The Delhi dhaba ,Himesh Reshammiya has dedicated a song to it.

The Delhi dhaba ,Himesh Reshammiya has dedicated a song to it.

The axe nearly fell on one of Delhi's most beloved institutions, the dhaba, with the Supreme Court judgment on getting rid of the unlicensed ones across the city. A stay order has been granted, but this respite may be temporary, so savour the food - and the atmosphere - of popular dhabas while they lay out the spread.

The Delhi dhaba has certain typical characteristics. The seating comprises shaky tables and creaking chairs, the utensils seem to have been passed down the ages from prehistoric times, and the total cutlery collection boils down to a handful of spoons.

The occasional large print of a soft drink bottle adds a splash of colour. All this, far from making things depressing, adds to the charm of the place.

The glue that binds all of it together is the food. Fattening, but divine-tasting food.

Tandoori rotis, daal makhani and shahi paneer washed down with a glass of lassi. Another lovely thing is the price.

At these dhabas, you don't pay for the interior designer who did up the place; you simply pay for the food. Eat till you burst and still have enough dough left to return again and again.

And no visit to a dhaba is complete without tandoori chicken - a dish so famous that Himesh Reshammiya has dedicated a song to it. Ashok Hotel The fact that this dhaba behind Maulana Azad Medical College is no cousin of The Ashok in Chanakyapuri becomes apparent at first glance.

While the open-air seating arrangement may not suit all weather conditions, the food more than compensates for the lack of d and #233;cor. The chicken biryani comes with a plate of curry that can easily double as another dish if you buy a couple of tandoori naans to go with it.

Wash it down with a soft drink and you can have a meal for two for under a hundred rupees. Where On Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, near Khuni DarwazaGanga dhaba.

The hub of Delhi's young intellectuals, this dhaba in JNU has seen heated debates over everything from elections to ecology. Yet, it has an entirely laid-back feel to it that makes it an ideal hangout till the wee hours of morning.

If you are a loner, it also gives you the option of blankly staring into the surrounding open spaces while you sip on tea. News has it that Shah Rukh - as in Khan - used to frequent this place with wife Gauri.

We recommend the anda-parantha or the bhujia. If you're at JNU, you might also want to head to Mamoo dhaba for scrumptious qorma paranthas.

Kake da Hotel Don't let the 'hotel' fool you. This place is a fancy version of the traditional dhaba.

Located before Super Bazaar among the shops beyond Connaught Place's Outer Circle, this is one of the few dhabas you can visit for a family dinner. That also makes it marginally more expensive than its roadside brethren.

The menu is fairly elaborate and offers a host of dishes for vegetarians as well. Where L block, Outer Circle Vijay Nagar dhaba This one has no name, but that hardly matters because it has many other things going in its favour.

It is open all night and is right outside the police station, which makes it inhospitable to midnight brawls. Apart from its famous parantha and achaar, it also has a tea stall adjacent to it - appealing for those who like to loaf about till late night.

Where Near Vijaynagar PS, North Campus Rajinder dhaba Although it has also branched out into a restaurant nearby, the takeaway dhaba remains a hot favourite among those looking for more than just the typical tikkas and butter chicken. The chicken burrah, mutton qorma and the Afghani chicken the most popular.

Where Safdarjung Enclave DDA market Tinku dhaba This is one of about 10 dhabas located on a single road, at a stone's throw from each other. It usually has management students in suits and ties, tucking in with sleeves rolled up.

The menu has both the usual and the not so usual - a peculiar dish called 'sexy paneer' falls in the latter category. We recommend this place to those looking for some peace and quiet during mealtime.

Where Qutub Institutional Area, opp. IIFT Bhavan.