Shyam sweets — Local services in Delhi

A typical example of Baap kamaaye, beta ganwaye.i am a core dilliwala and my forefathers have been the integral part of the walled city. It is only our generation which had to migrate out of bazaar sita ram. However the taste of old Delhi has kept our link alive with our heritage. Even now, my family and I frequently visit the old world charm eateries of Chandni Chowk and Allied areas of The Walled city.

Shyam sweets at the corner of Badshahbullah, Chawrii bazaar has been serving the signature breakfast of old Delhi ie BEDMI ALOO for decades, maybe even a century, I am not sure. People throng this place for its mouthwatering BEDMI ie pooris stuffed with urad dal pithi deep fried in desi ghee and served with spicy aloo (potato) gravy. On Sundays they also serve additional dishes such as Sitaphal, Choley, and Kachalu. A plate of 2 bedmis cost Rs 60/-

We all dilliwalas are proud of this place. Therefore it pains me so much to witness the deterioration in the quality of preparation and the taste of this shop which is thronged by every food Walker and food blogger not only of Delhi but by foreigners also.

The Bedmis are no longer crispy, the stuffing is becoming miniscule day by day, the golden brown color of cooked Bedmis has turned pale yellow, the Aloo sabzi is full of oil streaming. The traditional spice taste is missing rather it has become bland. Maybe they have lessened the spices to suit the palate of foreigners and other non dilliwala visitors but a true Delhiite is disappointed. Mr Shyam sweets PLEASE DO NOT say that you are serving the authentic old Delhi dish. It isn't that anymore.

Let's see the Kachaalu. The beauty of old Delhi kachhaalu is in the style they are cut. Small wafer thin triangles, the characteristic shape is lost. What is served now are big pieces of Kachalu in all shapes, like being served in a fruit chaat.

And let me not comment on their Sitaphal at all. The only thing which is increasing is the Price. It's no more value for money.

I am sad at the standards. It's not about only a shop. The entire prestige and taste of old Delhi is at stake. And Mr Shyam Sweets you have no right to do that...my request is that your taste does not represent only your shop, it has been epitomized as the taste of old Delhi.

For the sake of our tradition, culture, and food heritage of OLD DELHI, please wake up before...

The place is crowded where "Shyam sweets" is situated. The shop size is small. This shop has a long heritage and has many accolades when it comes to food. Considering the food that I had eaten, I had taken bedmi puri worth ₹70 and nagori halwa (4 piece) worth ₹80. Bedmi puri comes along with chana sabji with chilli, aloo pakora cutting (though it's rare, I got one), and achaar (pickle) made of lauki (bottle gourd). The puri was crunchy, stuffed with some grounded daal (pulses). The taste of sabji didn't meet my expectations. It had chilli, that was okay, but no flavour apart from that chili, no heeng (asafoetida), no methi (fenugreek) nothing was recognised. I had seen many people eating the puri and throwing the leftover sabji. Nobody asked for sabji twice, considering two bedmi puri the portion of sabji is small. If it would have been tasty people would have felt the need to ask for it. Also they serve puri on a banyan leaf on a platter that I haven't seen to be washed anytime before my eyes. Coming to nagori halwa which is nothing but suji (semolina) halwa, they also serve four fulki/panipuri/puchka pieces (also made of suji i.e., semolina) alongside it. The chef told me that the panipuri and halwa were made in Desi ghee (clarified butter). The halwa had nothing except suji. No cashews, no saffron, no almond, no pistachio. The portion size was small too. One had to break the panipuri crust and put the halwa in it and eat. I am sorry that I didn't become a fan of this experiment of theirs. I thought Nagori halwa was something special. I felt befooled after that. I had eaten the halwa as I'm a fan of any halwa, but considering the puri I had to force myself to eat that. Maybe they would have a legacy, but continuing the prestige of that legacy with the authentic taste that people crave for, is a hard task and after eating their prime dishes, I...

Taste – 5/5 Portions – 5/5 Service – 5/5 Value for money – 5/5

This place serves one of the favourite breakfast option for every delhiite out there, bedmi puri with sabzi since 1910 in chawri bazar, old delhi.

A small place with limited tables, this place is very famous among the localites for its flavours.

Great service, friendly staff and pocket friendly prices has kept the place super hit over all these years.

I tried all their signatures:

Bedmi puri with sabzi – 5/5 Filled with delicious lentil (daal) stuffing and fried till perfection, these crispy puris are served with jeera hing alloo sabzi and kofta sabzi on the side which is slightly on the lower spicy end. This meal is just a burst of true Indian flavours in each bite and you would to eat more with each bite. The flavours are captivating and would stay with you much longer than the meal.

Nagori halwa – 5/5 Sooji halwa served with fried semolina (sooji) based puri is a dessert that you cant afford to miss. The perfectly cooked hot sooji halwa is filled inside the puri just like a golgappa and then indulged in. This breakfast option along with the bedmi definitely qualify for one of the most traditionally rich and delicious breakfasts that I have ever had.

Lassi – 5/5 Absolutely loved their thick creamy sweet chilled lassi served in kulhad. Nothing could have accompanied the hot puris like this goodness served in a kulhad.

You are missing out on something major in your life if you haven’t tried their bedmi with nagori halwa...