Enjoy Delhi

The Delhi gymkhana is one of the oldest clubs in the country and a hallowed institution where there the waiting period for an admission is usually 30 years. This was started in 1913, as Delhi Imperial Gymkhana, and Spencer Harcourt Butler was its first president. After independence the word imperial was dropped and it has been called Delhi Gymkhana henceforth. Usha Nath was the first Indian president.
This club is primarily a sporting club and boasts of 26 grass courts and 7 synthetic and clay courts all of which are flood lit. The grass courts are compared to the best in the world and are the best kept. An overwhelming preference for synthetic courts recently has also increased the number of the same. May tournaments of national and international repute has been played on these courts. Apart from tennis, the club has great facilities for billiards, squash and swimming. It has 3 squash courts and a large indoor swimming pool with heating facilities.
The gymkhana is situated in the heart of the city, in Safdurjung road which is the heart of a posh residential colony. It was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens as per his vision for New Delhi. In-fact the whole Gymkhana is built over a land filled with stones and was supposedly a battle field. Its colonial architecture and facade lend the old world charm to its hallowed precincts.
Delhi Gymkhana has the great food to offer to suit you palette. The dining rooms are spacious and the decor is reminds that of an army mess anteroom. Apart from the members dining room there are family dining rooms and a Kashmir Lawn restaurant. Dining is a pleasant experience in the Gymkhana club.
The library is one of the largest in the country with over 30,000 titles. The reading rooms are pleasant and the Gymkhana has a special reading room for children. The library also conducts special workshops for children during the summer months.
For those members on the move, the Gymkhana also provides accommodation. The stay is pleasant and guests can be entertained at a minimal cost. The party scene is the best in Delhi with Thursdays being the appointed day. Various events are organized for members and if one can wrangle an invite from the attendees you can have a rocking Thursday night of your life.
The health club has the state of the art equipment and trainers who help you get the work out you would cherish. Apart from all the activities the Gymkhana organizes enlightening talks on the current political and social issues. It also drives socially relevant activities like a blood donation camps for the members.
The membership is for the who’s who of the country. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and the Delhi chief Ministers are members of the club. The young turks like Rahul Gandhi has been admitted in to precincts recently. The membership fees range from 30000 rupees for a government official to 60000 rupees for a non government personnel. The waiting list is long and the club can be deemed the creme-DE-la-creme of the society.

The contact details are as follows
Phone :011- 23015531 – 35, 011-23012773
Address: Delhi Gymkhana Club
2, Safdarjung Road,
New Delhi – 110011

Fax : 23010584
URL: www.delhigymkhana.org
Email : delhigymkhana@hotmail.com

Location on Google Maps:

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If you believe in the epithet “work hard and party harder and play golf always” then Delhi Gymkhana is the right fit for you.

The Delhi golf club was laid out in 1921 by the British and was known as the Lodhi club. It is one of the oldest golf courses in Asia and frequently hosts the Indian Open golf tournament. This Golf course is one of the most important landmarks of Delhi and is marked by the picturesque setting. It has a perfect blend of natural beauty with architectural splendor. As you aim for that birdie, it is easy to get distracted by the wondrous Mughal monuments around you with the Humayun Tomb and the majestic Barah Khamba. The natural sylvan surroundings integrates itself with the Mughal architecture of the period.
This 223 acre course is a hot spot for the cities elite and one of the great attractions of Delhi. The course is lush green and beautiful with peacocks appreciating all your moves. The fairway rewards attacking players and meanders down the way to Nizzamudin. You may find birds and ladies with multi-hued sarees giving it an old world charm.
The golf club houses a pub, main bar, card room, changing rooms, party rooms and a dining room. These are open only to members and their registered guests. There is a strict dress code for the golf club. All members need to wear collared golfing t-shirts or shirts with trousers. Denims, sneakers, shorts, track suits are not allowed. Golfing shoes with proper spikes are only to be worn. Smoking and drinking is prohibited except in the bar.
Ample car parking is available and chauffeur driven cars are allowed to park in specific assigned areas. Valet parking is not available. The prices are good – green fees, club hire, range, caddy, ball boy all for £50 including generous tip. The toilets are well maintained with all the toiletries and cleanliness maintained. Ample help is dispensed by assistants stationed at all corners. The membership fees range from 200 to 3000 rupees with the guest fees totaling up to a 1000 rupees.
The food is amazing with a great buffet and a well stocked bar. Children below 12 are not allowed at certain areas other than the dining hall. Liquor is served only for members and not for anybody below 25 years. The Delhi golf club brings out its own in house magazine called the “Green Scene” which provides the insight in to the various activities happening around the club. Apart from the club round up it gives the informationof various golfing tournaments in and around the country and also a layout of the activities laid out for the month. Through the green scene, one can understand the culture and the members of this hallowed institution.

