The famed KARIM’s restaurant of Delhi has fallen in bad days, it seems. Karim’s Nizamuddin, the more dignified of its outlets, has downed its shutters temporarily due to labour problems about which its management has been quite evasive in the media. I had a very unpleasant personal experience with its flagship outlet in Matiya Mahal, Gali Kababian, Jama Masjid in Old Delhi recently which shows how this once heritage eatery is going to disrepute with its management least bothered or even aware. On the night of 09 May 2012, I packed some food from the outlet for home, sparing my family members from the squalid “heritage” environs of the Urdu Bazaar. The amount was just over Rs. 1100.00 in two separate bills. I was told to wait for 25 minutes which I tried to utilize by hanging out and buying minor provisions from neighbouring shops. Half an hour later I collected my stuff in two packets and left hurriedly to make the most of the virgin heat of Mughlai food. After unpacking the stuff at home, I found two meat dishes missing along with its bill. After cremating the remains I figured that the food was much greasier than before. The aromatic flavour too was markedly amiss. Thereafter, I started working the phone no. given on the surviving bill. “Call back after half an hour, we’re busy right now”, came the reply. Next time the guy just hung up. The same followed the next two days. Once, one of the guys was magnanimous enough to ask me to g
