Jaipur Jaunts

December is a lovely time to visit Jaipur. It is a manna for the cold starved Mumbaikars. The city is buzzing with holiday makers and yet it is so unlike one of our metropolitan cities. Jaipur has character, as my little one would say 'Bhar Bhar ke', which means, loads of it. 

We loved the restaurant Tapri in Jaipur. Tapri is a terrace / rooftop restaurant in the heart of the city, close to all the sightseeing places. The crowd is electric and the food is fresh and warm. The open terrace tables are in huge demand. You get the view of the twinkling stars, and our National flag flying high in the park. Lot of wedding plots in the vicinity which we could peep into. Kept wondering when the crowd will start trickling in as it was getting cold in the night. But the local people have late night weddings and the cold doesn't t bother them as there is a lot of bling and metal around. Small bonfires are set up all over the lawns to keep the guests warm . In Tapri, if you want to stay warm, then take the inside tables where the decor is interesting with books lying around amidst extremely comfortable seating. The plates are made of green leaves ..eco friendly all the way. The tea is served in kettles with small glasses. Not Vanilla and Blueberry teas but really home made flavour of the Chai. Went there thrice during our stay and loved it more on every visit. They seem to have cracked the right menu with Maggi, Mung Dal Pakora, Sev Puri, Kanda Poha, Batata Vada and more. No Pastas and Garlic breads and seriously thank the Chef and the owners for that. In Mumbai, most happening places serve this continental/ European/Italian/Greek food and all of which has only Pastas, Risotto and some pizzas. The food tastes alike may be due to the same brand of pastas and readymade sauces being used.

Bar Palladio at Narayan Niwas Palace hotel is grand. Every table in the lawn gets a bonfire and a little white tent like patio to sit. The crowd will give Mumbai and Delhi a run for its money. The waiters have the semblance of the Raj left in them. May be it is due to the fact that it is run by a white woman and that must be a part of the training. The bar building is newly constructed like a palace with white and teal blue walls. Children are not allowed and the place is full almost every day. This is the place to show you have arrived in life.  Narayan Niwas caters to the foreigners who want to experience the Rajasthan grandeur. They have lot of foreign groups through travel agents coming for dinner,with traditional Rajasthani singers, performers and puppet shows. I loved the hotel, the lawns and the way it is maintained. The temple on the property is alive. By alive, I mean it is not a showpiece for the tourists, but locals come to worship Shiva there. Rest of the property stands still in time.The peacocks are seen walking around the porch and the lawns. There is a little hut with a garden where a foreigner lady lives. That is her home and she goes back to whichever country she belongs to in the summers. The entrance is royal and there is a long drive to the actual building of the palace. The Palace is in the heart of the city yet once inside you are serene. 

Forresta at Devraj Niwas is what I liked. The restaurant is in the garden. Space starved in Mumbai, I simply love the open air concept. The have these lights on poles which are  electric heaters to keep us warm in the winter chill.  Candles melting away under a tree. Staff attitude was just right neither too sweet nor too overbearing. Service is quick and they advice you on the right quantities very well. Children can run around and enough space for adults to party. They have opened a new terrace bar called Jay'Pour. I thought that was a really interesting twist to the name. The hep crowd was running towards Jay'Pour. The old ones were happy and settled in Forresta. I am sure it would be lovely to go to Forresta for breakfast too. They have a long hut like structure where a college kids party was going on. it just has a roof and is open on all sides. Very well turned out, the Jaipur youth is. I do wish to stay in this hotel on my next visit for its open layout. 

These places were not filled with tourists. The other places like Baradari and 1135 AD are full of Gora tourists. They are run by Goras like Bar Palladio and get a lot of mention on all the tourist / travel and food websites. We were not dying to feel a part of the Rajathan royalty and pay through our nose, so skipped most of that kind of  places. Gem Palace is another place found on all websites and is full of attitude. Only Gora customers and Gora sales people. The variety is huge and  the ambience is dull and depressing, also frightfully over priced. I should say they are correctly priced for their clientele. 

Laxmi Mishtan Bhandar  or LMBis a big No No because and only for the crowds. Go in the morning and pack your sweets from there. Food is too heavy. The decor is so bad and the air conditioning is stuffy. We asked for Gur Chikki but they packed sugar chikki in the box. The staff is polite and efficient except for this one thing. 

Chokhi Dani, Jaipur is the largest in India and there is so much to do. Too much crowds but all in all a novel experience. 

Jawahar Kala Kendra is light on the pocket and heavy on art and design. If you have time, spend a lazy afternoon there and soak in the architecture. Do visit the art gallery. The place simply engulfs you in its stark 'Howard Roark' type of beauty. The awesome simple Indian Rajasthani meal is now served on advance order and for minimum of 20 people. 

All these places were recommended by friends or their families.