You can connect to Delhi Golf club through
Phone :011-24362235, 011-24360002
Address: Dr. Zakir Hussain Marg, Lodhi Colony , Delhi -3
URL: www.delhigolfclub.org
Email: general@delhigolfclub.org

If you need to unwind with your best buddies teeing off in sylvan peaceful surroundings then Delhi golf club is the one for you. The lush greenery, the perfect ambiance of the British raj, ancient monuments and the impeccable service will transport you to the ultimate bliss even if all the tees end up under the water.

Location of Delhi Golf Club on Google Maps:

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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

The number of good restaurants in Delhi and the NCR region has kept on increasing over the past few years. As the number of malls have increased and a larger number of people have got into the habit of spending time in malls, the urge to eat out (especially at good places has increased tremendously). One example of this was this restaurant called Sahib Sindh Sultan (located inside the Ambience Mall in Gurgaon). We had to meet some friends after a period of a year, and owing to some locational issues, we went to Gurgaon to meet our friends. Finding the Mall and the restaurant was incredibly easy, if you are coming from the Delhi side, then as soon as you cross the Toll gate, the mall is located on the left side (you need to get off the highway as soon as you see a proper opening).
The restaurant is apparently part of a group called the BJN group that also runs other restaurants right next to SSS, and is located on the 3rd floor of the mall, close to the ground parking side (the side furthest away from the entrance to the mall; parking to the mall costs Rs. 30).
As you enter the restaurant, the initial look was that it seemed richly decorated, but a trifle dark. However, as you move in, you quickly spot a section of the restaurant where a train seems to be standing, and when you climb in, there are tables inside the train. A nice touch, and made all of us seem a bit happy (and of course the kid was very happy to be stepping inside a train). The seats were comfortable, and we thought that we were in a right place. Then the menu arrived, and it seemed to be a bit high, but this was a classy place (so went the reasoning) so we continued in that place.
And then the starters arrived followed by the food. The place offers a mix of Anglo-Indian, Gujarati, and Frontier food (a mish-mash of different styles). The starters (2 veg, one was a sort of vegetable seekh kabab, the other was a mushroom and other parts dish (and both were tasty); and then we had the non-veg started which was an excellent 5 pieces of fish fry (very tasty)). It was the main course that was even more incredible, the veg palak malai kofts and dal were great. Non-veg chicken biryani was in a good quantity and probably the best biryani I had ever eaten. Overall, the food was very great. If I do not recommend to everyone, it is because for 4 of us, the overall bill came to Rs. 3400 which is high by any standard (consider than 12.5 % was VAT, and 10% was a service charge).

Contact:
Site (link)
Ambience Mall, Level 3,
National Highway 8,
Gurgaon – 122 002
Delhi: +91 0124 3058802

Asia Kitchen is a relatively new restaurant located in Sector 63 in Noida. The location details are:
H-1A/33, Sector 63, Noida
Tel +91 (0120) 4218555/ 4218666
If you are coming from the Shipra Mall Side, you need to take the road that leads to Fortis; it is on the left side before Fortis (you will need to take the service lane).
The place has 2 floors, a ground floor and a basement. Together, the restaurant has ample seating space, with a mix of chairs and sofas for more comfortable seating.
The restaurant does not yet have a liquor license, so it cannot serve any cocktails or drinks. However, it does have a variety of mocktails and the standard lemon water, etc. The food is varied – there is Chinese, Thai, and North Indian (although this mixture does seem a bit strange – I saw on the same table, a group from an office eating a mixture of dal along with chopsuey and hot and sour vegetables; something this was not a pleasant sight.
The servings are large, and the menu choices are small (for example, the North Indian vegetable list was 2 paneer dishes, 1 kofta, 1 dal, and 1 other dish), so we ended up with a small number of dishes whose quantity proved more than sufficient. I felt the taste was great, and people eating the non-veg liked what they ate, but there were others who did not like the taste all that much.
Overall, for around 16 people, we ended up with a bill of around Rs. 350 per head, seemed a trifle high (but with drinks, starters and food, it may be fine).

