India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (309 page)

If you’re gathering memorable (and pricey) dining experiences and don’t mind journeying to the far western shore of Lake Pichola, you could check out the alfresco dining at
Udaivilas
(
0294/243-3300
); be warned that although most dishes are excellent, the food is not the best we’ve had in the state (the signature
laal maas,
for example, tasted watered down, and even the
naan
bread was unexpectedly doughy). Nevertheless, a meal here might give you the chance to explore the hotel’s spectacular architecture and landscaped gardens, and service is on a par with that at the Lake Palace, which you can see here from your table.

If you really feel deserving of excellent cuisine and don’t mind traveling out of town to a gorgeous country scene, set aside time for a midday tour to
Devi Garh
(see details above), one of the classiest hotels in India. The food is exquisite (and expectedly pricey), and if you are here for a midday sojourn, you can admire the brilliant restoration of the castle and perhaps explore the little village after you’ve dined. The menu is limited, but if you want to know where Udaipur’s informed movers and shakers take their out-of-town guests for a special treat, this is an ideal venue. Reservations are essential.

A more casual but bland dining experience is the
Sunset Terrace
at
the Fateh Prakash Palace. This is the perfect place to watch the sunset, and when the sun finally disappears behind the Aravalli Hills, the ambience just gets more romantic as candles are lit and the Lake Palace, which floats in the foreground, glows like an ocean liner on the lake. That said, the food—which ranges from toasted sandwiches (adequate) to tandoori (overcooked)—is very much a letdown. Far better fare and more comfortable seating are to be had at nearby
Jagat Niwas
(see details above). Unlike almost everywhere else in town, this restaurant terrace is open to the cooling breezes but covered by a roof, which provides some escape from the midday heat, rather go one level up to the very top: It has comfortable mattressed alcoves with bolsters where you can curl up with a book or appreciate the sublime views of the lake. This is the kind of place where you could spend an entire afternoon relaxing; in fact, one guest, who wasn’t even staying in the hotel, did exactly that every day for the duration of his stay in Udaipur. Service is slow but friendly (some of the waiters have been here 18 years), and the food is good. Stick to the Indian dishes, either the vegetarian (
paneer matar masala,
Indian cheese simmered in a thick gravy with peas and tomatoes; or
paneer do pyaja,
cheese cooked with onion, tomato, and chilies) or local dishes like fish a la Jagat (slices of the local freshwater fish from Jaisamand Lake, caught daily, cooked in a lemon sauce, and served with fries) or chicken lababdar in a cashew tomato gravy, signature lamb Lal Maas, Afghani
murgh malai tikka
(creamy chicken kebabs). Main courses cost between Rs 85 and Rs 350.

Two other dining options are worth considering, both with lake views.
Ambrai,
at the Amet Haveli (details above), serves decent enough tandoori dishes (and some Indo-Chinese and “Continental” as well). The place has a mellow ambience created by the warm light from candlelit tables, and wrought-iron chairs in the pleasant sprawling garden right on the edge of Lake Pichola. It is also great for a lunchtime beer, where you can watch the locals water bombing one another from the nearby ghat and an elephant munching beside them.
Udai Kothi’s
rooftop restaurant is also a lovely spot at night (especially with the terrace pool lit up), with good service. Choose a small alcove by the pool—with mirrored dome, cushions, candlelight, and a good butter chicken, this could be one of the most memorable meals you have in India.

Set in the garden courtyard of Jhadol Haveli,
The Whistling Teal
(103 Bhatiyani Chohatta;
0294/242-2067
or 094-1416-3727) is one of the most romantic dining spots in Udaipur. Despite its lack of lake views, it’s a relative oasis. You can saddle up (literally) to the bar (seats are made of horse saddles), or chill out with a hookah (sheesha) pipe, sampling different flavored tobaccos. There are various seating areas, either on the lawn or under canopies, and you can sample an array of traditional Rajasthani dishes. The royal Jhadol family also organizes some of the most intriguing visits to rural areas, where you get to come to grips with the customs of the tribal Bhil people. For more information, visit
www.jhadol.com
.

Finally, if you’re after something light, healthy, and affordable, particularly for lunch, consider the ironically named
Savage Garden
(22 Inside Chandpole;
0294/242-5440
), set over several floors of a pleasant building with cascading bougainvilleas and a towering banana tree in its blue-walled courtyard. Besides some standard Indian fare, you can order toned-down, simplified versions of traditional cuisine, such as “spinach mutton,” served with boiled potatoes (
boiled,
not fried!), or grilled fish with mash, and even an unusual vegetarian “Kela curry”: slices of banana in an onion-curd sauce, seasoned with fragrant spices from the south. There are basic, healthy salads and a few pasta dishes, not to mention a delicious mulligatawny soup. You’ll pay Rs 80 to Rs 250 for a main course.

SHOPPING

Udaipur has a number of attractive handicrafts. You’re probably best off purchasing them directly from small factories whose touts will beg you to visit, but beware that the commission system can add significantly to the price, so don’t buy the first beautiful thing you see. The main shopping streets run from the City Palace along Jagdish Temple Street to the clock tower and beyond to Hathi Pol. Good areas are Suraj Pol, Bapu Bazaar, Chetak, and Ashwini markets.
Rajasthali
(Chetak Circle; beware similarly named stores elsewhere),
the government-run handicraft shop, is a good place to both pick up basic handicrafts and gauge fair prices.
Mangalam
(Sukhadia Circle;
0294/256-0259
) is best for textiles, handicrafts,
dhurries,
and a variety of products.

If you’d like to contribute to local communities, visit the city showroom of
Sadhna
(Jagdish Temple Rd.;
0294/241-7454;
www.sadhna.org
) where you can browse hand-stitched garments, homewares, and linens. A purchase here means contributing to the income of 500 rural and tribal women who are involved in this enterprise. If you’re looking for silver, a great place to start is
Boutique Jagat Nikhar
at the Jagat Niwas hotel (see details above); here, Mr. Harish Arora offers advice on silver items, and his excellent collection comes with fixed prices. Udaipur is considered a good place to purchase miniature paintings (it has its unique style, but if you’re looking for a bargain, you’re better off purchasing in off-the-beaten-track towns, like Bundi) and
pichhwai
paintings—wall hangings painted on cloth or silk, often featuring scenes from Krishna’s life, that originated in Nathdwara; see “Top Excursions,” earlier in this chapter. Alternatively, you could pick up some of these at the
City Palace Museum shop;
the prices are higher but well worth the quality.

Further along the City Palace Road and on the same street as Jagdish Temple, is
Ganesh Handicraft Emporium
(
294/252-3647
), which occupies one of Udaipur’s oldest, most beautifully renovated havelis. With its cool marble floors, courtyards and ancient carved wooden guajarati doorframes it works perfectly as a store to browse through its uncongested and spacious rooms. The experienced and hassle-free owner brothers will offer you chai or cold water and will leave you to your own devices to wander around their 350-year-old living museum. They specialize in Rajasthani, Guajarati, Central and South Indian and Kutchi textiles.