is it possible to walk into a nondescript eating joint located in the crowded city quarter and discover gastronomic excellence?yes,if the city is ludhiana and you've been dragged by your husband to a place called lark that he fondly remembers.family outings in his childhood meant a movie followed by keema naans for dinner.
my daughter and i reluctantly accompanied him on a nostalgia trip with zero expectation.a pleasant surprise awaited us.we made it to the place without facing any traffic snarls and got a good parking space as well.there are a number of dhabas that line the road which housed rekhi cinema opposite the railway station and each one is superlative i am told.
we walked into lark dhaba and were very courteously greeted and welcomed.though a no frills place,the service would put any so called fine dining establishment to shame.we ordered keema naan and reshmi chicken to start with.the keema naans were the best i've had so far.crisp yet flaky with a tender lightly spiced filling(we were asked if we wanted the food spicy or lightly spiced and we opted for the latter).the accompanying gravy was delightful as were the crunchy onion rings,pleasantly green with copious amount of fresh,green coriander,zesty with lime juice.the reshmi chicken kebabs,bite sized pieces,were individually wrapped in foil and lived upto their name.they were silken and melt in the mouth,liberally laced with green cardamom.the green chutney they came with had a fiery kick to it,a perfect partner!the main course of butter chicken,tandoori roti and butter naan too was par excellence.eachtimei think i've had the best possible butter chicken,i discover a hidden gem that offers one even better.it can happen only in ludhiana!
though the location might not attract people,for those familiar with the city it should not prove a deterrent.the street could easily be converted into a food street on the lines of lahore if the city and it's denizens took some pride in its strengths and traditions instead of flocking to food courts of malls with their indifferent cuisine and lacklustre service.