Hello Meal for you! Founded by Tushar Kanti Das, Amandeep Singh, and Saraswat Mishra, the alumni of Swami Shraddhanand College, University of Delhi, the organisation serves a wide range of demands. An app-based delivery service conceptualised with the goal to provide instant food anytime and every time, Hello Meal is a start-up which seeks to cater to the dual goals of excellent quality and sufficient quantity. With a vast menu and the vision to instil and diversify into new domains, the food-delivery service seeks to provide palatable food to all communities. Following a technical-oriented approach, Hello Meal has incorporated various services to allow a wholesome experience to the consumers. Operating through Zomato, it allows the user to pre-book orders, thus, tomorrow’s lunch or dinner can be decided and booked the night before itself! Along with this, through their quirky food jackets referencing ideas from pop culture, Hello Meal is a trendsetter in designing jackets which consumers can happily indulge in. Doing away with the usage of tissues to clean the hands, this start-up provides their customers with wet-wipes instead. [caption id="attachment_49326" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Friends on cover[/caption] Hello Meal is a budget-friendly source of exquisite pleasure with their affordable prices, and provide multiple options ranging from economy meals to thaalis and platters. Their well-thought services are an added advantage, and they promote an ideology of ‘Mood Kia. Food Kia.’ They are the convenient solution to the woes of all college students. The co-founder, Tushar, remarked on this unique initiative, “This is a part which is not touched yet. For students, we need something more accessible and affordable to serve their daily needs.” [caption id="attachment_49328" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Food on your plate[/caption] For quick, delicious, and pocket-friendly meals, this is your place. You can find Hello Meal on Zomato to book the food of your liking, and they shall take care of your wishes, be it pre or post meal! For more details, explore them on: Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/hellomeal/ Play Store : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.invetechsolutions.hellomeal Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/hello_meal/ Image Credits: Saumya Kalia for DU Beat Saumya Kalia [email protected]]]>
I scream, you scream, let’s all scream for ‘RAW CREAMS’! The sheer number of restaurants in the Hudson Lane and GTB Nagar locale of North Campus bewildered me when I was a fresher, and even today, two years later, I always feel like Alice in Wonderland when I go to this area of endless food opportunities. But as a die-hard fan of all things sweet, I’ve often complained that there aren’t enough places that exclusively sell dessert. However, in recent times, several dessert parlours and bakeries have come up that can satisfy anybody’s sweet cravings rather awesomely. And one among these is ‘Raw Creams’. Started by Sahil Gulati and Pushpath Oberoi, who famously run ‘II Fat Indians’, their very own food and beverage brand, ‘Raw Creams’ is a dessert parlour that’ll fascinate and stun even someone who doesn’t have a sweet tooth. It has an extensive menu that offers different varieties of chocolate and fruit ice creams, along with waffles, shakes, smoothies and coffee-ice blends. Although everything on the menu will make you instantly salivate, what this place is really known for is its nitro ice cream and ice creamlettes. Now, the concept of nitrogen ice cream is not new to Delhi. Azote in Safdarjung Enclave is probably the pioneer in this space. However, one visit to ‘Raw Creams’ and you’ll agree with me that it certainly gives an established brand like Azote quite a run for its money. We tried the ‘Nitro Chocolate Brownie’ and the ‘Nitro Guava Chilli’. While the former absolutely satiated the cocoa devil in us, the latter was a refreshing change and a definite favourite. Watching the preparation was a treat to our eyes, and we couldn’t stop awing over the intricacy with which our ice cream was made and served. In the creamlette variants, we tried the extremely popular ‘Strawberry-blueberry’. Who said this flavour was for girls only? Although pink and pretty, this one made our guy friends wanting more! As they made our creamlette from scratch, using milk poured onto a freezing steel pan, we couldn’t help but marvel at the procedure that turned a mundane liquid like milk into a spectacular ice cream, in a matter of minutes! Finally, we gave into our greed and ordered a ‘Fresh Strawberry Waffle’. The amount of customisation that they allowed us on our waffles blew us away. In a nutshell, our experience at Raw Creams was not just satisfying in terms of the flavour riot it created in our mouth, but visually rewarding too. We went home thoroughly contented. We highly recommend this place. Kudos to our friends, the ‘II Fat Indians’ Sahil and Pushpath! Kriti Sharma [email protected] Image Credits: Kriti Sharma for DU Beat ]]>
