India - Best Places of Interest

June 16, 2016 Food

7 Food trucks in Kolkata

If you are a traveler in Kolkata, or hungry after the street shopping in Kolkata then you might want to check out these food trucks in Kolkata. They have been trending in the culinary field. Different styles of food appeal to different palates.

Following are some food truck experiences listed:

Agdum Bagdum

agdumbagdum-food trucks in Kolkata — Agdumbagdum

Location: Near Ekdalia Evergreen Club, Opposite Indusind Bank, Gariahat, Kolkata

Home delivery number: +91 9007989999

The food truck is a new concept. Location wise it’s just beside ekdalia evergreen club opposite CCD. Took chicken popcorn and risotto rice combo. We found the popcorn chicken quite similar to those of KFC. It was soft no doubt. Coming to the Risotto rice bowl, one will find gravy-infused rice, a few pieces of chicken, and an egg.

We ordered a huge chicken burger. The chicken burgers are pretty ample in amount. A lot of fries are served as compared to most other places. Drinks are reasonably priced. As for the burritos, definitely sufficient enough to fill anyone.

Thank God It’s Fresh

Image courtesy- Thank God It's Fresh Fb page. -Food trucks in Kolkata — Image courtesy- Thank God It’s Fresh Fb page.

Location: Near Calcutta Rowers Club, Location Varies, Southern Avenue, Kolkata

Contact: +91 9674999819

It is hiked right next to Rabindra Sarovar, near the CRC gate. We ordered:
• Grilled Mushroom Sandwich
• Virgin mojito
Both were really good. Especially the sandwich. Ample filling and really good to taste. Tasted their chicken cheese balls which were yummy and the best part was they were baked and not fried. Loved the innovation.

This food truck is pretty remarkable with its well-systematized set of appliances and quite a neat cooking arrangement. It serves a variety of delicacies, especially continental. The place opens up at 5 a.m., making it a breakfast destination as well.

Hungry Hands

Hungry Hands The Food Truck Image courtesy-FB page-Food trucks in Kolkata — Hungry Hands The Food Truck
Image courtesy-FB page

Location: Princep ghat (Scoop)

Contact: +91 9874215795 or +91 9836193919

The food truck serves various kinds of dishes. We had ordered chicken chow mien and chili chicken combo. The food arrived after ten minutes. The chow mien was delightful. The chili chicken was also tasty. The meatballs were dainty; they were properly fried. We loved the meal.

Chai Talks

Location: Varies, Lake Gardens, Kolkata

Contact: +91 9830339395

The lemon iced tea was a treat. Though it is a small stall but it is worth a try. The Boba ripe mango is too good. Very refreshing. Really innovative concept.

Cooks on Wheels

Location: 9, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, New Market Area, Kolkata

Contact: +91 9830035882

Food quality is very good, quantity more than sufficient. We had ordered a plate of egg chow mien and a plate of chili chicken and felt it was enough for two people. The price is very reasonable too.

Foodie Roadie

Foodie roadie- Kolkata food trucks — Foodie roadie
Image courtesy FB page

Location: 19/C, Sarat Bose Road, Elgin, Kolkata

Contact: +91 8334887777

Here you can choose a wide variety of non-veg fast food. The taste is awesome. A nice place to check out.

That Food truck

Location: Near RDB Boulevard, Sector 5, Salt Lake

Contact: +91 9830221279

The cuisines served here are burgers, fast food, and street food.

So, if you are a street food lover and want to have local cuisine in a hygienic way then food trucks are the best option.

Disclaimer: The contact numbers given above are subject to change.

May 26, 2016 Food

Top 5 Food Trucks In Hyderabad For a Lip-Smacking Foodie

Food trucks have become a trend in the culinary field. It is one of the effective ways of enjoying a lot of different styles of food uniquely. Many foodie travelers love Hyderabad because of the cuisine of the land. The cuisine was developed to win the hearts of Nizams of the land.

If you are in Hyderabad and are looking for some food truck experience, this article is right for you.

Chettinadu Villas

The lip-smacking dish of Southern India is idli (boiled rice cake) or dosa (Indian pancake). Do you know that there are more than 60 types of idli and dosa? If you want to enjoy some, you can visit Chettinadu Villas. They serve authentic Chettinadu-style food for a reasonable price. You can either call them to fix a place if you are traveling in a large group or, you can call them to locate them too.

