The Next Best Thing To Eating Food Is Talking About It….Or Perhaps Writing About It.

Lucknow is perhaps rightly been termed as the “Culinary Capital” of Uttar Pradesh.Embarking on a trip through the streets of this city is a gastronomic adventure to the senses. The bustling lanes are steeped in rich cultural heritage intricately woven with its culinary legacy making it a fascinating journey for food enthusiasts.

Our travels within India have been a delightful experience indeed.Having lived out of the country for over two decades now, exploring new cities, their cultural influences and food nuances are a great way to immerse oneself in traditions and connecting to one’s roots. My husband and I,are quite the  incorrigible foodies, frequently on the hunt for the best eating experiences from street food to fine dining and anything else that fits in between.

I may have said this before, “We will travel to any length of this planet, in search of good food”. A recent sojourn took us to Lucknow, quite aptly referred to as the “City Of Nawabs“, and well known for its traditional cuisine. The delectable and melt in your mouth kebabs in particular, like the galawati, shammi & kakori are testament to their culinary heritage. The Lucknowi style of cooking is also quintessentially known as the “Awadhi Cuisine”, the rulers being the Nawabs of Awadh whose origin lies in Persia. Hence the cuisine has the influence of various meats, grains, spices, nuts and saffron.

Our trip to Lucknow was a quick getaway over a long weekend, along with catching up with wonderful friends who promised us a gastronomic experience. Well for me it was “In search for the best kebab”.

The best part of discovering cuisine in a new city is having a friend that subs as a foodie expert and takes you through the finer aspects of traditional cuisine.Having a ready reckoner list of “must-eats” from friends can certainly enhances the joy of discovering local favorites and hidden gems.Our friends Nandini & Ravi had put together quite an exhaustive list of places to visit.

Day 1:

1.Sakhawat’s:

“We are in search for the best kebabs”, was our brief to our friends. They were quite aware about the obsession for the best ever galawati and shammi kebabs, as that’s what got us all the way to Lucknow in the first place. Having lived in Lucknow for several years our friends seem to have  discovered every  hidden gem around the city. We were keen we make Sakhawat’s our first stop and arrived early in the afternoon. This legendary place is quite popular with tourists and locals alike, in serving up some very authentic kebab delicacies like the kakori, shammi, galawati and boti kebabs. Their delectable menu also serves up some finger-licking good mutton and chicken Awadhi style curries along with rumali rotis and mughlai parathas.I must admit the kebabs were the right blend of their secret spices and smoky charred flavours.We also sampled some of their  tandoori chicken and hot rotis.

Located at: Near Oudh Gymkhana Club, Kaiserbagh Officer’s Colony, Qaisar Bagh, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India

2.Dastarkhwan:

After having indulged in the exquisite flavours of Lucknowi kebabs, we then embarked  on a full-fledged Awadhi lunch menu. We then arrived at a  mid range restaurant called Dastarkhwan,which is immensely known for it’s Mughlai-Awadhi style of cuisine. The chefs in Lucknow are the creators of the “Dum style of cooking”, which is the style of cooking on a slow fire. We arrived around 3pm to find this place packed with late -lunchers. We left the menu selection to our friends and they surely delighted our palettes. We devouvered some delicious mutton korma,paya curry and galawati kebabs and also the paneer pasanda with rotis of-course. We ate at the restaurant in Gomti nagar, however they do have several other locations as well.

Located at: 106, Mandi Parishad Rd, Vivek Khand 3, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226010, India

3. P. Raja Ki Mashoor Thandai:

Having satiated every carnivorous desire for the moment it was time to cool off the spicy lunch .We then decided to head off  P.Raja Ki Mashoor Thandai  to stop for a glass of chilled thandai.This popular chilled milk based drink is utterly refreshing. It is often mixed with powdered almonds, fennel, cardamom, sugar, saffron strands and crushed petals. Another variety of thandai also has some bhaang added to it which it gives it an extra punch. While this drink is very popular during festivals in India during Holi and Mahashivrathri, we relished the flavors post a heavy lunch.

Located at: Gole Darwaza Chowk, opposite Santoshi Mata Mandir, Machchhi Bhavan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226003, India

Day 2.

3. Rahim Ki Nihari in Lucknow:

The next day we started off from our hotel early in the morning to soak in the historical sights of Bada Imam Barah. Our friends had then planned to have a breakfast that cannot be missed in Lucknow. It’s was around 10 am in the morning and our pit stop for the day started at Rahim’s in Chowk. This is a must do place for all meat lovers.The breakfast dish which is a must try here is the Ghosht Nihari (which is a mutton dish) served with some hot Shermal. The secret of this iconic dish is the melange of the right amount of ground spices and the gentle and slow cooking of the meat. Nihari originates from the Urdu word Nahar which translates to day break and which is possibly why this dish is most often served at breakfast. Apart from this the paaye and kakori kababs are much sought after.

Located at: Chowk, Tulsidas Marg, Lucknow – 226003

Now with our bellies full it’s was time to burn off those calories and turn to some retail therapy. I was keen on  exploring the old parts of Lucknow especially the Chowk and Hazratganj  neighbourhoods and indulge in some “Chikankari work” This is traditional embroidery work that Lucknow is famous for. Apparently this was started off by “Nur Jehan”, the wife of the Moghul emperor Jehangir.