Off-Campus attempts to attain a few off-beat features and become more than just ‘another café’ in Satya Niketan.With spacious and lightly decorated indoor and rooftop setting, the café tries to capture the essence of simplicity, unlike most of the competitive cafes of the area. The yellow walls along the staircase leading to the 4th floor are filled with red coloured, unusual designs that won’t fail to catch your eye. Simple, cozy, interiors characterized by brick textured walls and vibrant lampshades are coupled with an open air setting, which gives a fine view of Sri Venkateswara College.Railway lights, Decorative Glasses, Upside down Lamps, Hanging Fans and Sober Frames give it a more exquisite look. A quick scan through the menu gave an idea of diversity, with items ranging from ‘Road wali Aloo Tikki’, and ‘Malabar Parathas’ to ‘Squid pizza Kalamari’. The café is also popular for its diverse range and sizes of Hookahs. After endless probing of the menu, we ordered ‘Addictive Nachos’ and ‘Punjab Da Pita Pockets’ for starters. Following that, we asked for pizza customization where two slices of margherita were coupled with an entirely contrasting flavor of ‘Peri-Peri Chicken Pizza’ and ‘Butter Chicken Croquettes’. Lastly, we added a ‘Ferrero Rocher Shake’ and ‘Water Melon Mojito’ after taking suggestions from a helpful waiter. [caption id="attachment_44395" align="aligncenter" width="169"] Customised Pizza[/caption] [caption id="attachment_44394" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Addictive Nachos[/caption] As its name suggests, ‘Addictive Nachos’ turned out to be extremely delectable. The ‘Bloody Mary Salsa and Sour Cream Dip’ accentuated the flavor of simple corn tortilla chips, that were topped with cheddar cheese and tangy jalapeno salsa. ‘Punjab Da Pita Pockets’, I would say, were average in both taste and presentation. The amalgamation of ‘Channa Patties’ and ‘Lebanese Pickle’ was however, an intriguing idea. The one item, which according to me, wouldn’t disappoint anyone visiting, is ‘Peri-Peri Chicken Pizza’: a thin crust pizza topped with delicious, grilled peri-peri chicken. The crust isn’t too doughy or too hard, and the tangy chicken and pepper toppings give it a scrumptious flavor. Best suited to the typical Punjabi palates, the Butter Chicken Croquettes were cylindrical chicken pieces with a buttery, creamy texture served with ‘Punjabi Makhani’ gravy that successfully provides you with the taste you’d been craving for. Among the drinks, ‘Ferrero Rocher Shake’ is a must try. The shake is thick yet subtle in flavor, with the perfect sprinkle of Rocher on top. The ‘Watermelon Mojito’ seemed satisfactory, with the syrupy taste slightly overpowering the actual mojito essence. While all the dishes are served in simple, wooden plates, the cooler drinks arrived in attractive glass jars. [caption id="attachment_44396" align="aligncenter" width="169"] Watermelon Mojito[/caption] Overall, the café experience was great. Trying something ‘over the edge’ after various monotonous cafes felt worthwhile. The price comes to around a thousand for two or three people, and that, coupled with good hospitality and decent music, definitely calls for another visit soon! Image Credits- Lovleen Kaur Lovleen Kaur [email protected]]]>
The Tandoori Paneer Pizza[/caption] The beverages came first. The Mango Mojito, refreshing and topped with a slice of fresh mango and mint leaves, was unanimously our favourite. The milkiness of the Brownie Shake was made up for by the scrumptious pieces of brownie sprinkled on top. The shake was served in an interesting looking pot. We appreciated the fact that the Banana – Caramel smoothie was not as overly sweet as we found it at other places. [caption id="attachment_41822" align="alignleft" width="805"] (L to R) Banana – Caramel Smoothie, Brownie Shake, and Mango Mojito[/caption] We started our meal with the Baked Bruschetta, which had a generous amount of toppings, and was baked well. The Pizza came next and was probably the best part of the meal. The thin-crust pizza topped with bell peppers and cottage cheese was definitely one of the better pizzas all of us had had in a while. There was no hint of the doughy and chewy crust which is an issue we’ve faced with pizzas at other places. The vegetarian Momos sizzler arrived, with a side of fried rice, and french fries. We dived into the serving and noticed the interesting filling of the momos (we identified a mixture of spinach and garlic) which were doused with a spicy sauce. The fried rice was also delicious. [caption id="attachment_41823" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Olive and Bellpepper Baked Bruchetta[/caption] We were full by the end of the satisfying meal but decided to order a dessert anyway because, hey, there’s always room for dessert! We