5 EASY TRIPS

E
FOODI
K
A
BRE

The Pizzeria Vaatika Caf

has a great ambience,
and its wafer-thin pizzas
are to die for

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

EATING IN THE HOLY CITY
It is only in Varanasi, the eternal
city, that you can commit the sin
of gluttony and waddle down
a few steps to wash it all away
in the Ganges. The influx of
travellers from all corners of the
world has given rise to eateries
offering global cuisines an
unexpected bonus in this ancient
setting. Take, for instance, Raga
Caf, set in a lane behind
Manikarnika Ghat, Varanasis
main cremation site. As you walk
up to this second-floor caf,
the smell of seaweed can hit you
hard, but it will be forgotten as

the friendly traditional ambience

teleports you to the serenity
of rural Korea. Raga serves up
authentic dishes like japchae
deopbap, a stir-fried glass noodle
and rice dish (` 220), and
miyeokguk baekban, an unusual
seaweed mushroom soup
(` 220). The less adventurous
can tuck into a bowl of spicy
shin ramen (` 220). The Korean
travellers who frequent this caf
will happily advise you on what
to eat (see Where to Eat for
all restaurant details).
A bonafide German meal is not
too far away, either. Brown

Bread Bakery where caloriecounting is forbidden churns

out German specialties like
the cheesy noodle dish kaese
spaetzle (` 220), or bratwurst
imported pork or chicken
sausages, served with
a traditional potato salad and
tangy mustard sauce (` 250).
End your meal with a comforting
apple strudel (` 135).
Watch the sunset from Assi
Ghat while biting into a delicious
wood-fired oven pizza at Pizzeria
Vaatika Caf (from ` 150). With
its simple menu of fresh veggie
toppings and extra cheese, the

river-facing, al fresco caf is a

great option for vegetarians.
Do try the scrumptious apple
pie. The family-run Aum Caf
has an all-day breakfast menu
great for those whove taken
an early-morning boat ride
and jumped back into bed
and an impressive variety
of organic herbal teas.
When youre ready to switch
from global grub to desi khana,
Varanasis serpentine lanes offer
a plethora of local delicacies,
best discovered with a local.
Take a gastronomy tour with
Kuldeep from Walks of Varanasi

1. Varanasis fluffy,
cloudlike dessert malaiyo
is great for a sugar fix
2. Get adventurous
and try some Korean
cuisine at Raga Caf
3. Chachi Jalebi is a local
breakfast haunt. Try the
piping-hot jalebis
4. The Ganga aarti at
Dashaswamedh Ghat
is a must-watch
Below: The patate al forno
at Brown Bread Bakery
makes for a great snack

GREAT FROM
Delhi, Kolkata

GREAT FOR
The interesting variety
of cuisines available

GO NOW
Before the heat sets in.
who ensures that all the haunts
you visit are hygienic but in
a way that doesnt take the
madness out of this citys street
food culture (00-91-9451100348;
walksofvaranasi.in; ` 2,000/

person for a five-hour tour with

food and transport). Kuldeep
introduces you to a dozen
different varieties of chaat,
including tamatar chaat, palak
patta chaat and tokri chaat. Dina
Chaat Bhandar on Luxa Road is
very popular with local families
and also has adequate seating
(tamatar chaat ` 20). For a more
sedate dining experience,
try the satvik thali at
The Gateway Hotel
Ganges Varanasis
Varuna (` 900). The
food is prepared
without onion and

garlic, and only minimally spiced.

Sin in this holy city also comes
in the form of sweet indulgences
like chhena vada, made with
milk whey lightly flavoured with
roasted cumin, or the cloveinfused launglata (also known
as laung latifa), a khoya-stuffed,
deep-fried, syrupy pancake. The
tour takes you to the 60-year-old
Chachi Jalebi for hot jalebis and
a rich gaajar ka halwa. Blue
Lassi, in Kachauri Galli, has
a mind-boggling variety of
lassi blends like apple-pear,
and banana-orangechocolate (from ` 40).

This tiny eatery is popular with

locals and visitors alike. To add
even more chaos to your trip, try
a Benaresi thandai with a dash
of bhang at Babas Thandai; the
bhang comes free (` 20/ glass).
All this debauchery can be
forgiven, but leaving Varanasi
without sampling its famous
paan is a crime. Head to
Keshavmadhav Betel Centre
on Godowlia Road; its Benaresi
(Maghai) paan invites you to bite
into a perfect ending (` 8).
words friyan driver
photographs hashim badani

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