Cafe Constellation: A Cafe Stuck In Glorious Time Wrap

Website design By BotEap.comThe British may be gone, but a part of their charm still lingers in small cantonments across India. Kasauli is one of those towns that clings to its colonial past and this is visible in all the nooks and crannies of the old garrison.

Website design By BotEap.comPerched on what might as well be Kasauli’s main road, the Alasia Hotel has seen the changes around it for over a century. The hotel’s Constellation Café on the ground floor is one of the best examples of a place that’s contemporary and yet caught in a glorious wrapper of time.

Website design By BotEap.comWhat sets Café Constellation apart?

Website design By BotEap.comOffering a mix of Indian, Chinese and Continental food, Constellation Café could best be described as one of those things that benefited from the old colonial rulers. The quaint decor, hand-drawn sketches of the township along the wall, friendly waiters, and soothing green hue on the walls along with traditional favorites like Shepherds Pie (less than Rs. 360), Mutton Rissole (less than Rs. 235) and chicken stew (less than Rs. 235), Constellation Café’s continental fare will take you back in time for a while.

Website design By BotEap.comWorth trying at Cafe Constellation

Website design By BotEap.comAlthough one might be tempted to indulge in Continental, Café Constellation’s Indian dishes are worth every bite. With generous amounts of methi (fenugreek) in a thick masala sauce, Constellation’s Chicken Curry (less than Rs 435 full and less than Rs 235 half) is unlike the image that usually comes to mind. The smooth tawa roti is the perfect accompaniment that makes food taste even better. Unlike the overly fried yellow dals one gets at most places, Cafe Constellation’s Dal Maharani (less than Rs. 110), is one of the simplest yet delicious preparations you’ll ever taste.

Website design By BotEap.comMany still think of Kasauli as a sleepy hill town, but it’s far from that. A place full of energy, especially on weekends, the chances of getting stuck in a traffic jam at this altitude is a possibility you need to be prepared for. The Alsia sit-in is one of the best ways to enjoy Kasauli’s serene surroundings. A narrow cobbled path crisscrossing patches of really green grass with the Kasauli TV tower looking on solemnly, the sit-in is the perfect place to soak up the sun and watch life go by. The problem is that for some strange reason no food is served outside and the fumes from passing vehicles will break the spell. But despite that small detail, the Hotel Alasia’s Café Constellation is an ideal place to escape to the past for a while.

Website design By BotEap.comConstellation Café Rating: 3 ½ of 5

Constellation Cafe, Hotel Alasia. The Mall, Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh.

Reservations can also be made at the Delhi office of the Alasia Hotel.

705, Chiranjiv Tower, Nehru Place, New Delhi- 110019