Alongside the swanky malls, office buildings, and residential highrises that define most of the skylines in Gurugram, there thrives the city’s oldest and busiest marketplace known as the Sadar Bazaar. Located next to the main bus stand in the old city, it remains a popular destination for most of the residents because unlike the malls the products here are more economical and there are more varieties. No wonder that the marketplace, which stretches more than 5 km, has some amazing eateries, many of which are more than 60 years old. So in this episode, we bring you our food explorations from the Sadar Bazaar, a foodie’s haven and the birthplace of the very famous sweet Dodha burfi in India.
We started the trail from the very popular Gandhi Ji Pakodewala whose fritters are the hot favourites among the locals. A family business in its third generation, this pakoda shop is one to impress. Here we tried an assortment of crisp and delicious pakoras like Soya Chap pakodas, Kamal Kakdi or Lotus stem pakoda, Paneer, Palak and Onion pakodas, etc. along with an equally yummy green and dry ginger chutney.
So our next stop was Pandit Ji Ka Dhaba. This place is known for its Desi Ghee-based pure vegetarian meals that have no onion or garlic in them. We tried their Thali comprising of two Chule ki Roti or firewood baked roti(their specialty), dal, potato curry with chole, and Kheer. The spread was simple and soulful. So if you want to have a proper meal instead of snacks at this busy market then this place is just perfect. Also, their famous kheer is available on Tuesdays only.
From there we went to Sardar Jalebi wala. The first thing that wondered us was the excited crowd of Jalebi aficionados and the second was the irresistible smell of freshly prepared Jalebis. The stellar reputation of this seventy years old shop can be attributed to the quality of the Jalebis. The genial owner informed us that they make a fresh batch every now and then and most importantly they don't add any flavour or artificial colours. The crisp and syrupy beauties were truly toothsome.
Next, we reached Baljees restaurant to try their chole bhature which is deemed to be the best in this part of the city stretch. We weren't disappointed at all as the chole bhature was truly delicious. Along with the pindi chole we also had their paneer pakoda which was impressive too. This place serves delectable snacks spread at an affordable price.
Finally, we reached the Sham Sweets an iconic establishment that is known to be the pioneer of Dodha burfi. Here we tried the deliciously nutritious Dodha burfi along with Kesar Khoya Ghewar. The delectable dodha burfi is a typical region specific sweetmeat that is characterized by caramelized and nutty flavour and granular texture. It is prepared from a mixture of milk, germinated wheat paste, and sugar. The ghewar is again a seasonal dessert that is available only during the monsoons. This honeycomb-like sweet is preferred for its soft, spongy, and chewy texture and luscious taste. If you are in the Northern part of India then you must try it along with Dodha.
After all those yummy treats we can easily say that Sadar Bazaar is a must-try food destination in Delhi NCR.