Third edition of the Times Passion Trail Dhaba kicks off from Delhi

There was much excitement in the air as participants of the third edition of the Times Passion Trail Dhaba trail from Delhi to Amritsar ­ started their journey from Delhi recently. Earlier a Delhi to Lahore route, the destination changed to Amritsar because of the recent Peshawar attack. Organized by The Times Of India, in association with Yatra.com, the travel program aims to give a money can't buy experience' as the participants stop at various dhabas and food joints along the way to get a taste of not just the food, but the culture as well.
Speaking about the Dhaba Trail, chef Kunal Kapoor, curator for program said, “The idea of the trail is to make them experience what they would normally not get when they take the same road. We will go to important dhabas that are known for their dishes. This way , we will also understand how the dhabas have progressed over the years."
Kunal added, “During the recce for this trip, I was expecting an open roof dhabas with a charpai, but the dhabas in and around Delhi-NCR, are swanky , and they even have hand sanitizers on the table! We were stunned to see how commercialised dhabas have become. But as you go through the menu, you realise that the food is the same. And as you travel far away from Delhi, you will find some tra ditional, open air dhabas with charpai. So, it's also the journey of how dhabas have progressed with time.“
Sharing how he feels responsible for ensuring that everyone has a great time, not just great food during the journey , he says, “On highway journeys you always look forward to the stopovers at the dhabas, what with various op tions of hot paranthas early in the morning, complete with fresh white butter and hot chai. It's an unmatched joy ."
Also participating in the food trail is TV actor Sanjeev Seth, a self-confessed lover of food and travel. He told us, “Just two weeks ago I visited my favourite dha ba, Bhalekars, on the Bom bay-Goa route, which serves coastal cuisine.Every month I try to go out for a trip. But this dhaba experience is going to be very different. The last time I travelled north was four-five years ago, when I drove from Bombay to Shimla, and the dhabas en route were amazing.“
Sanjeev added, “Winters make you very hungry . So, eating hot paranthas in the winters has its own charm.I wish there were more such trails. I will definitely try to be a part of all of them.“
Piyali Basu, another participant, added, “I'm very interested in food and different cuisines, so I'm looking forward to a lot of food and fun in the next few days."