Month: November 2017

Jammu and Kashmir

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Heaven on Earth !!!

Jammu and Kashmir are the most famous tourist destinations in India. Attracting a huge number of people in the winters, these two spots offer a perfect staycation to their guests. Mata Vaishno Devi temple being one of the most visited sacred places in India is located in Katra district. It is one of the oldest of all the temples in India. Also, very few people are aware about the street food offerings in Jammu district. Jammu markets are flooded with a huge variety of street food delicacies. Right from their punjabi chole to nutri kulcha, kalhadi kulcha and chana kulcha, everything would lead you to an ounce of satisfaction. Kashmir, on the other hand, is called “Paradise on Earth”. It is quite famous for its Pashmina wool, shawl and fine quality of stols. It is indeed the best sightseeing place in India.

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Katra, Jammu

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The Katra Main Bazaar, as the name suggests, is one of the main shopping market in this area. From clothes to food items, this place has it all. When you are done binge eating their amazing street food varieties, you can hunt for some ethnic and traditional stuff to shop. Local fruit shops have a good quality of dry fruits including almonds, walnuts, berries and dried apples. A walk around some of these shops would help you buy them at a reasonable price. Local sightseeing places include dhansar baba ki gufa and nau durga temple.

Dal Lake, Srinagar

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This urban lake, which is the second largest in the state, is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir”. You will find a plenty of houseboats floating on this beautiful lake. Travelers can not only enjoy the panoramic view of the mountains surrounding this lake but also can take a ride on traditional Kashmiri boats called Shikaras to explore the intricate maze of waterways of this lake. Along with the houseboats, one can easily spot a floating market containing a huge variety of local shops selling kashmiri fabrics, kesar and other daily essentials.

Mughal Gardens, Srinagar

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The Mughal Gardens in Srinagar are the most awaited ones. With terraced lawns, paint-box-bright flowerbeds and cascading fountains and with the perfect panorama of the Dal lake in front of them – the three Mughal Gardens of Chesmashahi, Nishat and Shalimar follow the mughal emperors’ concept of paradise and indeed are the most famous places for picnics and excursions.

Gulmarg, Kashmir

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Located at 92 Kms away from Pakistan, this hill station of Gondola comes with two phases, namely, Phase-1 and Phase-2. Phase-1 is approximately 7000 Feet high from the ground and Phase-2 is almost double of that distance. The only way to reach these two phases is by the means of cable car arranged by Indian government. You need a pair of gum boots to walk on these snow clad regions. Phase-1 contains a bunch of snow activities including skiing, sledding and snowmobile. Whereas Phase-2 would give you a breathtaking view of snow clad mountains. The temperature falls to minus 20 degree in winter. Carrying a couple of warm clothes is advisable.

Let’s discuss about their favorite drink/delicacy:

  • Mix Capsicum Pizza

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A restaurant by the name “Sheer-E-Punjab” located right next to taxi stand in Katra serves such mind blowing mini pizzas. The cheese pull of the pizza is something never to be missed. This pizza contains schezwan sauce on top of the bread, melted mozzarella cheese and some pieces of capsicum to pacify your taste buds.

  • Malai Kulfi

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Amongst the countless variety of street food offerings, Malai Kulfi would be an immediate pick from the list. The ice cream vendor comes with a funky cycle to sell some amazing flavours of Kulfi. You can also try out their nutri kulchas, samosa and mind blowing varieties of chaat.

Overall Experience and Rating

Hitting the streets of Jammu was the most amazing thing. We couldn’t miss out a single food item in the market. Jammu market should definitely be your next shopping spree. We stayed in Jammu for 3 nights and covered some nearby sightseeing places. The climate in Jammu and Kashmir varies greatly owing to its rugged topography.  The houseboats in Kashmir have a novel type of accommodation containing a fully heated two bedroom luxury room, well decorated interiors and comfortable sofa seatings. We were offered an amazing stay for 3 nights in the traditional plateau group of houseboats. Thanks to the PR team for taking good care of us at the venue. Places to visit in Kashmir include Dal lake in Srinagar, Mughal gardens surrounding the lake, Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg. If you happen to visit Gulmarg, you should definitely try some snow activities like skiing, sledding and snowmobile. The view from the cable car would be simply breathtaking. Also, Kashmir is famous for its best quality saffron, walnuts and apples. Spend your time wisely if you are going there for a short trip. There are many beautiful places on this “Paradise on Earth” awaiting your presence.

