Food Shopping: Where to go and where I go.

One of my wishes is to be able to buy everything on my shopping list at one time and at one store.  Unfortunately this doesn't always happen.  Is my list too long? Specific? Obscure?  No, none of the above.  "No Stock Madame" is a common phrase I hear at grocery stores, which is usually followed by an annoyed "Sigh" from me.

For my big shopping trips when I need to buy meat (ie chicken- I don't cook other meat here), I make the trek to HyperCity in Inorbit Mall, Madhapur.  The downside to Hypercity is that their produce isn't as good as other stores.  Qmart, Ratnadeep, Spar, and Tarkari all have much better produce.  For reference, Hypercity opens at 10am (there rest of Inorbit mall opens at 11am) and closes at ?? sometime later than a normal person would be doing their grocery shopping, probably 9:30pm.

If you are looking for the best produce:

• Tarkari is a small fruit and vegetable shop with 2 locations: Road #1 Banjara Hills directly below Lion India Framing Shop, and in Gacihbowli between the Cyberabad Police Comissionerate and the ramp to the new flyover. It is next to a More grocery store which has an orange sign.  Tarkari has the best selection of produce and you can find lettuce and celery most of the time.
• Qmart: Road #2 Banjara Hills
• Ratnadeep: (a few locations around town including:) Main road Madhapur, near My Home Navadweepa, and Road #12 Banjara Hills.  Their produce is always very good.  The tomatoes, onions, okra, green beans, and other items are prepackaged in 500g or 1kg bags, which makes shopping easier and quicker.
• Spar: Oasis Center Begumpet
• Pure O Natural:  Opposite Lumbini Springs, Kondapur.  Only fruits and vegetables.  Good selection and quality

Buying Meat?

Like I said, I only buy and cook chicken here.  Any fish or prawns I buy are frozen.  I buy my chicken from Hypercity, and will get frozen fish or prawns wherever I can find them: usually Ratnadeep or Qmart.  A number of people order meat and cheese from The Deli at the Novotel.  When you go there, ask for "the list" of produce and meat that they sell.  You can give them your order and it will be there to pick up the next day.  For me that requires planning...not my forte.  

For quick and easy grocery needs (milk, eggs, butter, sugar, flour, juice) any Heritage, Fresh, or More grocery store will be fine.  

Curtain and Upholstery Fabric shops

India is a great place to get home furnishing fabrics and custom made curtains and upholstery.  Fabrics are great quality, the selection is huge and the prices are good.   My 2 favorite (home furnishing) fabric shops are both located on the same road in Ameerpet but on opposite sides of the street.

They are:
Vijay Textiles: 040 2341 4172 (there are several showrooms around town, the one I go to is in Ameerpet)
Jaydurga Furnishings: 040 2373 3614
Both shops can make curtains and do upholstery work.  

Hair Care

Not long after your arrival you will be plagued with the question "Where should I get my hair done?"  Wherever you go always always ALWAYS!! ask for a Senior Stylist!!  The price will be marginally more, but it can save you a big headache (pun intended)!

For the Gents 2 good bets are:

• Ista Hotel in Gachibowli 040 4450 8888 (ask to be connected to the spa)
• Tangerine on Road #36 Jubilee Hills, opposite Chutneys Phone 040 2355 4800  
• I have also seen nice work done on gents at Envi Salon in Inorbit Mall, Madhapur, but I don't have any personal accounts to back that up. 040 4003 6014

Best to bypass:
Ellaa Suites salon:  my husband HAS had good haircuts there, but has also had NOT good haircuts there.  The quality of the cut is very much dependent on the stylist there, and in my opinion isn't worth the risk

Ladies:
My favorite is Bubbles Salon in Jubliee Hills opposite KBR park: 040 6576 5577. Tanjua is the best stylist there.  (they also do the best pedicures in the city IMO)
Also recommended:

• Manea Salon in Banjara Hills : ONLY have Sachin do your hair!  Road #2 Banjara Hills, Park View Estate 1st floor  040 6678 4511
• Mirrors Salon Road #1 Jubilee Hills, next to Celebrations  (a new one just opened on the main road in Madhapur, but I don't have the info yet)
• Novotel Salon (Rosalie is the recommended stylist) 

Best to bypass:  Ellaa Suites salon.  Just don't bother.  Contact me and I could do a better job for you. 

These recommendations are only for haircuts.  Color is a different issue entirely.  Needless to say in India, colorists are most comfortable with shades of dark brown.  So if you have any other color hair, you may have difficulty getting your hair colored to your liking.  One friend wanted dark blonde and wound up platinum.  Another lady wound up orange because the colorist "mixed the color herself".  My best advice, since I don't color my hair, is to ask around before blindly choosing a colorist.   

Stocking your Home: Kitchen Wares

Stocking your kitchen can be a never ending battle.  Here are good places to start:

1.  Hypercity, Inorbit Mall Madhapur.
2.  Hometown, Punjagutta
3.  @Home, Rd #1 Banjara Hills

An odd, off the beaten path place where locals would shop is:  Agro Mech Industries: B-7 Industrial Estate, Sanathnagar, Hyd.  www.agromechindustries.com  040 2370 0280  There are 2 buildings on opposite sides of the street.  The first is a shop with appliances on the ground floor, and lots of good stuff upstairs.  Glassware, dishes, plastic items, plastic storage boxes, knives, restaurant supply items.  Fun fun fun.  The building across the street is a large, no frills, warehouse with all kinds of stainless steel items, pots, pans, tiffens, little kitchen gadgets.  It is a dusty place so bring something to wipe your hands with once you leave.  Check with your driver to see how long it would take to get there.  From Madhapur, it was at least a 45 minute drive.  A friend's driver brought her to this place...we may have been one of the first expats to visit.

Stocking your home: Sheets, Towels, & (Ready Made) Curtains

There are several options in Hyderabad for sheets and towels, etc.  Here are my 'Best Bets':

Hometown in Punjagutta, lots of options for sheets.  They also have a good selection of cushion (aka throw pillow) covers
@ Home, Road #1 Banjara Hills, opposite City Centre mall
Wellhome, City Center Mall, Banjara Hills.  Occasionally they have great sales on towels.  I was there recently and they were having a "Buy 1, get 2" sale.
Lifestyle, Inorbit Mall and Begumpet.

Shoppers Stop also sells sheets, towels, etc but tends to have a smaller selection than other places.