6 foods to try in Kolkata, India

The huge variety of food items, high on taste and low on price, makes Kolkata a food lover’s paradise. Well-known mostly for its bhaat-maachh (rice and fish) and non-vegetarian food, Kolkata is a heaven for vegetarian food lovers as well. We list the best street food items in the city.

Jhaal Muri

This all-time favourite snack is essentially puffed rice mixed with peanuts, fresh chopped onions, tomatoes and chiles, drizzled with mustard oil. This is an omnipresent snack available almost anywhere in Kolkata. If taking a train ride to Kolkata, you can find hawkers selling jhaal muri on the trains and stations en route to Kolkata.

Chop, Telebhaja

‘Chops’ are deep-fried treats either stuffed with chopped veggies like carrots and peas, or with egg or minced chicken. The Telebhaja, which literally means ‘fried in oil’, are an amazingly lip-smacking and soulful group of food items. There are made by coating the key ingredient with a besan batter and deep-frying it. The main ingredient can be a brinjal (making a beguni), onions or potatoes.

Phuchka

The phuchka is a larger version of the golgappa, as North Indians call it. It is lighter, bigger, and crispier than its rest-of-India variant. The filling is mostly potato, unlike those found elsewhere.

Radha Bollobhi, Luchi with Alu Dum

This is a breakfast favourite of the locals, and stalls end up selling all their wares even before the end of breakfast time. It is a dal-stuffed puri served with either chana dal or dum aloo.

Luchi is a variation of puri, made with refined white flour or maida. A lunch plate of four luchis accompanied with dum aloo can be purchased from road-side hawkers at Rs 20!

Shingara

The shingara is a Bengali version of the well-known samosa. They are either baked or fried and mostly come with a potato/peas/cauliflower stuffing. The non-vegetarian version can include a stuffing of minced meat. Shingara and tea is one of the most popular evening snacks in Bengali homes.

Ghugni

Ghugni is an extremely flavourful dish made of boiled white peas, mixed with chopped onion, chiles, tomatoes, coriander, coconut, and tamarind juice. It can be had with luchi, radha ballabhi, or simply on its own.

See more: Kolkata's colonial architecture in 6 impressive buildings

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A vegan guide to Ha Noi

You might not believe it but it can be hard to find decent vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Ha Noi. Here are the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Ha Noi to make sure every meal is a winner.

Peace Vegan

Situated in a French-inspired maison overlooking the iconic west lake (Tay Ho), Peace Vegan certainly earned its moniker. Sit in the chilled, communal style ground floor, or peek upstairs at the elegant rooftop, where local expats and Vietnamese chat over coffee and delicious vegan food. Peace Vegan offers a fairly extensive and buffet option, as well as coffee and tea for extremely competitive prices.

As such, it has become one of Tay Ho’s trendiest hang-outs. On a weekday, you can grab yourself unlimited food including soup for only 40,000 VND, about 1.75 USD.

An Lac - Buffet Chay

How about a vegetarian buffet? For just VND 99,000 (USD 5), you are able to eat as you please and try all of the over 50 delicious, healthy vegan dishes at An Lac. This is great for a group meal as the restaurant is spacious. However, seats and food do run out thanks to the restaurant’s popularity and, of course, the extremely attractive price tag, so we recommend you reserve yourself a table in advance. Also, do make sure you keep an empty stomach before you head over.

Jalus Vegan Kitchen and Café

A small shop in an old, worn-out building located right in the heart of the Old Quarter, Jalus serves all kinds of healthy dishes in a cozy environment. This is a popular spot for the Western vegan community, and even seems to attract locals who are looking to take a break from their carnivorous diet. Enjoy a nice meal on the cute balcony while watching people wandering aimlessly on the street below, or stay under the A/C in the wooden-themed interior.

Loving Hut

This is the second Hanoi outlet for this international vegan restaurant chain, also known as Com Chay Thien Phuc. Located in an alley, with three 90-degree turns, this branch is located just outside of the Old Quarter. There are small signs to guide to in at both alley entrances, but the restaurant is easily visible from Hoang Ngoc Phach. Like all Loving Hut’s, you can expect a clean dining room, English language menu, and the typical mock meat and vegetable dishes. Prices are very reasonable, and you can also pick up some great whole foods such as whey powder, honey and dried fruit.