Ambience – 4.6/5

Food – 4.6/5

Service – 4.7/5

Stay & Comfort – 4.6/5

Address: Plateau Houseboats, Opposite Park Hotel Ghat no. 9 & 12, Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir – 190001.

The Food Punch Recommendation – 4.6/5

Contact us regarding any queries – thefoodpunched@gmail.com

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Tata Cha

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From Chai lovers to Cha lovers !!!

The warmth of tapri chai in a modern environment is the need of the hour. “Tata Cha” makes no mistake by bringing the finest signature tea-based hot and cold beverages to their customers. The new trendsetter in tea industry has an immense variety of tea offerings and an authentic, ready to adapt atmosphere. It creates a space that is warm and nurtures a renewed love for tea. Their interior decor comprises of a colorful, live and a vibrant texture patterns to create a charming, youthful ambience. In order to optimise the “out of home” tea drinking experience, Tata Cha brings an extensive pocket friendly menu for their customers which includes traditional snacks, dunkers and meals with a twist.

Little Things matter most

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Tata Cha is designed to reflect the heritage of Tata Global Beverages while embracing local culture. Located on 12th main road in Indiranagar, this mighty small cafe has a lot to offer. Speaking about their interior space and the kind of comfort zone it offers, your business meeting/conversation would definitely turn out to be a magical one. This place is indeed one of the best tea drinking place in Bangalore.

Let’s discuss about their favorite drink/delicacy:

  • Chakri Samosa with Masala Shikanji

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Chakri Samosa is a unique kind of snack served by this cafe. The spicy green chutney is an amazing side dip for this snack. Masala Shikanji being one of their local favourite tea beverage soothes your taste buds and gives you a refreshing taste in your mouth.  Cream roll with classic kadak cha would be a good option to try.

  • Dabeli

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Nothing beats our traditional Indian street food “Dabeli”. Bringing the street food concept to a live vibrant environment involves a calculated amount of risk. The taste of this snack is totally original and is something never to be missed. Dabeli Masala is the main ingredient of this dish followed by Sev referred to as Indian Farsan. Sharing would be the last thing a person could ever imagine.

Overall Experience and Rating

Their main idea was to introduce the concept of tapri chai (tea joint) in a modern environment. We were quite surprised looking at the design of this cafe. They have kept a small shelf containing a small kettle, mini jars, colorful books and attractive table lamps which acts as a add-on to the minute detailing of the design. The menu will boast of a wide variety of healthy teas like Cucumber Green Tea and Sugar-free Tangy Tamarind that can be paired with Oil-free Soya Kababs to suit every mood. Mumbai Vada Pav, Dabeli and Dal Pakwan with Shikanji are some of our highly recommended dishes. The hot tea range includes Sikkim teas, Masala tea, Gulkand tea and Nimbuda Black tea. Hot Gulkand chai would be a good pick from their list of hot beverages. Chili Guava Slush, Meetha Pan Milkshake and Rasmalai milkshake are the most recommended options amongst their icy cold beverages. The food menu includes regional recipes from Butter Chicken Khichdi in the North to Creamy Veg Stew in the South. Indigenous recipes such as Chatpata Matar Kulcha from the North and forgotten delicacies like Dal Pakwan also form a part of the menu, introducing them to the new-age millennials. Many of the offerings from the beverage and food menu are about reviving lost Indian recipes that evoke nostalgia in the minds of customers. They have a very friendly and attentive staff who take good care of their customers. Since it’s a small cafe, there is no room for music. Rather they believe in keeping the conversation interesting over a tea break. Their tea making machine is quite unique in its style. Tea can be served in different proportions decided by the size of glass kept at the counter. We were stunned looking at the variety of offerings this place had to make.

Ambience – 4.1/5

Food – 4.2/5

Service – 4.2/5

Stay & Comfort – NA

Address: 12th Main Rd, HAL 2nd Stage, Near State Bank of India, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560038.

Meal for two – Rs. 300

The Food Punch Recommendation – 4.1/5

Contact us regarding any queries – thefoodpunched@gmail.com