had the brownie sundae to top off our meal, which was a delicious combination of vanilla ice-cream, hot chocolate sauce and pieces of brownie sprinkled on the top, served in a pot similar to the one used for the brownie shake. [caption id="attachment_41824" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Momos Sizzler[/caption] We were satisfied with the portion sizes and more than pleased with the prompt service. Fully satiated with our meal, we decided to talk to the staff about the establishment. They told us that the place, which specialises in Italian food, has been really well received ever since it began in late 2015, despite the numerous food joints already crowding the Hudson lane area. We were informed that people often call and reserve tables in advance, which speaks volumes about the popularity of the place. A meal for two at the Spezia Bistro would probably cost around Rs. 600. After our entirely pleasant experience, we’d recommend trying out the pizza and the range of mojitos offered, although all food served to us was satisfying and delicious. Pictures by Jasmine Chahal for DU Beat Shubham Kaushik and Sudisha Misra [email protected] [email protected]]]>
Though there are innumerable places to visit around Shaheed Bhagat Singh College and College of Vocational Studies, students had always been wishing for an eating joint that serves great food at minimal costs, with a proper seating area. Eatlo is one such place which offers the best of both and is located right in front of College of Vocational Studies. The restaurant serves mainly Italian and fast-food, but has some really innovative dishes, along with some great shakes and drinks.
Ambience
Eatlo is a small eating joint but the place is much better as compared to other restaurants in the same place. The walls have really quirky things to look at, and the place has great decoration. It’s a great place to chill out with your friends with seating areas both inside as well as outside the restaurant.
Delicacies
Everything we ordered at Eatlo was delicious and affordable at the same time. Their Cheese Storm Pizza beats the Dominos bland pizzas any day. We also ordered a veggie burger, oreo shake, choco fudge waffles with ice-cream, iced tea, and fire-fries. Though the waffles were a tad bit bland, dry, and hard, everything was scrumptious. They provide with a choice to pair waffles with an oreo/kitkat shake, making both even more affordable.
Affordability
The place is extremely affordable after the kind of service and food they provide. Our bill amounted to lesser than 500 rupees even after ordering such a lot of different items. They provide a 20% discount to students once you show your college id, which makes the food even more affordable.
Service
The people in the restaurant are extremely nice, and talk in a friendly way.
Ratings
Ambience- 4/5
Food- 3.5/5
Prices- 4.5/5
Service- 4.5/5
Image Credits: Sudisha Mishra
Dhaba’, a north Indian Mughlai cuisine restaurant located in west Delhi. Close to major shopping and cinema complexes including Shoppers and waves, this restaurant attracts a whole bunch of visitors including videshis.
Ambience
This desi-themed, literally dhaba styled restaurant will take you onto a journey to suburban food eateries in India. As soon as you enter, you get the feel of the rural food eatery you once visited when on a trip to Punjab. Adding to that, the restaurant also features a truck! Yes, a truck inside the premises to grip you into the exact same rural-cultured theme, the designers of this restaurant have so strategically carved out. [caption id="attachment_36474" align="aligncenter" width="168"] The truck inside the premises of ‘Dhaba’ at Rajouri Garden.[/caption]Delicacies
You must have already guessed the main delicacy of this place. Yes! The butter chicken we all so love. You can also try ‘chicken khurchan’, a special Mughlai delicacy they offer. For the vegetarians, the dal makhni is the dish to be ordered. But wait, what about the starters? Don’t miss out on the roasted and afghani chicken or the paneer tikka.Pocket Bump
Well, to be honest, eating at this restaurant will not dig a hole in your pocket and the food costs are at same average 4 star restaurant level. If you do plan to visit the range of restaurants at Rajouri Garden, all of them come at the same average pricing of thousand bucks for two.Rating
The place deserves 4 stars from me. **** Brij Pahwa [email protected] Image credits: zomato.com, 361degreeshospitality.wordpress.com]]>North Campus just found its own ‘mummy ke haath ka khaana’ food joint. Aam Aadmi Pakwaan is easy to find as it is right in the heart of Kamala Nagar, in the lane behind Adidas. The board lit with neon lights welcomes the customers with a friendly offer of free Wi-Fi along with Bollywood music which adds to a homely experience of eating. Though the choice of music can be diversified, the interior is humble and so is the whole atmosphere in the restaurant.
