Going past Khan Market the other day, I wondered why some parts of the sprawling market had turned into a glitzy, designers’ paradise, while some other areas continued to exist like their poor cousin. I am talking about the markets just 100 metres or so from the chic bit. These areas haven’t changed at all. Prithviraj Market, in particular, is almost the way it was 20 years ago, when I used to go there regularly for my mutton and fish.
The main Khan Market has developed like no other market, with a veritable food hub in the middle circle, which was once just a path that led to the back entries or exits of the shops. Most shops didn’t even have an opening from the middle section those days – and the ones that did were mostly for the tailors who sat in the cloth shops. Now, of course, you get all kinds of cuisine there — from Vietnamese and Awadhi to Chinese, Italian and American.
The kababs in the middle lane have always been popular with young people. Aap ki Khatir had a counter there, which unfortunately had to shut down. Khan Chacha was somewhere there too, but has now relocated. But when a friend told me that they had eaten some very nice kababs in Prithviraj Market, I was surprised, and thought I’d have to go there for a look.
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I went there a couple of days ago, and after losing hair, some weight and my temper in trying to park in Khan Market, made my way to Laziz Kabab. The address is 19, Prithiviraj, and the phone numbers are 011-24693832 and 24693833. It’s in the corner of the arc that is opposite Lok Nayak Bhawan.
Once upon a time, this was a place called Subhash Restaurant. In the last year or so, it has morphed into Lazis. It has got bawarchis from Lucknow, and now does all kinds of rolls, kababs, biryanis and curries. The chicken biryani (Rs.190) was not bad, but what I really enjoyed were the kababs that I had ordered. The mutton seekh kabab (Rs.160 for four pieces) were spicy and hot — yet delicious. The meat had been grilled well, and the chillies had added to the colour and the taste. The kakori kababs (Rs.170) were even better. The meat had a smoky taste, which I found most appealing. The lamb was wonderfully tender and the spices were just right.
The fare has the usual suspects — special mutton kakori rolls (Rs.180), chicken and mutton korma (Rs.190/200), tikkas (Rs.150), roasted chicken (Rs.380 for full and 190 for half a chicken) and mutton burras (5 pieces with bone for Rs.350). For vegetarians, they have paneer tikkas, mushroom tikkas, soya chaaps and special vegetable hariyali seeks (Rs.120). I, of course, didn’t try any of those out But it’s nice to find a place that’s in the heart of the city where you can get good kababs. There’s MI in Mehar Chand Market and Sabke Khatir on Lodhi Road. And now there’s Laziz as well. Kababs are clearly on a roll!
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