Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba Ambala – Read all about Puran Singh Ka Dhaba Ambala. Find its details, read about my experience, see the photos and then decide if the outlet is worthy of your precious order.
Do drop in a comment on my review too which in a nutshell is “Naam Bade Aur Darshan Chote”, if you please, with your feedback about the outlet. It’ll be great to have you share your experience as well.
Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba
Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba - Information Deck
| Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba Location | More Information |
|---|---|
| Address: Near Ambala bus stand, Ambala Cantt, India, Haryana Phone No.: +9172062 22222 or online through MagicPin Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi Vegetarian Only: No Do they deliver: No, MagicPin does Takeaway: Yes Do they cater outdoors: Not known Hours of Operation: 0700 AM – 0000 Midnight | Meal for Two: Rs. 700 Discount Available: No Bar: No Credit Cards Accepted: No Air conditioning: Yes Smoking Permitted: Outside WiFi: No Music: No Parking: Yes and ample Outdoor Seating: No |
Puran Singh Ka Dhaba NH1, Ambala
The sad current state of affairs of Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba\
A perfect example of a decimated icon is Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba. It looks visibly ugly from the outside and is quite dirty on the inside but it still is a pedestrians’ delight. You have been warned, so you now go at your own risk.
Since you are interested, let’s demystify the location, however, if you notice the multiple signage, they say it all.
It is adjacent to the Ambala Cantonment bus stand’s entry gate. So you have to be careful about this one, out of the 7 dhabas with similar names. One of them is called Puran Singh Ka New Dhaba.
We will come to Puran Singh Ka New Dhaba Ambala as a played inning too as you read on.
For now, the Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba is damaging the already drowning legacy of Late Shri Puran Singh ji.
At one point in time when the microscope existed and before the flyover was built on the highway, the Dhaba was a travellers’ landmark for Ambala. It was renowned for its delicious non-vegetarian dishes.
This eatery specialises in Punjabi cuisine offering dishes such as mutton and chicken curry rice, keema kaleji, palak paneer and chana.
The main dishes that patrons swear about from its initiation have been Keema Kaleji, Mutton Curry, and Chicken Curry. The non-vegetarians may find their curries slightly spicy, but that’s what this was all about.
In those days a trip via Ambala was considered incomplete without a meal at Puran Singh Dhaba. However, this dream is the best undreamt of now. No one would like to enjoy a major disappointment for lunch.
What is the history of Puran Singh Ka Dhaba?
Which is the original Puran Singh Ka Dhaba in Ambala?
Story of the First Innings – Puran Singh had established this dhaba in 1949 at Sadar Bazar, Ambala Cantt and was iconic owning to its delicious.
That was in the foregone time when you visited the dhaba in Ambala on any day of the week, the flavourful dishes tasted the same and were truly delicious.
After a few years due to road expansion, the Dhaba was relocated near the Ambala Cantt railway station, where it established and held its reputation of having the best chicken and mutton curries in town.
In 1994 due to health and personal issues, Puran Singh had to sell this shop to to their meat supplier, Vijender Nagar.
This dhaba that was sold is now known as “Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba”. As luck would have it, the place is now run without any regard of its heritage or even cleanliness.
Story of the Second Innings – After a few years it seems, Puran Singh rented a new property near his previous one and began operating the dhaba, now known as “Puran Singh Ka New Dhaba Ambala.”
He ran this new dhaba successfully till he passed away on August 28, 2001. His wife Savitri Devi, son Vishal Atri & nephew Subhash have successfully run the “Puran Singh Ka New Dhaba” since his death.
Unfortunately, Savitri Devi passed away in 2018, leaving Puran Singh’s legacy to Vishal Atri, his wife and the nephew Subhash.
But, this story is about Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba. I’ll write about Puran Singh Ka New Dhaba after my next visit to Ambala.
Story of the Third Innings – Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba was acquired by Big Bang Food Tech in Y2022.
