Support the channel and buy my ultimate Desi Delhi food guide here: maxmcfarlin.gumroad.com/l/24h... 🇮🇳 After staying in Paharganj for 2 nights, I wanted to switch it up and try staying in a different part of Delhi. So I checked out of my hotel and hopped on the metro to return to a place oh so familiar to me - Lajpat Nagar.
This time in Lajpat Nagar I booked a hotel room at a place by the name of FabHotel F9. I paid around $35 USD for the hotel which isn't crazy expensive, but it's kind of a sketchy place. I booked it on Booking.com, which typically either asks you to pay in advance, or doesn't require it if the hotel sets up their profile in such a way on the Booking.com site. But this hotel does it differently. They allow you to book a hotel on Booking.com with no payment, and then send you an email saying your reservation is "temporarily reserved", and that you can fully reserve it by paying. I opted to just show up and see if the room was still available, which luckily it was.
The people were fairly nice upon checkin, but the room was pretty dirty. Grimy floors, opened water bottle, disgusting kitchen. Bathroom wasn't half bad, but not ideal. Definitely don't think it was up to par for $35 a night. But it would work for the next few nights.
After checking in and resting, I went down to the central market in Lajpat Nagar to try some foods and drinks. It was extremely crowded, and since I had everything in my pockets, I opted to buy a small sling bag to put everything in so I wouldn't have to worry so much about pitpocketers. I got a fake Nike one for 200 INR, or roughly $2.40 USD.
After that, I wandered around looking for drinks. It was really hot on this day so I had to try 2-3 drinks to get myself rehydrated. I had a lemon drink and a coconut, which were both good and had friendly people.
After the drinks, I was ready for some food, and so I walked back towards the entrance of the market where I saw a giant crowd of people standing around a momo shop called "Dolma Aunty Momos". This is the same shop the nice people at the store that sold me the Coke the other day recommended.
It was busy, but the workers were patient and friendly with me. I opted to try the paneer steamed momo. They were honestly really dry and just coming out of a pot that had probably been sitting for a while. Not good. My friend Max said he got there early to try them, and they were much better, so if you want to eat them, plan on getting there earlier.
While eating, a young child came up asking for help. Honestly guys, I really struggle with whether or not to film and post these interactions, but in the end this is my job, and this is the reality of traveling. I rarely give money to people who come up asking me, and instead opt to give them fresh food they can buy. The kid was fairly nice, but there were some red flags that kept me on alert, such as the fact that he wanted me to buy chocolate from a certain stall. This is a common trick people use to get money. They have you buy stuff from a stall they are connected to, and then return the product after you leave and split the money with the shop owner. Anyways, that's why I always opt for fresh food they have to eat. If someone's hungry I have no problem helping out and feeding them.
Unfortunately after feeding him, he kept following me and started asking me for money, just about anything he thought I would get for him. I had to start being a bit firm and tell him to leave. Not everyone is like this, and obviously he's just a kid in a tough situation, but this is the reality of these situations. You do your best to help, and that's all you can do.
Video Chapters:
0:00 Checking into sketchy $35 hotel
10:54 Buying $2.40 fake Nike sling bag
15:07 Trying $0.37 banta soda drink
18:12 Trying $0.85 Kerala coconut
24:05 Meeting friendly Sikh man
28:46 Trying Dolma Aunty Momos
33:47 Taking Indian kid for food
41:35 The sad reality of helping beggars
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