After a long drawn out deliberation of ‘Should we-should we not’, D, the other D and I , finally decided to make our way to Shivam Guesthouse this evening.
Shivam Guesthouse is a tiny rooftop restaurant tucked away in one of those gullies near Ghanta ghar. One has to climb three floors to reach the top. You have an option of sitting right on the terrace, with a brilliant view of the Mehrangarh fort and the Ghanta ghar (which for those of you who are not familiar with it, changes colours at every hour) or you can sit at the tables on the floor below if like us, you aren’t wearing adequate warm clothing and prefer not catching a cold over a view of the fort.
We settled ourselves in the corner and placed our orders. D and the other D ordered the Pasta Puttanesca on the menu as I predictably scanned it for any mention of mushroom and ordered Pasta Ala Cream. The other D ordered Turkish coffee and I placed an order for a mug of French Vanilla coffee. We also ordered scrambled eggs and toast to share, as M had recommended.
The Turkish coffee arrived first, a little less warm than one could have expected it to be in Jodhpur winters, yet strong. The cup was tiny and the other D was disappointed that it wasn’t as big a mug as the one in which the French Vanilla coffee came in next. The French Vanilla coffee tasted every bit like good vanilla coffee should, with just a hint of cinnamon which got stronger towards the last few sips.
The service was quicker than one would have expected and the pastas were served at the table quite fast. While the red sauce pastas were only so-so, we all agreed that the cream pasta was the best. The mushrooms were salted just right and sauteed in butter. I have always had a thing for juicy, salted mushrooms. The best mushrooms I have had were sauteed mushrooms at a shack on Anjuna beach, Goa.
We the ordered a ‘Hello to the Queen’ for dessert. Also known as Shalom-e-malkha, it is a layered dessert of crumbled biscuits, chocolate syrup, strawberries, banana and vanilla ice cream on top. I wasn’t too happy with how the dessert tasted. They had used coconut cookies instead of the normal ones and had used the chemical tasting, fruity strawberry syrup instead of fresh strawberries. Not the best ‘Hello to the Queen’ I have had, for sure. The ice cream on top tasted good though, I suspect it was home-made.
Shivam Guesthouse also provides cheap Pushkar-type accommodation. D tells me there are rooms in there with mirrors on the ceiling. I am intrigued.
Directions :- Head to Ghanta Ghar. At the Omlette shop, where you would take a right turn for Pal Haveli, take a left turn instead. Then take the first right. It is the third building to your left.
Price :- For a starter, main course, coffee and dessert, it cost us Rs. 300 each.
P.S. Checked out the rooms. Beautifully decorated, view of the fort, quaint, romantic, perfect for girlfriend getaway. – March, 2011
dishkaun 