Delhiwale: An old-fashioned food court

Gurugram's unique food court features Kebab plaza, Biscuit point, Chai adda, Bread Pakora corner, and pickle lane, all outside a mall in the old town.

Kebab plaza. Biscuit point. Chai adda. Bread Pakora corner. And pickle lane. This is Gurugram’s most unusual food court. Despite being in a city known for malls, the food court lies outside of a mall. In fact, it is very far from the nearest mall. It is in the old town, having come up most organically, like a quilt stitched out of separate patches, each patch sewn into the quilt at a different point in time.

Nashrr Ahmad Khan’s biscuit cart. (HT Photo)

Here’s a trail through some of these stops:

Kebab plaza

Founded by Khurshid Bhai more than 40 years ago, the unnamed stall stands on the minuscule plaza outside the imposing gateway of Sadar Bazar’s Jama Masjid. It serves two kinds of kebab—seekh and boti. Daily patrons includes the area’s shopkeepers, carpenters and labourers. Some of these men, the introvert types, carry their plate of kebabs into the quiet Masjid Udyan, just behind the stall. This park is somewhat desultory—half grass, half bald—but has an addictive pull to it with a large shaded tree on one side.

Biscuit point

The northern boundary of Masjid Udyan is flanked by Nashrr Ahmad Khan’s biscuit cart (see photo). Piled up in mounds, these “biskut” come in chocolate, zeera, ajwain, cherry, and coconut flavours. These regularly arrive in Gurugram from Kanha Bakery in the temple town of Ujjain. The biscuits were first brought here more than a decade ago by a bazar wholesaler. Gradually, a few others followed, and, like sugar in milk, the crumbly tasty treat of Ujjain blended into grateful Gurugram’s appetite. Besides, seller Nashir Bhai is a remarkable market character (already celebrated on these pages). A friendly figure in sandy brown safari suit, he is all courtesy and refinement, often offering free chai to his shoppers. He also sells dates and sewai. As Bakra Eid approaches, he plans to hawk live goats as well, he says.

Achar lane

A deliciously pungent smelling street towards Masjid Udyan’s northeastern corner, this lane and has a few shops crammed with a great diversity of pickle: mango, matar, karela, dela, shaljam-gobhi-gaajar, nimbu, lehsun, karonda, and lasua. The oldest pickle shop here is run by the Dhingra brothers—Amit, Rohit, Dheeraj. Shri Sai Pickle Store has its own pickle-making factory in nearby Rewari (onion pickles are made on request). About a year ago, the landmark establishment underwent a major overhaul, and now the pickles lie under sleek glass covers.

PS: While hanging out in the informal food court, do stop by Ghamand Sarai, one of the oldest surviving edifices in the Millennium City. Nearby is also a mithai shop that pioneered the spread of doda mithai in the city.