Login Register
Follow Us

Like dhaba. Like home

As far as oxymorons go, I am yet to come across one quite as delicious as ‘fine-dining dhaba’.

Show comments

Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu

As far as oxymorons go, I am yet to come across one quite as delicious as ‘fine-dining dhaba’. Whether inadvertent or the consequence of a mirthful mind, here is a culinary award category that just wrote itself. On the other hand, as far as ‘fine-dining dhabas’ go, I haven’t experienced one quite as delightful as the Raja Dhaba. Frankly, I’ve never chanced upon another thusly anointed. It was clearly not what I was expecting when professional-chef-turned consultant Vikas Chawla convinced us to take a ‘short’ detour while en route a work visit to Amritsar. Hearing him extol its virtues on earlier trips, my interest was duly piqued. Especially with his clinching statement: it’s like a mother cooking. 

Raja Dhaba’s cheery appearance on the Chandigarh-Ludhiana highway is hard to miss. Unless, that is, you’re looking for earth-smeared counters with shiny stainless steel pateelas and a smattering of unstable chairs around grimy tables. In this case, you’re way off the mark! Look sharp instead for flag-festooned motel-like premises fronted by an ample parking lot, where leading stars of Punjabi filmdom gaze down from massive billboards and posters of newly released movies. A hood-less Jeep permanently parked in the porch lends itself most suitably to those customary selfies.

The dining hall is large, well-lit and has a brilliantly painted ceiling. Ubiquitous television screens air hit Punjabi songs at volumes that mercifully don’t split eardrums. The staff is polite, pleasant and service prompt. Another striking feature here is the welcome amount of attention paid to all-round hygiene. The furniture gleams, tableware is untarnished, floors polished and washrooms — that bane of highway travel — squeaky clean.

It being early, a hearty Punjabi breakfast was in order. The friendly owner swung by our table to ask in minute details how we’d like our gurwali chai, their signature tea; it would show up exactly as instructed. Tandoori paranthas, the size of pizzas, generously stuffed with our choice of fillings — aloo-pyaaz, gobhi, paneer — followed. And a bowl with white butter balls on toothpicks, I assume, to avoid both wastage and getting your hands mucky. Without doubt these were, by far, the tastiest paranthas I’ve had lately. A well-done crisp on the outside, mildly spiced and a soft steaming inside. The chai certainly begged another round.

A browse of their counter while tea was awaited revealed a host of neatly packaged dairy products — ghee, paneer, curds et al. Also on offer were freshly made gur and shakkar. It was their besan barfi prepared with gur that turned out to be the real show stealer. It would be no exaggeration to describe the grainy goodness, sweetened just right, as simply divine. A good many packs of it joined us on our onward journey. Some were presented to the renowned chef Manjit Gill whom we were meeting in Amritsar. He took one bite and good naturedly refused to share the rest with us thereafter. Speaks volumes about the quality of the product, don’t you think?

A follow-up visit for lunch recently was just as exceptional. A strong yet wintry sun complemented the warm hospitality that appears to be the hallmark here. The saag and makki di roti were the closest to home-cooked I have had in a commercial establishment. The paneer bhurji and dal (or Smoky Dal, as it’s called here) clearly nailed it.

Raja Dhaba is not an aberration. Many similar establishments have been cropping up across the region, just like the ‘Havelis’ along GT Road and Sukhdev Dhaba and the likes on the Delhi highway. The dhabas have bettered their game. We are glad.

Show comments
Show comments

Top News

Most Read In 24 Hours