Aam Aadmi Pakwaan lives up to its name in all its essence. The menu consists of all vegetarian Chinese and South Indian items coupled with a few snacks. It is a quiet place where you can go to have a peaceful time with nominal prices. We were expecting a lot and we definitely got what we wanted.
What we ordered: Fresh Lime Soda, Cappuccino, Crispy Baby Corn, Utthapam, American Chopsuey and Spring Roll
The drink that we ordered first off was lime soda, which had spot mix of sweet and salt and wasn’t short on ice. It was tangy too and the best thing about it was the hint of lemon zest around the edges of the glass. Then we proceeded to order Chilly Baby Corn which easily proved to be the best part of the whole meal, though more variety sauces would make it wholesome. The quantity was more than decent and could make your low appetite belly a repository for food. In the main course, we ordered Uttapam which arrived in a big plate complete with sambhar and the famous coconut chutney coupled with the ginger and mint sauce in the preparation time of 5-6 minutes. The subtle hint of spice and other flavours were just right and it could easily be compared to home cooked food with its light texture.
The cappuccino was next. It had a nice, earthy flavour like the one you can get at a hillside coffee shop in Himachal Pradesh. The aroma was sincere and reeked of coffee extract. We decided to try different cuisines and we narrowed down to authentic Chinese food. Well somewhat hybrid, because we ordered American Chopsuey next. The sauce startled one of our correspondents who belonged from Calcutta and had a palette for tasty Chinese food. The texture of the chowmein in the chopsuey was nice. Next we laid our hands on the spring roll, which was decent, consistent, well cooked, spiced and tasty. There was no doubt about the authenticity of the place.
We also ordered a chocolate brownie, which was decent too. Each and every component in the meal was cooked with love and conviction and the humble atmosphere spoke wonders about the honesty of the restaurant.
After our sumptuous meal, we had a word with the owner who gave us a bag of surprises. He was young and friendly and had a humble chat with us. He handed over to us some loyalty cards, which can help us get discounts the next time we came to eat. He also told us about the 200 rupees per head party packages. So in case you have a freshers’ party planned out, this is the place to be. It has free home delivery services in and around North Campus, open 7 days a week and provides hefty discounts to students.
All in all, Aam Aadmi Pakwaan is a humble place offering food with a touch of homely cooking at outrageously nominal prices. The price came out to be roughly 200 per person inclusive of drinks and desserts. The place is student friendly, the atmosphere is great and the taste is ecstatic. It truly is a place for the aam aadmi of DU.
