Venue: Karim’s Old Delhi (opposite Jama Masjid)
Date: 3 July, 2015

Come Ramzaan and all foodies, food walk-wallas and NRIs visiting Delhi head towards Purani Dilli (old Delhi) to taste authentic Mughlai cuisine. Home to the famous Karim’s and Kureshis, the Jama Masjid area is all decked up with lights and festoons and is crowded with locals as well as visitors during the holy month of Ramzaan.

Given the antiquity of this area and our love for kebabs, it has become customary for us to visit Chandni Chowk and Jama Majid during Ramzaan. We went there this time with our own list of “what to eat and where to eat” but once we reached there, our spirits were dampened by the sweaty weather and the overcrowded place.

We ditched our list and decided to dine at the legendary Karim’s. It’s at the beginning of the lane opposite to Jama Masjid and they do have ample sitting arrangement in an air-conditioned area. We have come here a few times and are familiar with the place and their food. They have 4-5 eateries around a common courtyard.  Amidst all the hotchpotch and long queue of diners, the place is still very well managed.

After waiting for about 15-20 minutes, we got a table inside one of their restaurants. We were famished by the time we were seated and we immediately ordered Mutton Shami Kebabs, Chicken Seek Kebabs, Shirmal (slightly sweetened bread made of white flour), Chicken Jahangiri and Khamiri Roti. Shami Kebabs were terribly spicy and it was difficult to make out the taste because of the amount of mirchi in it. Chicken Seek Kebabs were comparatively milder and definitely tasted better.

Chicken Jahangiri was a gravy dish that went well with Khamiri roti and Shirmal. This chicken was cooked perfectly and the gravy was finger licking good.

Biryani was very disappointing. It was absolutely flat with no fragrance or flavor. Same was the case with the only dessert they have on their menu – Kheer. This was very unimpressive.

It was overall a mixed bag. Some of the things didn’t work for us and some were good. It’s always like that at Karim’s. Maybe it’s the hype surrounding this place that creates a huge expectation and anything less than wow is a disappointment. Nevertheless its still one of the most sought after eateries in Delhi and people flock to this place all around the year.

Post dinner we took a walk in the market and bought some bakery stuff and sewaiyaan from the shops in the neighborhood. The market was still abuzz with people doing their festival shopping and eating and generally hanging out. Totally exhausted by the experience we called it a day and started on our way back to metro station in an e-rickshaw driving past the brightly illuminated Jama Masjid.

Must Try: Shirmal
Avoidable: Biryani and Kheer
Special notes: Parking here is not for the faint hearted. The best mode to reach here is Delhi Metro. Kareem’s is walkable from Chawri Bazaar metro station. One can get an eRickshaw for just 10 bucks.
They do not accept credit cards.