Food Review: Tunde Kebabs @ Dastaar Khwan, Lucknow

I should have probably written “Lucknow” as “Lukh-naoo”. For one, I am ‘taken’ by the hospitality of the people here – everyone is extremely polite and not for nothing is the “khatirdaari” (hospitality) synonoymous with Lucknow.

What I am going to talk about today, however is, another thing that Lucknow is famous for – food!

(Insert: I have also realized that the last post that I had written about a couple of months back was also about food. This may indicate either that:
1. Food is my only source of recreation.. or
2. I have nothing else to write about
– both of which are not true! … Its just that I have been trying hard to juggle activities and academics at business school.)

Coming back to Dastaar Khwaan, it is located beyond Hazratganj, in a small congested lane with a gutter flowing right through it – not quite of ambience you’d associate with good food but trust me the food proves is quite otherwise. We ordered the following:

• Galaawati Kebab – which is basically ‘Tunde’ Kebab.. Just that the latter is proprietary and has come to be associated with all forms of Tunde Kebabs in general – much like ‘Xerox’ for photocopies. Galaawati kebab is soft, rich and melts in your mouth.
• Mutton Biryani – Tasted divine. Although I think, Kolkata Biryani tastes equally good (the likes of Shiraaz, Zeeshan, etc.).
• Chicken Masala – this is what took the cake. The picture shown below is of the cook (what they call “Mistry” or “Kalakaar” here) making Chicken Masala!

DISCLAIMER: Vegeterians – stay away! … Our gang had 2 vegeterians and they ha NOTHING to eat!

BIRYANI: Now that I have had Biryani at the each of the ‘triads’ of good “Biryani” in India – Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow, I must admit that the Biryani that I had at ’Paradise’, Hyderabad, is by far the most memorable! – Although I am told that “Idris ki Biryani” beats literally everyone hands down.

Next destination: Idris ki Biryani!