What and Where Name: Old Delhi Food Festival at Level-2, Radisson Blu Paschim ViharDate : 6th - 30th AugustTime : 12:30 - 3 pm for Lunch
7:30- 11 pm for DinnerVenue- Level-2, Radisson Blu, New Delhi Paschim ViharPrice : Lunch Buffet @ Rs. 999+ Taxes
Dinner Buffet @ Rs. 1250+ TaxesFor Reservation: 011 4639 9999 If you haven’t tried the world famous chaat at Old Delhi then you cannot call yourself a true Delhite. I may not go there often due to time constraints, but I do have some fond childhood memories attached to that place. Besides, our neighborhoods are surrounded by so many new eateries, multiplying each passing day, that you really need a big reason to visit Old Delhi. The last visit I remember is when I went there with my parents to select a wedding card for myself at Chawri Bazaar. That part of the city is too old, but its bylanes and street food still inspire and motivate you to get your camera rolling.
I live in the Eastern part of the capital so Old Delhi is not very far from my place and Metro has made it more accessible. But it is still a task for the West Delhites to reach there. Now they have a reason to rejoice. Radisson Blu Pashchim Vihar is hosting the Delhi 6 festival where they are serving the typical old fashioned chaat that you get in Old Delhi. The interiors are nicely done up to give a feel of walled city with different stalls catering to different food items. Various artifacts are used to share a glimpse of the charming old city such as an old cycle, a ladder, lanterns, movie posters, gramophone, old radio etc. The menu was not very vast and consisted mainly of:
Gol Gappas- It was served with two types of water, one sweet and one spicy. I liked to mix both waters before gulping it down to get the perfect sweet, tangy and spicy kick. Dahi Bhalla- The bhallas were a bit different than what you get normally as they were stuffed with a lot of dry fruits. The dahi used in it was really fresh and the red/green chutneys had the authentic flavor having the perfect sweetness and spiciness. Aloo Tikki- The aloo tikki they were serving was one of the best I’ve ever had. They were very crisp and you could feel the crunchiness and crustiness while digging your teeth into it. Dahi and chutneys made a perfect combination with it. 
Paneer Eggs- I had something like this for the first time and I must tell you they were quite impressive. These pure vegetarian delights are made with Paneer and do not contain egg as is deceivingly suggested by the name. They were deep fried just like the Aloo Tikkis and also served in the same way. They were crispy on the outside and soft from the inside. They tasted very mild and were not at all spicy. Chicken Changezi with Paranthas- The chicken preparation really blew my mind away. It was so skilfully prepared. It had a very good spicy flavor but the spices did not dominate the taste if the chicken, nor did the tomato gravy make it tangy. It had a very mild silky texture and the chillis were used in a way that they perfectly provided balance to the taste and do not overpower it. The Hara Pyaz Paratha deserves a special mention as I haven’t really tried parathas stuffed with spring onion before and it turned out to be really good as a filling. The Lachha Paratha was also good. Both of them were deep fried. Mal Pua- Mal Pua tasted just like the way my Mom makes at home so it really made my day. It was really sweet, but the other desserts on the menu were less sweet so it worked out well. 
There was also a counter in the shape of Thela (wheel-cart) serving Masala Chai. The chai was not only served in the typical cutting chai glasses but was even prepared traditionally by adding a good amount of milk and making it boil with the tea leaves for a good amount of time. 
There are a few other items on their starters and main course menu which do not form part of the festival, but you can still have them in the buffet. The festival is on till 30th August and I recommend it mainly because the food being served here is soul touching and sure to satisfy your Desi instinct. Also it is much more hygienically prepared than your local chaat corner.
