Raja Cafe, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh || Enjoy great views of the Western Group of Temples while munching on awesome food and chilled beer
Khajuraho feels Utopian, like an oasis in a desert. In a country where women aren't considered safe, here is a city which is famous for its erotic sculptures that are displayed in open for everyone to see, the city is relatively safe for women. It is a nice city to walk around in and when the weather is pleasant, one would love to sit in an open-air cafe, sipping on their favorite beverage, and enjoy the view of the temples as the sun sets. Raja Cafe makes this possible.
The cafe has indoor as well as outdoor seating and from its first floor terrace, it offers excellent views of the Western Group of temples. Under the shade of a big old neem tree, the cafe is a great place to chill after a day of walking around, exploring the temples on foot.
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While during the day, for most part of the year, it would be too hot to sit outside. In winter months, this would be a good place to have lunch during the day and in summer it is the perfect place for an evening beer. It is a rare place, indeed.
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And the fact that the food isn't bad doesn't hurt. In fact, it is very good. We got here after a day of walking around in the sun and climbing stairs, feeling that we deserved a good meal, even if it is expensive. We wanted to grab a seat on the terrace and we did manage to find a good one. It wasn't the table closest to the periphery. It was the second table and that was good enough view for us, because our view was still unblocked. The sun had set and lights had come on at the Western Group of Temples.
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We ordered a good old mutton curry with tandoori Roti and it was excellent though it took a while for it to be served. It tasted fresh so we were happy despite the delay. Tables around us were ordering all sorts of exotic looking sandwiches and platters and we could gauge that there was a wide variety of food to try.
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The cafe also serves alcoholic beverages, so you can potentially sit here with your friends and enjoy chilled beer or wine. We didn't, but it does sound tempting. We were in the mood for a chai and wanted to try out one of the roadside kiosks for that. Moreover the light and sound show that we had booked was going to start any minute and we knew that the restaurant wouldn't get us our tea fast enough. And this turned out to be the right decision.
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The cafe is good and if you are going to Khajuraho, then plan to spend at least one evening here. And try to get a table on the first floor terrace. It will be the perfect way to close an interesting day.