The narrow lanes, the old houses, the close-bonded muhalla, the Mughlia history and the street foods... these make our national capital Delhi the renowned Dilwalo Ki Dilli; and the first picture that comes in mind is of Delhi 6 (pronounced Dilli 6). For the unversed, Delhi 6 stands for Chandi Chowk area of Old Delhi (postal code 110006 is shortened to 6). Food and Purani Dilli (Old Delhi) go hand in hand and some of the famous dishes include, kulhe ki chaat, daulat ki chaat, chhole bhature, jaleba, kebabs, tandoori chicken and more.
Are these names taking you to the fairy food land? Now imagine, if you get the whole essence of Purani Dilli under one roof! Edesia at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla is offering the same through their 10th edition of annual Dilli 6 food festival. The festival, which started from February 14 and will continue till February 29, 2020, tried to rediscover the culinary secrets of Purani Dilli that have been passed down through generations.
According to Sumit Sinha, Director of Food and Beverage, Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla, "The food at Purani Dilli is sumptuously garnished with culinary secrets that have been passed down through generations. We have attempted to bring back the magical recipes from the household and streets of Old Delhi for our patrons. We will be attempting to recreate same flavours, aromas and visual delight to take forward the legacy."
Ambience
This year's theme 'Food Museum' attempted to unravel the old world charm of Old Delhi- from its food to the antique cutleries. The highlight of the theme is the Chor Bazaar dining experience where an asymmetrical setup has been done with random cutleries, furniture, curtains, candle sticks, table napkins, fans, lights and more from the suites, restaurant kitchens, store rooms, laundry room and other areas of the hotel itself.
Also Read: Breakfast in Old Delhi: 7 Lip-Smacking Dishes to Kickstart Your Day
The Jhilmil Bar setup
Food And Drinks
Talking about the food, the fest has everything that defines Dilli 6- changezi chicken, ghosht ka halwa, mutton korma, chhole bhature, the famous kulche and more. It has also recreated the iconic parathe wali gali, which is serving deep fried, golden coloured parathas, stuffed with fillings made out of mirchi, nimbu, methi, matar, mewa et al. In such a kind of fest, how can one miss the dessert section that has delicacies such as Daulat ki chaat, Karachi halwa, fruit kulfi, kadha doodh and jalebi, Haneef ki phirni etc.
Also Read: The Legacy of Kallu Mian, Old Delhi's Legendary Nihari Walla
What grabbed our eyeballs was the Jhilmil Bar. The drinks at the bar were dedicated to all the villains of Bollywood, like Old Fashioned Gabbar, Kaancha Cheena, Mogambo Margarita, Sidecar Shakaal and others.
So if you want to experience a slice of Dilli 6 life under one roof, then this food fest can be a good option for you!
What: Dilli 6 Food Festival, Season 10
Where: Edesia at Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla
Cost per person: INR 2099 (plus taxes)
When: 14th February to 29th February, 2020
Timings: 7 pm to 11:00 pm (only dinners)