I Think Chicken Changezi Has My Heart

It all started with one review after I disliked a food order received from a restaurant in Gurgaon while I was at work, the urge to tell my fellow NCRites about the stale food being sent to me led me to this beautiful journey.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Hey Guys! This is Paras Arora, born and brought up in Delhi, a full time working Chartered Accountant, someone who has been into food reviewing since 2014. It all started with one review after I disliked a food order received from a restaurant in Gurgaon while I was at work, the urge to tell my fellow NCRites about the stale food being sent to me led me to this beautiful journey.

I then went on to write rather regularly on food sites about what I liked and disliked about food, I met fellow food reviewers, Even got invited by Zomato to try out food at some places and met restaurant owners as well. It was such a beautiful time, I explored the depths of food from Jama Masjid to Dlf Cyberhub, from Dharamshala to Goa, there wasn't a place I wasn't trying, there wasn't a street that hadn't met me.

I have been a photographer before I got into my food journey, so clicking pictures gave me a happy feeling. The zeal of clicking the perfect shot of a pizza, game a rush of happy hormones and endorphins. But I didn't have a food page or a blog until 2019, when I finally got the motivation to build a brand for myself. It now goes by the name of "Thatsmyplate"

I have helped restaurants with their menu ever since, have helped them in their marketing, have collaborated with various food and beverages brands since 2019, and it all gives me a happy feeling.

My aim has always been to guide my people to the best dishes in the country and I shall continue to do so.

2. Which is your favourite cuisine and dish?

I enjoy a variety of cuisines, but certainly Italian and Mughlai ought to be my favourites.

My perfect day out would be Choley Bhature for breakfast, followed by some Chicken Pasta for lunch and ending the day with some Galawati kebabs, Seekh kebabs, Changezi Chicken, Khamiri Roti and Phirni. Burrrrpp!

3. Should food blogging be just a passion or can it become a regular career?

I think that is a very person specific question. For some, like me, It will stay as a passion as my focus is share the best food pictures and just feel happy exploring and clicking.

For some, it could be a career, there are a lot of my close friends with 50K/100K+ followers, who have now opened up their own cloud kitchens and restaurants as they understand what food people enjoy more, they understand tastes better than other restaurant owners.

So it all comes to down to where you see your own self being a food blogger.

4. Which restaurants/food joints would you recommend to food lovers?

The list is a really long one, Haha! The readers might doze off but I do have some really essential suggestions.

For Choley Bhature, Chacha di Hatti at Kamla Nagar is a must try!
For Italian, One is Big Chill (Omnipresent in delhi) and Grandmama's Cafe at Juhu!

For Mughlai, Qureshi Kebas and Al Jawahar, both at Jama Masjid, Delhi.
Another Favourite goes by the name of Fateh ki kachori, at Civil Lines, Delhi. You Just cannot afford to miss this street style Kachori!

Trust me, you just cannot afford to miss these outlets.

5. What makes you appreciate a particular dish or a restaurant and talk about it on your blog?

I think it has to be the richness in the taste, if you hit my taste buds well and make love to them. I am going to visit you every now and then. I would be glad to share about in on my blog.

For say, there is this biryani in Chanakyapuri (Check my page for exact location), the taste is just exquisite and the place is full of expats eating that biryani. Its a gem but makes me wanna visit again since the taste is so rich.

6. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?

I think Chicken Changezi has my heart. Its been a ritual since 2011, we passed out of school but my friends and I, we tend to visit this original place which started Changezi Chicken in Delhi (karol Bagh). We often relish changezi chicken together, a ritual indeed to catchup once a month or so. This has a very special place in my heart.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I ain't much of an avid reader, more of a movie person. But I read this book few years back and absolutely loved it.

It's called the "Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck". Absolutely essential book to read in your life. Tells you about the values that are important to base your life upon, what matter the most and what just holds futile power over you and wouldn't really matter in life. A beautiful and essential read.