India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [479]
If you’re gathering memorable (and pricey) dining experiences and don’t mind journeying to the far western shore of Lake Pichola, you could check out the alfresco dining at Udaivilas ( 0294/243-3300); be warned that although most dishes are excellent, the food is not the best we’ve had in the state (the signature laal maas, for example, tasted watered down, and even the naan bread was unexpectedly doughy). Nevertheless, a meal here might give you the chance to explore the hotel’s spectacular architecture and landscaped gardens, and service is on a par with that at the Lake Palace, which you can see here from your table.
If you really feel deserving of excellent cuisine and don’t mind traveling out of town to a gorgeous country scene, set aside time for a midday tour to Devi Garh (see details above), one of the classiest hotels in India. The food is exquisite (and expectedly pricey), and if you are here for a midday sojourn, you can admire the brilliant restoration of the castle and perhaps explore the little village after you’ve dined. The menu is limited, but if you want to know where Udaipur’s informed movers and shakers take their out-of-town guests for a special treat, this is an ideal venue. Reservations are essential.
A more casual but bland dining experience is the Sunset Terrace at the Fateh Prakash Palace. This is the perfect place to watch the sunset, and when the sun finally disappears behind the Aravalli Hills, the ambience just gets more romantic as candles are lit and the Lake Palace, which floats in the foreground, glows like an ocean liner on the lake. That said, the food—which ranges from toasted sandwiches (adequate) to tandoori (overcooked)—is very much a letdown. Far better fare and more comfortable seating are to be had at nearby Jagat Niwas (see details above). Unlike almost everywhere else in town, this restaurant terrace is open to the cooling breezes but covered by a roof, which provides some escape from the midday heat, rather go one level up to the very top: It has comfortable mattressed alcoves with bolsters where you can curl up with a book or appreciate the sublime views of the lake. This is the kind of place where you could spend an entire afternoon relaxing; in fact, one guest, who wasn’t even staying in the hotel, did exactly that every day for the duration of his stay in Udaipur. Service is slow but friendly (some of the waiters have been here 18 years), and the food is good. Stick to the Indian dishes, either the vegetarian (paneer matar masala, Indian cheese simmered in a thick gravy with peas and tomatoes; or paneer do pyaja, cheese cooked with onion, tomato, and chilies) or local dishes like fish a la Jagat (slices of the local freshwater fish from Jaisamand Lake, caught daily, cooked in a lemon sauce, and served with fries) or chicken lababdar in a cashew tomato gravy, signature lamb Lal Maas, Afghani murgh malai tikka (creamy chicken kebabs). Main courses cost between Rs 85 and Rs 350.
Two other dining options are worth considering, both with lake views. Ambrai, at the Amet Haveli (details above), serves decent enough tandoori dishes (and some Indo-Chinese and “Continental” as well). The place has a mellow ambience created by the warm light from candlelit tables, and wrought-iron chairs in the pleasant sprawling garden right on the edge of Lake Pichola. It is also great for a lunchtime beer, where you can watch the locals water bombing one another from the nearby ghat and an elephant munching beside them. Udai Kothi’s rooftop restaurant is also a lovely spot at night (especially