Handi

Handi has been feeding Jaipur from its MI Road restaurant since 1984. It occupies Maya Mansion, opposite the General Post Office, and over four decades it has become a favourite with many local families, the sort of dependable neighbourhood restaurant people return to for celebrations and weekend dinners. It is a down-to-earth alternative to hotel restaurants, with prices that remain reasonable.

The kitchen's strengths are Mughlai and Rajasthani cooking. Handi is particularly known for its Jaisalmeri laal maas, a fiery red mutton curry in the Rajasthani tradition, and for food from the tandoor. Popular orders include the tandoori platter, chicken pataka, tangri kebab, mutton tikka masala, rogan josh and kadhai paneer. The menu also offers Chinese, continental and Italian dishes, but most diners come for the Indian food, which is where the restaurant shines.

Save space for dessert, as Handi's fruit salad with cream has a following of its own, and there is ice cream for children. Ordering a few dishes to share, with breads or rice, is the best way to explore the menu.

The atmosphere is relaxed and family-friendly, with a steady stream of local diners at lunch and dinner. Vegetarians are well catered for with paneer and vegetable dishes, while meat lovers have plenty of kebabs and curries to choose from. If you are not used to strong chilli, ask about the heat of the laal maas before ordering. Weekend evenings are the busiest time. A second Handi outlet on Sikar Road handles delivery only, so the MI Road restaurant is the one to visit in person.

For travellers who want to understand what Jaipur families eat when they go out, Handi is a good introduction: no palace setting or performance, just a long-standing local restaurant concentrating on the dishes that made its name.

The location on MI Road makes Handi convenient after sightseeing in the old city, which is a short ride away through New Gate. Raj Mandir Cinema and the shops along MI Road are close by, and Niros, another long-running local favourite, is on the same street if you want to compare their versions of laal maas on another night.