Image Credits- magicpin.in
Ishaan Sengupta [email protected]
Tarushi Verma [email protected]
]]>The pasta served to us was a mix or penne and fussili, which was quite to my delight because I’ve wasted a large portion of my lifetime choosing between the two. You can, of course, order a single kind. Speaking of portions, one plate was abundant for two persons. The pasta was soft (neither too cooked to pick with a fork nor too chewy) and the sauce had a hint of oregano. The cooks are generous with the choice of toppings. The plate costed us Rs.110. It was definitely an item I would recommend. However, it was the plate of Butter Chicken Tandoori Momos that caught my eye. It is essentially momos put in a tandoor and marinated in butter chicken/shahi paneer gravy and cream. There is a vegetarian version of the same available too. Full marks for creativity! While steamed momos begin from Rs.50, the butter chicken variants can cost upto Rs.130. The food felt adequately hygienic to us. Hemant, the co-owner of the chain of joints, also recommended the burgers with great confidence but unfortunately, we were full! The shakes that we ordered were decent, although I do wonder how special an Oreo Shake could possibly get. In all fairness, the good food was washed down well by the chocolate drinks. The food joint needs no introduction for students of the area owing to its corner location but for the uninitiated freshers, the place is definitely worth a try. Say hi to me while I’m awkwardly finishing my plate(s) of momos someday! Image credits: Aarushi Dhingra for DU Beat Ishaan Gambhir [email protected]]]>
The very first glimpse of the place offers an offbeat ambience with sheer innovation on the walls. You’re sure to notice the “Akhri Baar Kab Dekha” tagline under the WhatsApp icon, or “Petrol ki Asli Keemat” under Hill Climb Racing or “Zindagi Milegi Fir Dobara” under the Candy Crush Saga icon.
The café goes easy on the pocket (though a little scratchy when it comes to ordering exotic shakes or sandwiches). The vibrant vegetarian menu includes attractive wraps and sizzlers that won’t pass without catching your attention. While the Shanghai Chicken Firewood Pizza surpassed all levels of expectations, the Vegetarian Haystack Nachos definitely have some scope for improvement. Probably one of the richest shakes on the menu was the ‘All Time Real Chocolate Bar Shake’ which was certainly worth the long name, though the Cookie and Cream Milkshake was better.
The Firewood pizzas were prepared on a live wood fuelled stove, enhancing the taste with the smoky flavour. One of the chef’s specials was the Chicken Kanti Firewood Pizza, a dexterous amalgamation of yellow and green bell peppers with chunks of chicken festooned on the thin crust.
The café also has its own bakery where they prepare mouth-watering delights such as Mud Cake Slice and Oreo Cheesecake. The Café also plans to open its doors for gigs and photography walls for amateurs to display their art. A Karaoke Night on Tuesdays is also being planned. Along with the Italian and North Indian menu, the café is also expanding to Chinese.
While the food can see some improvement, dining at Café Why Not is a wholesome experience with the free Wifi and single pizza slice offerings!
Image credits: Aarushi Dhingra for DU Beat
Arushi Pathak [email protected]
]]>What might not seem very impressive and little generic at first, will definitely surprise you once your table starts piling up with mouth-watering delights. Situated right in the heart of Satya Niketan, 2 Bandits certainly lives up to the standards set by the cafés and food joints around.
The ambience is fairly suitable for any meal of the day, the interiors of the place being carefully defined. Along with offering some exceptional specials, it is also a paradise for all hookah-lovers. Double-Apple, Mint, Orange, you name it, they have it! The food menu was very comprehensive, having indigenous Vada- Paavs and Bruschettas in the list. It also managed to have a vibrant non-vegetarian food list which certainly tasted as exotic as it sounded.
The Chicken Steak Sizzler was one of the most served and enjoyed dishes the place had to offer. The mashed filling between chicken breast was exceptionally different from the regular chicken sizzlers our taste-buds are used to. Potato wedges with the chicken proved to be a splendid side dish. A must-try for vegetarians is The Arabian Night-Veg which is a divine vegetarian paneer wrap served with Garlic Mayo. Veg and Chicken Panini were also favourites.
The café also has a very attractive shakes and mocktail menu. The Lamberjack, a chocolate brownie tasted as fancy as it sounds, served in chemistry lab beakers. The mild taste of Apple with a tinge of Mint and Lemon enabled the Apple Soaked Mojito to make a place in the special recommendations. The evergreen iced tea served in an unconventional funnel-shaped flask tasted as good as it should have.
With all the unusual appetizers the place has to offer, it also carries the basic pasta, burger and pizza menu beginning from as low as 95 rupees. One of the highlights of the café was the tree trunk standing right at the entrance with paper leaves hanging from it boughs, carrying hundreds of memories and messages. With its overall charisma and ambience (not to forget, the affordability for the young crowd out there), this place is certainly worth a visit.
Rating: 4.3/5
Image Credits: 2 Bandits Facebook Page
Arushi Pathak
[email protected]