The India Art Fair 2014 is round the corner, and it’s time when scores will descend on Delhi. It’s a city that’s an amalgamation of sounds, smells and sights. BLOUIN ARTINFO has put together a curated guide of things do in the Capital; from eating at a canteen to going on a special walk, from the city's best hotels, to find a fashion bargain. It's all here.
Bon voyage!
The Lodhi
The Aman New Delhi may have changed its name and management last February, but its maharaja-level service and sublime sub-continental interiors — lattice, sandstone, and rich fabrics, besides colorful artworks from Apparao Galleries in Chennai — remain. After a day in the bustle of India Art Fair, the dramatically lit pool is a lovely respite, as are the private plunge pools in each of the 40 rooms and suites.
Lodhi Road
+91 11 4363 3333
thelodhi.com
The Imperial
The scent of lemongrass lingers in this old-guard hotel that has been in Sardar Bahadur Ranjit Singh’s family since it opened in 1936. Mixing Victorian and colonial architecture in marble and dark woods with a dash of Art Deco, the 235 rooms and suites exude stately heritage, as does the vast museum-quality art collection: bucolic landscapes and life-size oil paintings of Indian princes, military awards, and historical artifacts.
Janpath
+ 91 11 2334 1234
theimperialindia.com
Bloomrooms
Paring back lodging to its essentials — a plush custom-built bed, Grohe rain shower, and free WiFi — this fun, budget-conscious property draws young urban professionals to its no-frills, yellow-and-white rooms, from compact singles to queens and triples with bunk beds. There’s a lobby branch of popular Italian eatery Amici, in case you’re feeling peckish, and South Delhi’s hub of bars and restaurants just outside the door.
7 Link Road, Jangpura Extension
+91 11 4122 5666
bloomroomshotel.com
Bukhara
Chef J.P. Singh is a master of the twin arts of marinating meats and slow cooking using the tandoor clay oven. The Dal Bukhara (black lentils stewed with spices for upto 24 hours) and Sikandari Raan (cinnamon and cumin–marinated leg of spring lamb) are nothing short of an indulgence, served family style to guests seated on camel-hair stools. Keep your eyes peeled for royalty and heads of state; Bill Clinton famously calls their dal his favorite.
ITC Maurya, Diplomatic Enclave, Sardar Patel Marg, Chanakyapuri
+91 11 2611 2233
itchotels.in
Chez Nini
A requisite stop for local chefs and visiting epicures, French Canadian–Indian chef Nira Singh’s two-floor brasserie turns out star dishes that prioritize local organic produce such as sous-vide pork belly and duck burgers. Singh’s aesthetic flourishes are evident on the plate — daubed with colorful purees — and in the decor, with the charcoal-on-paper “Heads” by Julien Segard and photographs by Madan Mahatta softly lit by a glowing tree sculpture overhead.
79 & 80 Mehar Chand Market, Fourth Avenue Road, Lodhi Colony
+91 11 4905 0665
facebook.com/chezninibrasserie
Andhra Bhavan Canteen
The sheer volume of salivating souls eating cheap, but fantastic fare at this ever-busy state-run canteen makes for an exciting experiment in culinary democracy. Two dollars gets you superlative thali and the so-called son-in-law treatment, with waiters replenishing your spicy sabjis until you cannot eat another morsel. Meat eaters can add a helping of curry prawns and mutton fry or, during Sunday lunch, Hyderabadi chicken biryani.
1 Ashoka Road
+91 11 2338 7499
aponline.gov.in
1100 Walks
Run by designer and curator Himanshu Verma, 1100 Walks offers a range of expertly conceived and customizable high-end tours, such as the Chandni Chowk Night Walk (a must-do) and the Sufi Basant Walk to Nizammudin Dargah, bringing one of the world’s most historic living cities to life through its buzzing streets and legendary bazaars — not to mention food and shopping.
+91 11 4167 1100
1100walks.com
Vintage Photographs at MoonRiver
“Subjects & Spaces, Women in Indian Photography,” which is showing at design concept store MoonRiver through February 5, is a rare exhibition that unearths vintage portraits from the 1850s to the 1950s from Tasveer’s illustrious photography archives. “These various photographic mediums take us on a journey from colonial studies of Indian women in the 19th century, to private studio portraits from the early 20th century, and then to iconic and glamorous photographs of Bollywood actresses from the 1940s to the ’50s,” says the concept note.
D-16 Defence Colony
+91 11 4161 7103
moonriverstore.com
Mehar Chand Market
Skip the expat-centric Khan Market for its second cousin down the road, where more than 30 independent boutiques have set up shop, offering everything from design tomes (CMYK Bookstore) to bespoke luggage and leather goods (Nappa Dori), handcrafted ballet flats (Taramay), and boldly printed women’s wear (Masaba Gupta, one of India’s most vibrant young designers). There’s no lack of pretty cafés for a restorative bite, but Chez Nini’s duck burger and Elma Brasserie’s generously frosted red velvet cake are standouts.
Lodhi Colony
facebook.com/MeharChandMarket
Crescent At The Qutub
A one-stop shop for
top Indian fashion, with nary a hint of Muzak or children running amok. Delhi’s toniest mall offers a bevy of upscale designers — from Tarun Tahiliani to Ritu Kumar, plus up-and-comers
like Jenjum Gadi, known for his monochrome embroidered dresses — often with in-house teams ready to customize the fit of a new
piece or toss in a
blouse to go with your sari. Another bonus: The historic Qutub Minar monument is
a stone’s throw away.
Lado Sarai
Sarojini Nagar Market
Steel yourself for India’s version of the factory outlet — hundreds of open-air stalls selling piles of “export surplus,” extra or damaged stock from Delhi’s sewing houses — and you just may find the perfect Oscar de la Renta frock or Monsoon tunic lurking amid all manner of mass labels. Carry a big bag for your haul and don’t be afraid to bargain.
Block H, Sarojini Nagar
