We are driving again and this time on the Khatauli bypass on the way to Haridwar from Delhi. This time we have stopped off at a rather nice and well kept place called Cheetal Grand .

I know that perhaps I should stop posting about these road side stops, but the thing is that it is these places that seem to be serving up most of the best food we are eating on this trip around India.

I could be telling you about some of the buffet meals we have to endure in the so called 4 star hotels at which we camp each night. However I am sure that the word ‘endure’ just told you why I haven’t yet. So back to Cheetal

They had a really fantastic display of flower pots outside, it felt like there was a lot of pride being taken at this place. It was so good a display that people were pausing to take selfies and family photographs with them as a background.

I would love to see that happening on the M1 back in the UK at a service station. Not sure I ever will?

It was a good sign of what was to come food wise then perhaps?

What to eat this time? How about a Masala Dosa? Anyone?

This was looking to be a pretty good and reasonably cheap lunch option. The Masala Dosa on the menu was listed at just 90R, and the place was really clean and well organised. “Winner, Winner, Masala Dosa Dinner!”

There were plenty of other options, to be honest once I saw a dosa on someone’s table and was hypnotised into getting one too (well that is my excuse anyhow)

Masala Dosa

So then as I said, it was time to have another Masala Dosa, and this time it was more like I had seen in the books. It was a great big cylinder and was not squashed like the one we had earlier on the trip at Kuber Resort on the Jaipur-Ajmer Highway

I was actually really eager and excited to eat this one. I must have been in one of those rare cheerful moods having slept well on the coach. The sun was shining too! Bring it on!

Inside the Dosa Tunnel

I just had one of those moments when I had to do the dosa tunnel shot. Look at the lovely crispy casing and deep inside you can see where that little pile of spicy potato lurked.

If my taste buds could have crawled in there they would off, but they could not so they had to rely on my hands to rip this thing apart so that we could chomp down.

It was really good, a lovely light outer casing and a lightly spicy filling, a little salty, but that was ok, I like it like that!

Thali at Cheetal

Another one of our party ordered the Thali and this did look to be a really good one with plenty of roti, some rice and some nice pots of lentil daal, a chickpea dish, a pot of some spinach Aloo, plus some creamy stuffed paneer and a sweet pudding with vermicelli.

They said it was good, but I was happier with my Dosa. To be honest I am only telling you about it because it was such a great photographic memory.

So in summary, great Dosa, nice clean and well kept place, probably never be able to come again or pass by again, but if I did I would most certainly stop

Located on Khatauli bypass Cheetal Grand is located on both sides of the road.

I like the little story about how they have developed over the years that you can read on their website

“We started with a small restaurant at the bank of Ganga Canal in 1974 up to 1989 by Late Mr. N.M. Khan, that was a government place. He lefted that place on 1992. Then we started a new Cheetal Grand on N. H. 58 on 25th sep 1992. That place was handled by Mr. B.K. Gauswami, secretary tourism (Gov. of India). We run that place successfully for about 22years. After that the new bypass of Khatauli come up, and we opened a small Cheetal grand cafe on bypass of Khatauli . Now a hilarious day comes, and we build a very beautiful and attractive a new Cheetal grand in April 2014 . Now we have two joint on the same high way on both side of Khatauli bypass for tourists.”

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