Capital's culinary cruise

As Old Delhi aka walled city is known to be a place as if designed for foodies, many food connoisseurs after sunset can be seen standing in eatteries' queues. The stretch from Urdu Bazaar where the famous Qureshi Kabab is to Matia Mahal where Shabrati (Haveli Azam Khan) and Hilal's nihari are the hot joints attracting a number of gourmands stays abuzz.

Karim's and Al- Jawahar are leading diners across the city capital. Even Taufique's biryani and Jahangiri at Daryaganj and Kallu's nihari opposite Delite Cinema have been a big name for years. Babu Shahi Bawarchi at Matka Peer near Pragati Maidan once a popular biryani point has lost its lovers amidst many new briyani selling kiosks.

Moradabadi and Hyderabadi briyani at every corner of the sprawling city are a way better than the likes of Behrouz and Biryani by Kilo. Sumptuous biryani at Taufiq pulls a thick crowd of food lovers from across Delhi particularly those who are in love with authentic biryani.

Hussaini's hotel at Nizamuddin west close to the legendary Mirza Ghalib's tomb has been serving the best of mughlai foods that include paya, nihari, butter chicken like Ludhiana and shami kabab. If you are a real foodie and nearby the area you just cannot pass by ignoring this joint.

This new hot joint, a perfect family restaurant serves its aromatic signature platter of delicious mutton and chicken biryani kaju-keema (cashew-minced meat) and mutton korma with wafer-thin roomali roti, hot oven-roti or khameeri. Rupees 400 is quite ideal a treat for two with its in-house feerni and nawabi kheer.

"We have Zomato and Swiggy delivering within a specific radius. We also have a vegetarian menu comprising tadka dal, shahi paneer, mixed veg, malai kofta and kadai paneer," Adnan, the manager said. The joint opens at 12 and goes on late at night but the weekend evenings run full house with a 15 to 20 - minute wait.