Quan Chay Bo De

There is a small vegan supermarket downstairs with a variety of noodles, mock meat and vegan sauces, we were excited to find this but to be honest the selection was limited and lots of it included MSG, which might be a problem for some travelers.

Read more: 5 best Banh My shops in Ha Noi, Vietnam

Uu Dam Chay

Welcoming you with a green garden and water stream that makes you surprised. Uu Dam is a cozy eatery located on Hang Bai street that connects the Old Quarter to the other districts in Ha Noi. The place is very spacious, spanning multiple floors, and almost feels as if you are dining in an art gallery. Uu Dam serves the vegetarian take of a wide variety of dishes ranging from southern to northern cuisine, including local favorites such as pho, bun cha and banh xeo. Every dish is vegan-friendly and the portions are so beautifully presented that you will feel a little guilty when you start to chew.

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A quick guide for Ayutthaya trip, Thailand

Visiting Ayutthaya is one of amazing things to do in Bangkok. Although the city of Ayutthaya was largely destroyed by the Burmese in the 18th century, it is still bursting with stories to tell. Wandering around a site of more than 700 years of age under the guidance of an experienced local guide will leave you awestruck with the splendor of ancient architecture and with a new perspective on the Thai spiritual life.

How to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok

• Public bus

There is a half-hourly bus that leaves from Mo Chit Station. It takes about 90 minutes to get to Ayutthaya. First, take an MRT or BTS skytrain to Mo Chit Station. After that, take a taxi or motorbike taxi or jump on bus number 26, 77, 96, 104, 136, 145, or 509 to get to the right bus section to Ayutthaya. The bus ticket price is 60 baht per person.

• Minivan

Minivan is the fastest option, only taking about 75 minutes. Go to Victory Monument, take Exit 2 and turn at the bottom of the stairway. The van loading station is on your right between the mall and a 7-Eleven convenience store. At the station, prepare 100 baht and get on a van directly to Ayutthaya.

Things to do

• Inspect the ruins of Wat Phra Mahathat

The Buddha head entwined within the roots of a banyan tree is one of the most recognizable symbols of Thailand and it can be found here in Wat Phra Mahatthat. Like the other temples in the area, this one was so severely destroyed that you will see a line of headless statues. And it is its ramshackle appearance that attracts thousands of visitors to go there every week.

• Visit the Largest Temple in Ayutthaya

Wat Phra Si Sanphet is the largest temple in Ayutthaya and definitely one of the most famous. It once held a 52-foot-tall Buddha cast in 1500 that was entirely covered with hundreds of kilograms of gold. You can guess where the looting Burmese invaders went first in 1767.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet was once used for royal ceremonies and contained the ashes of royal family members. Entrance is 50 baht.

• Learn about the history of Wat Chaiwatthanaram

Commissioned by King Prasat Thong in 1630, Wat Chaiwatthanaram was built in traditional Khmer style, similar to Angkor Wat in Krong Siem Riep, Cambodia. The whole structure stands on a rectangular platform with a central 35-meter high prang, a tower-like spire, surrounded by four smaller prangs. Although ruined, Wat Chaiwatthanaram is still a compelling sight to visit.

• Eat Boat Noodles

Ayutthaya was once a thriving capital city, so culinary influences from around the world passed through. Chinese, Indian, Persian, Japanese and European traders came and ate in droves. For this reason, the food in Ayutthaya is more diverse than other Thai cities that are larger in size.

The aptly named “boat noodles” (kuay tiow ruea) are indeed cooked on boats — the authentic ones, anyway — and are arguably Ayutthaya’s signature dish. Just look for long, slender sampans with steaming cooking pots on board. Expanding your noodle repertoire beyond only pad Thai feels good.

• Skip the Floating Market

If you did not get your fix in Bangkok, Ayutthaya has its own floating market. Although clearly a tourist trap, the market can serve as a last-resort diversion for travelers who are burned out on visiting temples. Food, noodle boats, souvenir shops, and daily cultural performances are found inside.

Read more: Explore the amazing places outside of Bangkok, Thailand

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