By Ajita Banerjie
This one is for all the North Campus dwellers. College life, especially in North Campus, is more about chai, cigarettes, momos and parathas rather than lectures, professors and exams. Staying away from home {and always broke} we always look out for good places to eat that are easy on the pocket. Here are some of the best food joints in and around campus that are tried, tested and certified by LittleBlackBook. Check them out if you haven’t already!
Home-like breakfast | Gwyer Hall Canteen
This little place is DU at best. An extremely generous uncle offers to make you tea and fresh parathas even after he has shut his kitchen. {He considers it his duty to feed us hungry kids} Ask for the Butterscotch milkshake along with parathas of your choice. {choose from Aloo, gobhi and paneer} There’s also the obvious bun-omelette too that makes for the breakfast of all the students staying around. Sit under the tree and have a conversation with your mates as you sip the ‘special’ adrak chai.
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Shakes & Pizzas | Shake Square
A branch of one of Delhi’s oldest milkshake joints- ‘Keventer’s’, this lively little shop situated at Kamla Nagar’s Bungalow Road is probably the best summer retreat for the students of Delhi University. Shake Square has an amazing variety of flavoured shakes, ice creams and sandwiches. Treat yourself to a perfect chocolate shake {add ice-cream if you’re feeling indulgent}. And for the starving students, they have now started serving freshly baked pizzas! Feel free to watch TV while you eat!
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‘Egg Dosa’, Filter coffee & Good Company | South Indian Café at PG Men’s Hostel
Tucked inside P.G. Men’s hostel on University Road {next to Gwyer Hall}, this little South Indian Café is run by a man popularly known as Anna. Anna’s dosas and lemon rice are loved by Tamilian students, and the café has become a meeting point for all our fellow South-Indian friends who greet Anna with a ‘vannakam’. Tables have been laid out under trees and the menu has a wide range of delicious dosas and uttapams and varieties of rice. The speciality here is ‘egg dosa‘ {Rs.40}. Though prepared like a conventional dosa, a layer of egg is added to it- and it’s absolutely delicious! The vegetarian rice and uttapams are good as well and are modestly priced {Rs.30 to Rs.50}. The filter coffee is a delight! Have a chat with Anna while you wait for your order to arrive.
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Tandoori Momos| QDs- Kingsway Camp
Nowhere else will you find the amazing tandoori momos that will have you hooked. Started as a small joint in Kamla Nagar, it is now an impressive restaurant standing tall at Kingsway Camp {near GTB Nagar Metro Station}. QDs serves an amazing range of starters and the best Chinese food around campus. Try the crispy chilli potatoes, paneer tikka and the chilly garlic noodles. Enjoy the music while you have your meal.
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Dosas & Utthapams | Chennai Hot Café
Another joint for all those who love South-Indian food. Located in Kamla Nagar market {right opposite the ‘Happily Unmarried’ store}, Chennai Hot Café is run by a very friendly and simple gentleman. You can choose from a variety of dosas and utthapams, made right in in front of you and served on a banana leaf. {My all-time favourite is the rawa masala dosa}. The food is authentic in taste and modestly priced {INR 40-INR70}. Have a glass of “More”, which is a South Indian drink {very similar to buttermilk}, or a cup of filter coffee while your dosas are being made!
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Bhelpuri | Outside Delhi School of Economics
Looking for some good old bhelpuri? The best bhelpuri in town is served right outside Delhi School of Economics! You’ll find a swarm of college students crowded around the vendor, munching on a mix of puffed rice, peanuts, papri, onions and green chutney. You can ask him to make it according to your preference. {I always get a plate with extra chutney and papri!} Sit around on the bus stop and chat while you munch on the awesomeness served to you for 20 bucks!
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Maggi, in all its avatars | FYI! It’s Maggi
You know you’re a desi-kid when your staple food during school was Maggi. And ‘FYI! It’s Maggi’ is every maggi-lovers delight. Walls painted in bright red and yellow, this basement shop in Jawahar Nagar {Kamla Nagar} could easily be overlooked as an advertisement for Maggi noodles. The menu has items named TTYL, WTF, BRB, HMM- each option is as twisted as the name, and in a good way. There’s Maggi in white sauce, crispy Maggi, pizza Maggi and Maggi momos! They’ve reinvented our most loved childhood snack! Must visit this place for an absolutely happy experience.
