An Urban Oasis

by Joshua Neiderer

Located in Udaipur’s bustling Tourist district, the oddly named The Whistling Teal offers a break from the bustle of the city and a nice alternative to the countless rooftop eateries that saturate the city.

Walking in to the something-themed restaurant, the first thing that confronts the visitor is a nicely kept lawn surrounded by sheesha-bearing tables paired with plush bed-couches.

Walk further inside and your options increase as standard café-style tables give way to a bar with saddles instead of chairs.
This may lead to the assumption that the Teal is an American Old-West style eatery. However, the sounds of smooth jazz and walls covered in photographs tell a different story.

On offer are any manner of coffee drinks, a full bar, sheesha and a standard tourist-catering style menu. The Teal does offer some traditional Rajasthani food, and no Tex-Mex treats.
 
After having a look around, grab a saddle at the bar or a bed and sheesha in the courtyard but be prepared to wait a while to eat.

We showed up between the dinner and lunch rushes at around 3:30 in the afternoon, and had to wait just over an hour for the food nevertheless.
There were three of us and we order a mixture of local and continental fare. We had a traditional Rajasthani Thali, a local dumpling called Gatte Ki Sabzi and a vegetarian club sandwich.

All were good, but the gem of the meal was the maharaja-sized thali. At Rs. 300 it’s one of the most expensive thali photographer Tristan Wheelock has ever paid for, but his reaction to the meal was simple, concise and positive.

“This is probably the best thali I’ve ever had,” he said.

So, if you’re looking to keep your feet on the ground and have some time to spare, The Whistling Teal, enigmatic as the name is, is well worth the visit.