Specials: Cheese Dosa, Mutton Idli, and Idiyappam

Where: Indira Nagar Service Lane, Gachibowli

Timings: From 6: 30 PM till midnight

Phone Number: 7799002711

Hungry Parrots

Lebanese food is known for its meat-filled flavors. They have a juicy mixture of meat and vegetables with soft Arabic bread. Shawarma is a very common and tasty Arabic food. If you are looking for Arabic food in Hyderabad, you can always rely on Hungry Parrots. This truck is known for its quick delivery time.

Specials: Different Styles of Shawarma

Where: Hitech City Road, Madhapur

Timings: 5:30 PM to 12:30 AM

Yum Stop

Yum Stop is a new food truck that is getting more famous in Hyderabad. This truck is famous for Indian and Chinese cuisine. The most interesting part of this truck is that the menu keeps changing every day. It is a bit hard to find the same menu again soon. You can call them to locate them. This truck has earned good reviews from the media. Seating is not available. High food quality can be expected and the proof of the quality is that the truck has a great crowd even after midnight.

Specials: Bread Omelette, Dosa Bandis, Sandwiches, Bonda

Where: Near Dapalla Hotels, Jubilee Hills

Timing: 10 PM till 3 AM

Phone Number: 7032997796

Chipotle

As the name indicates, this place is for Mexican food lovers. You would be astonished to see the quality of Mexican food that you can enjoy in South India. This truck is available for business even during the daytime. Tacos, burritos, and every other Mexican food can be found here. This place is for those who are ready to taste so spicy food. Home delivery is also available. Seating arrangements are not available and thus, only take-outs are possible.

Specialty: Nachos and Salsa

Where: Wipro Office, Gachibowli, or beside Phoenix Avance hub

Timing: 12:30 PM to 11:30 PM

Phone Number: 040- 3165016

Fat Cow Creamery

This is the truck for sweet lovers. While South India tour goers prepare themselves for spicy food, this truck is proof that the cuisine is capable of adding various flavors of frozen desserts to your plate. Starting from ice creams to all kinds of desserts, this truck is the home for sweet tooth holders. This adorable little blue trailer would remind you of the ice cream truck that used to ring bells to attract children in the suburbs. The specialty of this truck is ice cream served on a roll. It is your regular ice cream with exotic fruits and chips, still, it looks different. There are no seats available so only a takeaway is possible. Vegetarians can also enjoy these desserts.

Specialty: Berry Berry Ice Cream, Oreo and Cream, and Banana Ice Cream in Roll

Timing: 1 PM to 12:30 AM

Where: Usually At Banjara Hills

Phone Number: 7036111213

Food trucks have been common since the 18^th century. This is the best way for those who want to enjoy street food authentic to the local cuisine hygienically. Communicate with the locals or use any apps like Zomato to find some interesting food trucks near you.

*/ This is a guest post by Sophia Oatley. /*

Food trucks

Best Places of Interest in Hyderabad

The city was established by Mohammed Quill Qutb Shah nearly a century before the Mughals captured the region. The relics of Qutb Shahi and Nizam rule are still visible with the Charminar which symbolizes this city. Golconda Fort is another major landmark. The influence of Mughlai culture is also evident in the city’s distinctive cuisine, which includes delicious biryani and Haleem. Salar Jung Museum, Purani Haveli, Charminar, Golconda Fort, and the famous biryani. Guess, which place. I am referring to it here.

It is none other than Hyderabad. It is now the capital of southern India’s Telangana state. Earlier it was the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Historically, Hyderabad is known as a pearl and diamond trading center, and it continues to be known as the City of Pearls.

The city has many traditional bazaars, Laad Bazaar, Begum Bazaar, and Sultan Bazaar which have remained open for centuries.

Best Places of Interest

Salar Jung Museum– The huge and varied collection in the museum was curated by Mir Yusuf Ali Khan (Salar Jung III), the grand vizier of the seventh Nizam. The exhibits here are from every corner of the world which include Persian carpets, Japanese lacquerware, Chinese Porcelain, Mughal miniatures, famous statues of Veiled Rebecca and Marguerite and Mephistopheles and much more.

Hyderabad, Salar Jung Museum — Salarjung Museum
In Hyderabad
Image credit – Mannar K (flickr.com)

Purani Haveli– is an old palace, was the official residence of the Nizams of Hyderabad before independence. It is built in a u-shape and with two parallel elliptic wings, the residential part is the center of the palace. It also has the Nizam’s museum.

Hyderabad, Purani Haveli — Purani Haveli, Hyderabad
Image credit – www.hyderabadtourism.travel

Charminar – this renowned landmark was built by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah to celebrate the founding of the city and the end of epidemics caused by Golconda’s water shortage.

