Shopping Delhi

The corner butcher shops are difficult to find. Even though there are some which still exist (like the one in Lal Market, Sector 37 or in Sec-12, Sabzi Mandi) but gradually big boys with swankier shops are taking over. I like to eat home cooked mutton and I prefer to buy from a shop where I can see the mutton being chopped. That helps me to gauge the quality and also allows me to choose, i.e. whether I want from ‘pichhli raan’ or I need ‘chaap’ or ‘boties’ or may be some ‘kaleji’. I somehow is yet to be get comfortable with tinned mutton.
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Reliance Retail has opened yet another grocery chain store - Reliance Fresh - in Gaur Gravity, the shopping arcade in Gaur Green City premises in Indirapuram. It is a well-stocked store with lot of fresh veggies and their sub varities, this store seemed better (and fresher) than their outlet in Shopprix in Sector-61, Noida.

Although the chain claims to offer almost all grocery items that, say, you’d get a nearby kiryana store, there still aren’t many brands or variants available. Why, you get better deals at a food bazaar (that’s about 300 mtrs from this outlet, at Shipra Mall) on most of the products - juices, rice, flour, bisquits blah! blah! But are we willing to go all the way to Shipra Mall, park… and pay for it, walk all that much and queue for billing?

The other thing lacking is fresh rice batters and non-veg items (which perhaps may not happen at all from the staunch gujju stable… but then there are A1 plazas that offer non-vegetarian food all the time everywhere). They may also get some new trollies for kids to sit…(I KNOW I am asking for too much, besides sounding like an aunty…but customer is the king and I am only expressing my right to opinion), they apparently have these very nice and fancy trollies, in which you can put these fine, good quality red baskets, but what do you do with kids?!!

All in all, the approach to this place is excellent and at least now when there is enough place for parking, this is the most hassle-free place to buy from. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly, though they can do with more cash counters. For the resource-starved Indirapuram, Subhiksha at Amrapali was quite a farce, so Reliance Fresh - makes a lot of sense.

One more Subhiksha and probably the first one in the mushrooming concrete jungle of Indirapuram. This one is located in the market of Amrapali Green. Amrapali is situated between Mahagun Mansion and HRC , High Res Constructions (what an interesting name) and is opposite Gaur Green City.

Like all other outlets , this one is a cramped one too and as the total visitors crosses five, it starts to get suffocating, more so in a weather like these days. Subhikhsa Amrapali stores and sells vegetables, so no groceries but they do sell Milk and Bread which is a life saver since there are very very few people around who do this.

The prices are pretty competitive in general and infact far better then road-side vendors. If you want something fresh then best times are to visit them early morning, say after 9 or so. They usually stock a decent variety and the staff is cordial. Currently the only good competition they have is Big Bazaar in Shipra Mall but the usual barriers of going to any Mall would work in their advantage, though Reliance Retail would be open anytime in Gaur Gravity.

All in all, a good news for the residents of close-by apartments.