Maspar has recently started ramping up its store network in the Delhi and NCR region, and is becoming famous and talked about for the variety and quality of its products. Maspar makes home furnishings in the area of bed collection, Bath, Table & Kitchen, Fabric and Gifts. Maspar is into production and sales of probably the most unique textile material and with their products being in the premium range. Synonymous with colourful fabrics and simple straight line designs – emphasizing more on texture, they have a wide range of bedspreads, bath sets, table lines and fabrics. Maspar is special because it has redefined that elegant, no-nonsense look. As an example, Maspar’s collection of viscose and cotton bed linen, bedspreads and cushion covers is aptly called Moulin Rouge; the range is a mass of dramatic colour, texture, pattern and vibrant embellishments.
The prices are fairly reasonable. Bedsheets cost between Rs995 and Rs3,000 and the most expensive curtain panel costs Rs1,250. Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, Maspar has branches in Bangalore and Ludhiana.

Locations and contact details:

# Select City Saket
13 & 14, IInd Floor
Select City Walk
New Delhi-110017
Ph:011-40575025
Fax:011-40575026
Email: maspar.scs@maspar.in

# South Ex New Delhi
IIIrd & IVth Floor,
E-2, Mahajan House
NDSE Part-II
South Extension
New Delhi-110049
Phone:011-46095979
Fax:011-46095989
Email: maspar.fss@maspar.in

# City Center Mall Gurgoan
Shop No 10,
11 DLF City Centre
M.G Road, Gurgaon
Haryana
Ph.:95124-4016380
Fax:95124-4016379
Email: maspar.ccg@maspar.in

# Spice World Mall Noida
Shop No 203&204,
First Floor
Spice World Mall
Sector-25A
Noida(U.P)
Ph.:0120-4333055
Fax:0120-4333054
Email: maspar.ccn@maspar.in

# Rajouri
Shoppers Stop Ltd Plot No-10
Shivaji Place District Centre, Raja Garden
New Delhi-110015

This is a huge mall. It can take many hours to navigate all the different sections, and there is a fair chance of becoming lost (or rather, trying to find a shop that you have found earlier). And if you have made an arrangement to meet somebody over there, then it can get difficult; because it is very crowded during the weekends and even during the normal daytime, and also because it can get confusing.
However, these could be counted as negatives; but the positive is that this is one mall that can help you to find whatever you want. There are many eating places, there is bowling, there are movies, there are restaurants, and the place is full of shopping. And of course, there is an amusement park next door with plenty of rides.
The mall comprises an area of 1,500,000-square-foot (139,400 m²), making it one of the largest operational mall in India. The Great India Place was developed by the Unitech Group and is located in Sector 38-A of Noida. The Mall is supposed to be a part of a Huge Entertainment City with an Water & Amusement Park, Bollywood-Theme Park, and Hotel.
The mall follows a zoned concept with home and grocery on the basement level, women’s apparel on one side, men’s on the other and a 180,000 sq.ft. Food and Entertainment zone on the top floor, with a 5-screen Adlabs multiplex, with a total seating capacity of 1220 seats.
Some of the major stores are Big Bazaar, Home Store (for items for the home), Pantaloon, Globus, Lifestyle, Shopper Stop, Bossini, D & A shoes, CTC Plaza, Lee Copper, Tana Bana, Hallmark, Titan, Giovani, Jumbo Electronics, Om Book Shop, Hazoorilal, R C Jewellers, Cygnus, Tanishq, Ritu Wears, Planet M, Archies, Lazy Boy, Dollar Shop, Adidas, Nike, Guess, Marks & Spencer, Satya Paul, Raymond Shop

Food: Nirula’s, Sbarro, Rajdhani, Yatra, Noodle Bar, Food Court, Pind Balluchi, TGIF, KFC, PIzza Hut, Bembos, Pizzaria Express, and many others.

You also have pool and bowling options on the same floor as the food court.

Post courtesy Akshaya(link)

China Garden, located in the M-block market of Greater Kailash-II, is a branch of the famous China Garden chain of restaurants across the country. The chain is founded by Nelson Wang, a famous chef and the guy who could be quite literally termed as the one who has a big hand in popularizing Chinese food in India. As the story goes, he arrived in Mumbai from Calcutta in early 70s with only 27 rupees in his pocket. His first restaurant was opened in 1984 in Mumbai. And since then the name has grown bigger and bigger. He is the one said to have invented ‘Chicken Manchurian’. Wang also started a women exclusive nightclub called Piano Bar in Mumbai.

