Gujarat Bhawan

We set out this afternoon hoping to eat at Jammu and Kashmir Bhawan, but, as we later found out, because of the imposition of governor's rule (a state of emergency) in the volatile state, the canteen has been closed. So instead, we found our way down Kautilya Marg to the well-known Gujarat Bhawan.

Lions guard the entrance to Gujarat Bhawan

Gujarat is a state in northwest India known for its merchants, its former chief minister (now-PM Narendra Modi), its ban on alcohol sales, and its vegetarian food.

The state's main office in Delhi is not the most architecturally impressive of the capital's bhawans, but we found its restaurant to be well-appointed, tasty, and cheap.

A simple yet sleek interior

For lunch, purchase of a thali (for those non-Indians: a plate filled with various dishes and often including unlimited refills) is required. For just a couple dozen rupees more, one can opt for the special thali, which comes with a standard offerings plus a veg "catlet" (fried potato nugget) and a dessert of kheer (an Indian version of rice pudding). We assume that the menu changes slightly from day to day so as to vary the food for regulars and those lodging at the bhawan.

The daily thali offerings

The lunch thali that we were served consisted of the following: a mixed vegetable (a dry preparation including carrots, cauliflower, peas, and beans), lobiya (stewed black-eyed peas), dudhi kofta (fried gourd balls in a creamy curry), Gujarati dal (quite sweet), and a piece of khaman dhokla (a steamed savory cake made of gram flour and yogurt) as well as the standard cut salad, roti, rice, and papad.

Admittedly, not all the dishes were uniquely from the state. Nonetheless, we much enjoyed them all. Our favorite dish was the mixed vegetable due to its spice and variety of vegetables. It went perfectly with the homestyle rotis dabbed with just a hint of butter. The lobiya was also tasty and the kofta boasted a nice consistency while managing to avoid too much oil. The dal was the most distinctively Gujarati dish and, as typical of the region, contained a considerable amount of sugar in addition to the typical spices. For desert, the kheer proved refreshing and not overly sweet.

The "special" Gujarati thali

Overall, we both enjoyed the meal and remarked that for the quality of food, service, and interior, it was well worth it. The service was impressively attentive and good-natured-bordering-on-over-eager to get us to eat more; but as it's one price feeds all, who can complain?

Perhaps in the future, Gujarat's canteen could incorporate more distinctively Gujarati dishes into the thali or offer them as add-ons.

For now, though, we walked away well stuffed and satisfied.

Price of lunch for two: ₹289

No. 11, Office of the Resident Commissioner,
Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave,
New Delhi, Delhi 110021

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