Bought for an undisclosed sum, the company BBFT plans to open 100 Puran Singh outlets by the end of March 2023 which I doubt will happen. Till now, they haven’t been able to fix the hygiene part.
However, by the look of it nothing has changed out there till now that’ll make a difference and bring back the glory of its heritage.
Story of the Current Live Innings – Today, things at Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba are very different from from its inherited legacy.
The ambience, cleanliness, and their food all has gone to dogs. Even their furniture is rickety and is in doldrums.
Notwithstanding this, images of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan welcoming you are still standing tall with other celebrities hanging on their dilapidated signages.
Perhaps this is the only thing the current owners are proud of, rest everything is nothing to write home about by anyone.
Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba
The Reception & Service at Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba
With due thanks to attending Sardarji, I was able to maneuver my TATA Ka Chota Truck into a space where it may not get damaged. Sardarji who, not dressed like one, was a guard would make sure of that I was confident.
Walked on the path, directed by him, was a an area made with stone tiles that had broken eons ago and were still stable for people to trudge. Didn’t get to see the waiters there but ample of snarling stray dogs.
Crossed the path and noticed a door with black film under a signage stating “AC Family Hall”. Pulled it an entered to find a semi crowded hall where people were shouting for roti on top of their lungs.
In this emanating din for reasons unknown, I managed to find a freshly emptied table and parked myself. The. table proved itself that someone had recently vacated it.
An age old menu card printed on both sides flew in front of me from somewhere. Then so did a cleaning boy who came, buffed the table in a rush and vanished.
Then one of their senior executives came to take my order of mutton curry, chicken curry, roti, paratha and chana masala. While all this was happening shouted orders were still flying over the heads of diners.
Today in 2024, If you stop at Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba and use the washroom before your meals, then you will be unable to eat at this place.
The washrooms are full of undrained filthy stagnant water, terrible muck & dirt and therefore stink. They have open drains, dirty toilet seats and as a result unbearable and terrible smells.
I am shuddered by the unforgivable state of affairs about having proper facilities for travellers/guests to wash up or relieve themselves. After this visit, I will not recommend a stopover here, even if it is for a toilet break.
Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba
Food Experience at Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba
So the food was ordered via the Senior Executive who vanished as soon as he had appeared. Almost fifteen minutes later and a yell, food started appearing. There were no plates except for the roti and the paratha.
The curries and the chana were served in serving plates that were fit to the size. We were supposed to tear off the roti and then dip them into shared plates of curries & eat.
The way curries were served and had to be eaten in a format that was not exclusively yours.
The curries were oily & spicy. The mutton curry was spicier than the chicken one. Both the meats were underdone hence chewy – mutton was more than the chicken.
Chana Masala was underboiled & tasteless since there was no masala. Being kind-hearted I can only attribute all this to a faulty pressure cooker & tender fingers that failed to make everything less spicy & cooked softer.
The breads, both aloo paratha and the roti, were hot and crisp having arrived straight from the tandoor. I ate one and wanted another roti to follow it up and the Senior Executive was nowhere to be found.
However, someone did hear me yelling a few times and the roti flew in from somewhere again.
The experience has been like “Unchi Dukan, Fikka Pakwan” till now.
The check was presented immediately when asked for without any further sound effects from my end. They may have kept it ready or they desperately wanted our table to be cleared since it was closest to the entrance.
Those Nostalgic Exotic Delicious Dishes
To Sum It Up
Summing up my experience at Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba
Side Entrance of Puran Singh Ka Mashoor Vishal Dhaba – Dining Area
Puran Singh Ka Vishal Mashoor Dhaba has the loyalty of travellers, politicians and farmers.
Humans proceed to Chandigarh and reverse throng to this dhaba for the sake of their nostalgia and then share their remorse for being here.
I have even witnessed a few fights at the dhaba as well so the entertainment continues.
This is despite the fact forewarning & negative experiences have been written & narrated about the Dhaba. However, the patrons still come back to it hoping for it to get better.
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