As a kid, both me and Rohit had often travelled to Nainital with our respective families on our summer breaks. This time arounds winters, we decided to take a break from the commercialisation of Nainital and head over to Bhimtal. Located at the heart of the famous Kumaon Region, this little unexplored town is a not a very popular tourist destination but has a lot to offer.
One of our major reasons to visit Bhimtal was this quaint little café located at a hilltop in Bhimtal. It is called “The Kumaoni Farm Café” and was recommended by one of our friends.
We will quickly narrate our journey through a day wise breakup below:
Day 1: On reaching Bhimtal,we checked in to our hotel and headed off to “The Kumaoni Farm Café” for Lunch. This is a strict reservation only Café and you will have to inform the owner well in advance so that he has your table booked. The Café only serves lunch and can cater to maximum 12 people in a day. Located on a small hilltop, 3 kms away from the Bhimtal city, this cafe offers lip-smacking and authentic kumaoni / pahadi food, fresh air and
breath-taking view of Bhimtal and the mountain ranges.
Add to this the warm hospitality and personalized touch shown from the owner – JAWS KAMATH and their highly skilled staff and it becomes a memorable experience altogether. As they say, You Only LIVE once! So why keep yourself away from such a complete and fulfilling experience!
NOTE: All the major ingredients / raw materials come from their own organic farms, which
are located right next to the cafe!
Perfect example of the Farm 2 TABLE concept with Just-In-Time (JIT) methodology — What
more can you ask for!
On my plate:
- Kumaoni Raita with pahadi sarso ka Tel.
- Roasted Bhaang ki Chutney
- Aloo k Gutke
- Palak ka kapa
- Mandua ki Roti
- Pahadi Dal & Chawal
- Kumaoni Kaddu ki Sabzi
- Badheel
- Jhangore ki Kheer
Day 2:
We got up early for a walk beside the Bhimtal lake and a boat ride. Our hearts leaped as we stood beside the lake and stared at the gorgeous green hills that flank the entire background. You will find your senses heightened as the entire air is filled with songs of the birds and a wonderful aroma from the various flowers that adorn the hills.
In the afternoon, we headed to Bhimtal’s “I heart Café”,a piscturesque Café located on the way to Nainital. This particular cafe had the most delicious handmade cappucino and chicken burger with homemade buns and fries!
Day 3:
We had quite heard about this particular property in Nainital called “ The Naini Retreat” and even though we wanted to skip Nainital, Jaws- owner of The Kumaoni Farm Café recommended that we stay a couple of nights at the hotel just to enjoy their British architectural feels.
We reached “The Naini Retreat” in the afternoon and as expected the hotel has a majestic campus exuding an Old World Charm that houses the most modern luxuries one could ask for. They have a morning and an evening high tea ritual where they serve hot tea/coffee with snacks in their lawns.
In the evening, we headed over to the mall road to enjoy some “evening tea”
By the Naini lake “Boat House Club”. Only members get to enter this club.
On request, they also allow families and couples with a small entry fee.
You can enjoy a cup of tea with piping hot pakodes with a view of the majestic “Naini Lake”
Day 4:
In the morning, we checked out of the hotel and headed back to Gurgaon. But on our way back, we stopped at another hilltop cafe in Nainital- Café Chica
This Café is an absolute treat to the eyes. Started by a local Uttarakhand family in their family lawn, this is now a full time restaurant serving delicious home cooked food (we had chicken stew and rice with masala tea)
It also provides a homestay option under the name of Abbotsford for people who want a quiet and peaceful vacation with a picturesque view of the hills.
This was indeed a vacation which was like a breath of fresh air away from the Pollution of Gurgaon and was very much required! We came back reenergized to start off another hectic week at work.
The Benjabi recommendation:
- The visit to the Kumaoni Farm Café
- A homestay at Bhimtal
- The Naini Retreat
For the video version of this experience, please head over to our youtube and Instagram channel.
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0kc8LRLKTCA23oQHXqWGuw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.benjabi.affair/
The Benjabi Affair 