Eat, Sleep, Play - India
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India has so much to offer you could spend years here without seeing it all. I have a month. For the first time, I thought about picking up a Lonely Planet, but there are so many travellers around its easy to ask for the right directions. These are the places I found on this trip, but this is India, which means, everything is subject to change and might have already done so. Stay away from non-cooked foods!
EAT
Bombay
Shiv Sagar - Opposite the Ramada in Juhu Beach, an Indian Veg place packed with locals which must be a good thing. I passed a few others. Everything I ordered was superb. Juhu Tara Road. T: 2612.0370
Mezban Restaurant - Straightforward Indian diner in Colaba. Cheap and good. Azmi Road, up the road from the Radio Club and the budget hotels. T: 2204.9657.
Kamat - Another quality Indian Veg, popular with locals on the Colaba causeway, before Leopolds. Weird how all the Indian places also serve Chinese.
Arambol
The Rice Bowl - On the beach, cool vibe, cool tunes, fantastic fish (try the Mandarin kingfish), pool table with sweet action and a popular jnew hangout. Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan specialities.
Horizon - As you arrive in the beach village, on the left by the bend in the road is Sanjay’s place. Besides the amazing food (the English Breakfast can’t be beat), the girls with the smiles that make your day, and the fact that guitars are out way into the morning, Sanjay goes above and beyond to ensure everyone is happy.
The Pirates Cabin - Another quality food option on the beach…I had the Puneer Tikka Masala.
Delhi
Malhotra - If you’re staying in Pahar Ganj (and probably only if you are), Malhotra is the Indian Veg meal ticket. Recommended to me by Al in Goa, there are three shops next to each other that all say Malhotra, and I chose the one with the Westerners eating their hearts out. The brinja bharta was particularly sensational. 1833-34 Laxmi Narayan St, Pahar Ganj. T: 2358.9371
Dum Pukht - On my budget, it’s not every day I get treated to one of the top restaurants in a city. Located in the Maurya Sheraton, Dum Pukht (yes, I know what happens if you read that too quickly), was voted Best Indian Restaurant by the Indian Times in 2004, and I could taste why. Absolutely sensational. The eggplant, the tandoori chicken, the dal, the naan, it’s outrageous that food can taste this good. Not cheap, but a real treat for the taste-buds. Maurya Sheraton, Diplomatic Enclave T:2611.2233
Rishikesh
Chotiwalla - In Ram Jhula, you’ll pass two guys sitting on chairs dressed like, something. Very busy with locals and Indian tourists, which can only be a good thing, the thali is good and arrives quickly.
The New Lucky Restaurant - More Indian veg, but with a fantastic view of the Ganges at sunset. The mint-lemon drink is amazing, along with the hot ginger-lemon-honey. In Luxman Jhula.
Green Italian Food - Italian, and Indian of course. A pretty decent eggplant lasagna when I needed a curry break. Ram Jhula’s main strip.
Shiva Resorts - It’s not like the food was spectacular anywhere else, so why not order it from the guys in the hotel, who bring it right to your little patio?
Dharamsala (Macleodganj)
Namgyal Cafe - Located beneath the temple off the Lingkhor path, the Namgyal serves up delicious pizza in a small, cozy room that overlooks the valley. Frequented by monks, students and visitors to the temple, expect traditional and not-so-traditional Tibetan music and cuisine.
Moonpeak Cafe - Supposedly the best coffee in town. Great place to drink a latte and watch the human, motor and monkey traffic on the Temple Road. Bonus points for Seattle’s Modest Mouse on the stereo.
Jimmy’s Pizza Pasta - Terrific pasta in this small, popular restaurant with a movie theme. I ordered the peri-peri pasta, which was super tasty. Share a table, make some friends. Ask and you will find it.
Gakyi - Traditional Tibetan momos the way they’re meant to be, this cheap, tiny eatery is “the best deal in Dharamsala” according to the guy I shared a table with. When a dollar really goes a long way.
McLlos Restaurant - It’s got a picture of Pierce Brosnan on the menu, how bad could it be? Popular with locals and new arrivals for a beer or two, great curries to the ambiance of an iPod that desperately needs some help (Backstreet Boys?). My stomach did churn a little both nights after I ate here, but Mcllos was the first restaurant that I ordered meat in India! Upstairs above the bus office, at the main intersection of Macleodganj.
Andy’s Mid-Town - If you find yourself towards lower Dharamsala, Andy’s Mid-town is a popular local curry house, with a bar that features, and I am not making this up, horse saddles for seats. The local beer was terrible, but can’t blame them. Stick to warm lemon-honey-ginger and the tandoori chicken.