The numerous stores have an array of different varieties of “Chickanwok”. Unstitched fabric, blouses, dresses, traditional wear and even saris embroidered with delicately on fabrics such as cotton, silk and chiffon. So much to choose from. We browsed through a multitude of stores as the variety is just mind boggling.I finally settled for a couple of cool cotton blouses and some traditional wear that always comes handy for occasions in India. Quite exhausted by an early start and all the walking for the day we then decide on a quick bite.

4. Royal Cafe: For Chaat:

Our next stop was just perfect for a late afternoon treat.Street fare is delightful and reasonable here in Lucknow and a great way to absorb the local flavours of a city. We then arrived at the Royal Cafe for some chaat. This iconic restaurant is located in the busy Hazratganj area. The  restaurant’s popular dishes include Pav Bhajji, Basket Chat, Dahi Bhalle and Gol Guppe, amongst a multitude of other varieties.We decided to indulge in some basket Chaat and Pani puri and washed it down with a lemonade. I think that was it for the day. It had been an eventful day and a foodelicious one too.Tomorrow would  be another day and would certainly bring on new food adventures.

Day 3.

5. Tundaay Kababi:

It’s our last day in Lucknow and we had  a relaxed morning  at the hotel.I’m in awe of the city, it’s culture and traditions. We seem to have absorbed a whole lot in our three day trip. Yet, I had started off in search of a delectable and delicious kebab flavour in mind. A flavour that I had very often relished at the Al Afadil kebab place in Sharjah during our stay in the Middle east. I had yet to come across  anything that came even close to the shammi and galouti kebabs served at this place. So with that as a point of reference, I was yet to discover  “The Best Kebab” .We arrived at the iconic 100 year old Tundaay Kababi place in Aminabad lucknow late afternoon. The place was simple and unpretentious and  filled with the mid afternoon diners feasting on plates full of deliciousness, varieties of kebabs, curries, scrumptious plates of biryani’s, the aromas wafting through the air. I could feel a sense of excitement build as I knew we had come to the right place. Well ,sure enough the kebabs turned out to be absolutely delicate and  melt in the mouth. The Galouti is essentially finely minced goat meat with and addition of almost 160 spices. No trip to Lucknow is complete without a trip indulging in the legendary Tundaay Kababi.

This was the perfect opportunity to relish one last culinary adventure before calling it a day.

The story behind these juicy and succulent morsels of ground meat is that.  There was once a Nawab  who apparently was very fond of kebabs.As he aged he lost his teeth and was unable to chew and hence waged a contest for his chefs to create the softest kebabs so that he may enjoy them.This  secret recipe of the kebabs was was created by Haji Murad Ali, who in trying to perfect the best kebab fell off the roof and broke his hand. However this did not disuade  him from creating his recipe and he perfected it.When presented to the nawab it was served as Tundaay ke kebab i.e. Kebab made by a single armed person.As a one armed person in India is called Tundaay, that is how the name Tundaay Kebab came about.

We were so very satiated after having eaten at Tundaay Kebabi. These flavours will linger on for years to come. I hear they have a branch in Mumbai too, all though the flavours from Lucknow are a class apart. Now all  I really craved for was  something sweet and decadent.  I had spotted the ever famous Ice Cream shop before we came in here.

6. Prakash Kulfi Lucknow:

Apparently yet another must do when in Lucknow, we were told by our friends.This place is an institution in itself severing up delicious pots and cones of Kulfi ,made with condensed milk, nuts such as pistachios, almonds and cashews, flavoured with sugar and saffron. Every bite is so refreshing and just delicious. A family run business for the past 50 years, this place is abuzz with ice-cream lovers, beating the heat and digging into various flavours of malai, strawberry, butterscotch and chocolate.

They take great pride in serving kulfis of the finest quality and maintaining traditional recipes passed down through generations. This place surely offered its customers a taste of pure nostalgia and authenticity.

Located at: Shop No 12, Prakash Kulfi Chaurah, 13, Fruit Ln, Mohan Market, Aminabad, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226018, India

7. The Taj Vivanta: Oudhyana:

Going to one last place for dinner,despite a day of gastronomic indulgence can be a great way to end our trip on a high note.

We had dinner at The Taj Vivanta ,a fabulous meal (with yet, kebabs of-course). We dined at the Oudhyana which is a fine dining restaurant and an elegant one too, serving up some delectable and delightful Awadhi cuisine. ( Unfortunately could not capture any images for this place)

9. Highlights of Some Must Do Historical Sites:

• Bara Imambara
• Chota Imambara
• Hazratganj market
• Chowk
• Husainbad Clock Tower
• La Matineire school.

Lucknow truly is culinary delight that every food enthusiast must experience at least once. The city indeed is a paradise for food lovers. Our  entire culinary journey was an unforgettable one. From wandering through the bustling street foods, rich flavors, vibrant aromas and sizzling spices, each meal left a lasting impression on our senses.

That said, I do hope my “Lucknow Diaries” has lured you into visiting a truly delightful city filled with culture, history & delectable cuisine. The lucknow street food scene is sure to tantalize your taste buds.

As we reflected back on this trip and the experiences, we realized that it was not only the food ,but along with that our friendship over wonderful meals and memories, that left a sweet impression to the timeless allure of Lucknow’s culinary heritage.

Huge thanks to our wonderful foodie pals Ravi & Nandini  for making this such a memorable culinary journey.

Happy Travels & Foodelicious Wishes!