the home in order to do the last rites (the head was taken away separately to Anandpur Sahib where it was cremated).
It was this very spot where the body was cremated that is the site of the present Rakab Ganj Gurudwara.

Getting into Chandni Chowk means taking the road from Red Fort and leading directly perpendicular to it. You see a straight road with a divider, and unless you are in the middle of the night or early morning, the road will be crowded with all sorts of traffic. There are numerous shops, and side roads that lead to narrow bustling shopping lanes. As you move ahead, you will see a beautiful Gurudwara to the left side, and this is called Gurdwara Sis Ganj. It is a pivotal part of life in Chandni Chowk, and you can see a huge number of devotees moving in and out of the Gurudwara. Not too many of these people though know the history of the Gurudwara, or the significance.
The life of the Sikh Gurus was built on the concept of sacrifice and not protecting their lives if their was something fundamental at stake. Thus it was during the time of the great (but cruel) Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who was more of a zealot than many of his previous Mughal emperors. This was also a time when there was a clash between the Mughals and the Sikh Gurus, and when the Mughal Emperor was forcibly converting Hindus to Islam. It was then that the Guru told a group of Pandits who approached him to tell the emperor that Aurangzeb should first convince the Guru to convert to Islam, and then only go to the Pandits.
The Guru refused and was imprisoned by the Emperor’s men. He was finally beheaded on November 11th, 1675. His body was cremated secretly by one of his followers so that it would not be on display. Similarly, the separated head was taken to Chakk Nanaki in Anandpur Sahib. After around a century when the Mughal influence had waned and Sikhs had become more forceful, one of his followers Sardar Bhagel Singh, built the Gurudwara. The Gurudwara is made of white marble, has several domes with spires for flags and a water body for religious purposes. It took around Rs. 10 lakh and manpower of 4000 people over various stages to complete the Gurudwara.
The main structure of the Gurudwara is a large open hall. This is very spacious and has a bronze canopy in the middle under which, the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs is kept. The Guru Granth Sahib is covered with a large red tunic cloth and garlands. At night, the book is ceremonially carried to a special room in the gurudwara. Here it is kept in a transparent and well-lit glass chamber for the visitors. The book is kept there in a special-resting closet. It is surrounded by the pieces of tree trunk of the same banyan tree under which the Guru was martyred. There is also an enclosed structure where the guru was held prisoner before being executed. The people who go to the Sis Ganj Gurdwara also visit the well in which the Guru used to take his daily bath when he was in prison.
Guru Tegh Bahadur was the youngest of the five sons of Guru Har Gobind. He was born in Amritsar in the early hours of 1st April 1621. The name Tegh Bahadur (mighty of the sword), was given to him by Guru Har Gobind after he had shown his valour in a battle with the Mughals.

Some photos of the Gurudwara can be seen at this link.