SLEEP
Bombay
Sea Shore Hotel - A building with a hotel on every floor. Sea Shore is on the top, with clean rooms, helpful staff, and a door guy to save you from the beggars. Its central, where the tourist action is, a few minutes walk to the Gateway and Taj. Plus they have cable TV! The airport tourist office can call and reserve on your arrival. 4th Floor, Opposite Radio Club, Arthur Bunder Rd. Tel: 2287.4237.
Arambol
Ave Maria - You’re going to get rustic here, but Ave Marias is clean and the rooms aren’t bad. The action tends to be on the other side of the beach, so prepare to walk about 15 minutes under the stars to find it.
Delhi
Vivek Hotel - I found this Pahar Ganj hotel because I met a guy at the airport who was supposed to meet a friend here. We found it, it was nice enough for the price, and then the guy re-checked his email and realized he’d got the wrong hotel. In other words, I have no idea how I ended up here, but its popular with travellers and clean(ish) and cheap. Cheap internet cafe and travel agency downstairs, restaurant upstairs, right on the Main Bazaar, and their generator sure helps during the blackouts. Bring some ear plugs though, the Main Bazar is noisy (nose plugs wouldn’t hurt either, but you get used to Paha Ganj pretty quick). 1354-50 Main Bazar, Pahar Ganj. T: 5154.1435.
Rishikesh
Shiva Resorts - Highly recommended to me, I’d highly recommend it to anyone else. Located in Ram Jhula, it is quieter than Luxman Jhula, which offers more services to the backpacker. But Joshi is genuinely blessed to have you here, and the clientele are always interesting. Food is good, western toilets, well priced, a little far from the main action, but then you get to see the fire bugs on the way home past the jeep stand. Ask for directions once you cross the bridge.
Dharamsala
Baghso, Macleodganj or Darankot - These are the three popular villages that travellers mean when they talk of visiting Dharamsala. All have surprisingly good accommodation, clean with western-style toilets. Macleodganj is the main village, where all the shops are, and of course, the temple. If you’re looking for something quiter (and alot of Israelis), Baghso and Darankot is for you, but be prepared to take auto-rickshaws and taxis, and don’t be caught out late or have a nice walk. Having tried both Baghso and Macleodganj, I preferred to be closer to the action in Macleod, with the peacefulness of Baghso. In Macleodganj, try Sahiwa Hotel, central, cheap, with great views. T: (1892) 21326.
PLAY
Bombay
Leopolds - Where all the tourists, and a few Indians hang out. Not that cheap, but then the menus are in English and they know full well who their clients are. On the Colaba Causeway.
Cafe Mondegar - Funkier than Leopolds, a buzzing joint with American music and menu. Good for a pitcher of Kingfisher. Further down from Leopolds on the Colaba Causeway. T: 2202.0591
Goa
Parties happen in-season, but word is that the police are getting increasingly heavy about shutting them down. Even the beachfront cafes are getting their music shut down at 11pm, although I’m sure the owners can afford to pay off the cops in high season. Anyway, if you’re looking to get a tattoo, I got mine at Andy’s Tattoo Studio on North Anjuna Beach. The studio is modern and clean and Andy is an experienced pro. Otherwise, have fun renting a scooter (100 Rupees a day, more in high season) and zipping around the beaches and villages. I sure did.
Rishikesh
Puja - Every night along the banks of the Ganges, don’t miss this moving ceremony.
The Second Waterfall - Whatever its real name is, this is a magical, beautiful spot. About 6km past Luxman Jhula, you’ll come to a wooden tea shack. Just opposite is a path that goes up into the jungle. After 20 mins walking, it splits to the right. Follow that for a few minutes, and you’ll come across the waterfall. Not easy to find. If you reach Poolchatty Ashram, you’ve gone too far.
Kunjapuri Temple - If you can find a group to share the cost of a cab, and you have a clear day, heap up the mountain to this temple for the views and the ambiance. Make sure the car is OK and the driver sober, because this was probably the most dangerous road I’ve seen since the Most Dangerous Road in the World, Bolivia.
Dharamsala
Beer - Formaldehyde is the alleged ingredient that adds that something special to local beer. If you want to avoid a bad headache or worse, stick with Kingfisher (Light, the Strong is terrible) or Fosters. Thunderbolt, Godfathers and other local varieties taste like they were created to perserve you in a pickle jar. Dharamsala is for spiritual exploration and political discourse, not partying. Mcllos is a good place for a drink, but beer’s aint cheap like Goa, and don’t even think about dancing. Walking in the street with a couple beers under your arms from the hidden-away wine shops is apparently also a local faux pax. By 11pm, everything is pretty much shut down.
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