Lucknow
We reached Lucknow at around 9 AM. Two cabs booked on Uber took us to Hotel Radisson City Center in Hazratganj, in the heart of the city. The metro facility can also be availed from the airport which connects the city center and also the main railway station. The purpose of this trip was purely food tourism or gastronomical tourism. Yes, this was a trip solely to have the biriyani, kababs, and the other delicacies that Lucknow is famous for. And of course along with that how could we miss some of the great landmarks of this beautiful city.
Hotel Radisson City Center
We chose this hotel primarily for its location, right at the heart of the city at Hazratganj. While there were a few hick-ups, our stay was largely comfortable with the hotel providing all basic comforts. The service at times could have been better and more efficient but nothing to raise a red flag. It offers breakfast and pool facility at the terrace. And most importantly was in close proximity to the renowned food joints for which we have come here for. Swiggy did not take long to deliver our meals which we consumed in the comfort of our room.
Bada Imambara
Undoubtedly the most prominent landmark of the city. This palace built by Nawab Asaf-Ud-Dowla is a sight to behold in terms of sheer size. Hence aptly named bada or big. As we reach the place we are greeted by the iconic Roomi Darwaza adjacent to the palace. The palace showed us some great architecture and of all other things, the two main attractions are the Asfi Mosque and the famous Bhool Bhulaiya or the Labyrinth
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The Residency
Once the residence of the British Resident General, today it is mostly a ruined structure which was destroyed by Indian soldiers during the revolt of 1857. The ruins depict the bravado displayed by our soldiers during, as it turned out to be, the first war of independence. The place has been maintained well and depicts its history well.
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Charbagh Railway Station
Now one must wonder, how can a railway station be a prominent sight-seeing landmark for a tourist. Well, Lucknow railway station or Charbagh certainly is. A brilliant architecture, well maintained makes it quite a beautiful structure. Being a railway fan, I certainly found it worth a visit. The city has good metro connectivity which connects the station, airport and Hazratganj where we were put up. So a short metro ride enabled me to visit Charbagh
Gastronomical Delights – Biriyani and KababsÂ
Now to the main part of the trip that we are here for. We were spoilt for choices. And how much can you try in just three days. So I will list three of the best that I managed to consume. Biriyani was the common item on all the three days.
Tunday Kebabi – Mutton Biriyani
Probably the most famous food joint, this was located very close to our hotel. While mostly we relied on Swiggy to get the food delivered to our hotel, we decided to venture out to the shop in the evening. It turned out to be a bad idea as it was located in a narrow lane, typical of an old city which was crowded to the brim and it was a struggle to even enter the place leave alone get a table to sit. In the heat of May, it was not the best place to consume what it had to offer. The rickshaw ride with six of us made it all the more scary. The below meal sure deserved a better ambience.
Raheem’s Kulcha Nihari
Dastarkhwan – Galoti Kababs
These were some kababs we picked up at the Dastarkhwan shop at the airport. We could not fit in a meal over here at their city restaurant so we decided on the famous Galoti Kababs from the airport outlet. While it tasted amazing, especially due to a delayed flight back, it was not even close the dishes we consumed at Tunde and Raheem’s. Perhaps something to be done on the next trip would be have a full mean at Dastarkhwan’s
Shopping for Lucknow Chikan
Lucknow is a special place for shopping enthusiasts especially the ladies in our group and its famous for its chikan design. Sarees, Kurtis you get everything. There are loads of shops, some at a distance and some close to our hotel. This catch is from Om Seva Chikan Industries on the same lane as our hotel, just down the road.
1 Comment
Amader eksathe best trip without any doubt 🙂