Kesar da Dhaba

The city of Amirtsar has immense historic significance associated with it. It arouses deep religious sentiments owing to the GOLDEN TEMPLE and also patriotic fervour due to the Wagah Border. And in this city, tucked deep into the bylanes is an unassuming eating joint. Established in 1916, KESAR DA DHABA stands for old-world charm and ‘proper’ food! It is slightly difficult to reach, owing to residential constructions in the past few decades. But ask any of the localites, and they’ll happily guide you to this rustic dhaba.

Once inside, you may lose a sense of time, for life moves at an easy pace here! No, the service is not slow, it’s just something in the air! The décor is utterly uncluttered and the seating arrangement is VERY spacious. They serve no fancy fare and the menu is minimal. It consists of the basic dals [lentils] like DAL TADKA, DAL MAKHANI, some varieties of breads like Tandoori Roti, Lachcha Parantha, Missi Roti, some seasonal vegetable preparations and rice.

There is, of course, the famous LASSI, served chilled, in a BIG glass [see pic] with crushed dry fruits sprinkled on top. Their food is prepared in desi ghee and has a wholesome feel to it. The Dal Makhani tasted lovely, with both Rajma and Urad standing out. It had this sense of richness, which comes only with the dal being cooked slowly, on simmering heat, to let the spices seep in and spread their flavours!

The place was fairly quiet, with no din from outside, or staff buzzing around unnecessarily. The blogger requested a peep into their kitchen, and it was readily accepted! A tour of the inside showed that they still use traditional cookware. The Tandoor [oven] was lit, though, main business hours are during evening, when the rhythmic sound of Rotis being baked constantly resonated in their wide kitchen! The dals, etc. are still prepared in old-fashioned huge copper handis. ALL of this lends a distinct authenticity to their food, which cannot be achieved with modern-day quick-fix utensils and gas cylinders!

To conclude, the restaurant offers fuss-free vegetarian food. The items are reasonably priced [eg. Lassi `40, Dal Makhani `60, etc.] and very high on their taste value. A must-visit, if you wish to savour some old-world elements to round off your trip to Amritsar!

For Images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52261025@N06/sets/72157625940734431/