Delhi’s China Garden is another good Chinese option in the city. The ambiance of the place is soothing. There are glass stairs, wonderful oriental artifacts and simulated water fall. The whole setup is wonderful. The food also does not lacks behind (although in some areas only). Chinese, Thai and Japanese is served at this place. Nelson Wang’s philosophy of cuisine with a twist can be felt quite easily in the dishes.

In soups, try clear soups rather than the ‘filly’ ones. Clear soups are tangy and quite apt for a start. In the starters, I have tried dim sums only and could not found them as good as at other places (say Mainland China). Veg Sui Mai was quite spicy and the covering was not as thin as we like it to be. For the main course, try Teppanyaki, quite filling and wonderfully done. One can also go for Prawn in Pepper Garlic. Rice and Noodles are all properly cooked and are of good quality.

Overall, surely one of the good options in the city for Chinese cuisine. The rates are also not as high as other places like House Of Ming. Average cost per person would be 600 rupees. They have lounge as well as a Piano Bar.

Contact Info:-
China Garden
M73
M Block Market
Greater Kailash – II
New Delhi – 48
Ph. +91 11 29223456-59

A lot of Indians enjoy Chinese food; however, it is also a fact that most of the Chinese food that we eat is actually food cooked with an Indian flavour – after all, a true Chinese chef would not actually enjoy addition of things such as Indian spices, paneer (cottage cheese); in fact, the feel of authentic Chinese food is most enhanced when the ingredients are genuine. There are a number of restaurants who claim the virtue of having an authentic Chinese experience, and some of them are not genuine. The China Kitchen on the other hand feels like the genuine experience.
The restaurant is located next to the pool at the Hyatt Regency, and the experience starts right at the entry. There are Chinese type motifs on the wooden doors that mark the entrance to the restaurant, and inside, you find the restaurant spread into different areas – there are the open kitchens, 5 private dining areas, the wine / tea area and the overall dining area. But even the dining area has tables that give you some feeling of privacy since there is some distance between the tables, and there are many corners. The whole getup of the place gives a wooden look (the elegant type), with a dark varnished wooden floor, wooden pillars and teak logs making up the roof. The windows give a good view of the pool. As you might expect, such an interior can give a great feeling of luxury, and the service is well along these lines. All this can be expensive, and you can easily run up a charge of over Rs. 1000 per person in the meal.
The restaurant is most famous for its 2 specialties, Peking Duck (made on a wood fired oven to give the classical taste), and Beggar’s Chicken (chicken wrapped in lotus leaves inside a clay shell). In addition, there are a number of other mouth-watering delicacies (in addition to the chef’s complimentary offering (some kind of starter, but normally very delicious), vegetable dumpling soup, Steamed spinach with mustard-sesame sauce, crispy prawn spring rolls, Sichuan poached chicken with crushed peanuts, vegetable and bean curd, Wok-fried premium vegetables with garlic, Fried Crab Claws, Pancakes with Sauteed Lamb, Sichuan Chilli Crabs, Fried Coriander Buns (my mouth was watering just from reading this entire list).
Thus, you can get a variety of excellent dishes based on vegetarian, poultry, fish, and other such sections, most of them being very good. The dessert is also a not-miss section. You get a good variety of wines and excellent alcohol to go along with this.

Hours: Lunch: 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm
Dinner: 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm
Reservations: Please dial +91 11 6677 1334

Apsara Sarees is a shop right off the Chandni Chowk main road. As you head off into the Paranthe Wali Gaali and cross the first saree shop of Gauri Shanker, you get into the first turn, and there it is, Apsara Sarees. If you are looking for some of the heavy sarees for the bride and for some of the other main female players in a wedding (such as sister and sister-in-laws of the groom and the bride), then it makes sense to pay a trip to this shop. It is a place where you will get some of the stylish and heavy sarees and lehangas at a price that is available only in Chandni Chowk (if you wanted to buy this article outside Chandni Chowk, it would cost much more).
Sarees that I have seen here while shopping with some female relatives can cost around Rs. 20,000 – Rs. 30,000; but once you have got over these prices, then you can see how these sarees shine. It is without doubt that such clothes will make the wearer feel special during the wedding or pre-wedding function, and that is exactly how you want them to feel.
For a lot of the sarees and all the lehangas, they will take your choice, and make these on order, so it might take some time for them to get ready, but the end result looks great.
Contact details for Apsara Sarees:
1980, Gali Paranthe Wali,
23267767, 23286856