Hyderabad, Charminar — Charminar |
Image courtesy ruffin_ready (flickr.com)

The four-column, 56-mm high structure has 4 arches facing the 4 cardinal directions. There are minarets over each column. The 2^nd floor has Hyderabad’s oldest mosque but that, and the upper columns are off-limits to visitors. Near the Charminar, there are small stalls that sell everything from berries to perfumes. There are shops where varakh (silver foil) is pounded to be put on sweets. If you go a little further then you can see Laad Market, which has best of South India’s wedding finery and the best pearl shops.

Birla Planetarium– The Birla Planetarium of Hyderabad was the first planetarium of the country. It was inaugurated in 1985 by late N.T. Rama Rao. The planetarium is equipped with the latest technology to bring you a thrilling and exciting experience while learning about the universe. The shows comprise of Haley’s comet, space explorations of the solar system, riddles of the Black Holes and the newly discovered Dark matter with interactive sessions resulting in a huge draw.

Lumbini Park– Located near Hussain Sagar Lake, Lumbini Park has a laser auditorium, boating facilities, well-maintained gardens and a number of musical fountains, an ideal spot for family entertainment. This auditorium has the capacity to seat 2000 people. It hosts show on Hyderabad’s history in English and Hindi for visitors. The park was renamed as T.Anjaiah Lumbini Park in honor of former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Lumbini Park entrance Image courtesy- Mspraveen at the wikipedia project — Lumbini Park entrance
Image courtesy Mspraveen at the Wikipedia project

Hussain Sagar Lake– Being at this lake is a pleasure. It is a man-made lake built by Hussain Shah Wali to provide irrigation water to the area, and now is an important link between the two cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad Image courtesy- Alosh Bennett, Flickr — Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad
Image courtesy- Alosh Bennett, Flickr

In the centre of this lake is a statue of Gautam Buddha, carved out of a single block of solid white granite.

Golconda Fort– This fort dates back to the 16^th century during the reigns of Qutb Shah kings which was built as a mud fort by the Yadavas and Kakatiyas. The fort was then expanded to into a massive and expansive fort of granite, with a circumference that extended around 5kms. It remained with the dynasty until 1590. The fort was then expanded to have an outer wall that enclosed the city. It is considered to be an engineering marvel for its acoustic effects: one handclap below the entrance dome can be heard at the highest point of a pavilion a kilometre away. It is believed that it acted as a warning from an enemy attack.

You may also like Weekend getaways and accommodations

References:

Wikipedia -for distances between cities.

Video: qaanso roobaad channel

May 6, 2016 Events and Festivals, India

COLOUR ME “SAFFRON”

Once in 12 years, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh , India explodes in the colour SAFFRON as it is home to the “SIMHASTHA KUMBH”.

The Gulmohar Trees ( Hindi), Flamboyant ( English) , and Delonix regia ( Scientific name) join the celebration of Faith in the Month of May and explode in the colour of the season, Saffron.

The Kshipra River In Ujjain is seen through the Flamboyant Saffron flowers of the Gulmohar Tree.

The Trident or “Trishul” is the Symbol of the Ruling Deity of Ujjain, “Mahakaal” or Lord Shiva.

The Trishul rises over the flamboyantly flowering Gulmohar Trees and the Saffron Bridge across the Kshipra River during the Maha Kumbh Festival.

Saffron bridge across the Shipra river — Saffron bridge across the Shipra River

The Ghats of the River Kshipra turn Saffron too as the River is worshipped in celebration of the Life-giving Powers of Water.

Millions will bathe in the River during the Month long festival ” Simhastha Mahakumbh” held once in 12 years during a time determined by the Planets and Stars. The Sun enters Aries and Jupiter the constellation of Leo symbolizing the timing of this explosion of Faith and the colour saffron.

The “Dumroo” or Drum, held by the Saffron Sadhu,is another symbol of Lord Shiva.

The reverberating and enchanting sound of the “Dumroo” symbolizes the healing Power of Sound.

Be Enchanted by the saffron colours in Ujjain as I take you through the Heart of India during a Festival of Faith.

A recent update of this site

Six die as storm hits Kumbh Mela. Lightning and thunderstorms hit the site of the ongoing Simhastha-Kumbh Mela in Ujjain. Four devotees and one sadhu died when a pandal collapsed due to strong winds. A woman pilgrim died after being struck by a bolt of lightning. Squall, coupled with rain, suddenly hit the area, uprooting several camps of sadhus.

Source: Mukul from Enchanted Forests and news sources.