Naukuchiatal is a small hill station around the beautiful lake by the same name. It's a popular tourist destination because of its scenic beauty and pleasant weather round the year. It is a much better choice compared to nearby crowded hill stations like Nainital as it is less commercialised. We found two beautiful cottages by the lake on this website that offers some really beautiful bungalows all over India, at very nominal prices.

We went for the Premium Cottage with three rooms, spacious living and dining area, an attached garden, and kitchen spread over two floors. We were a group of 7 people so it made more sense to go for the bigger bungalow. However, if you're travelling in a group of 4-5 people, you can also opt for the Two Bedroom Villa which comprises of two spacious bed rooms, a small kitchen and couch area. Both the cottages are within 200 metres of each other so you can also book both of them together if you're travelling in a larger group.

We first found out about Lee's Kitchen through Highway on My Plate on NDTV Goodtimes. My entire family was a bit crazy about that show and the funny, food-loving hosts Rocky & Mayur. So it had been mentally bookmarked for over two years before we finally got a taste of it. Lee's Kitchen is only 5 minutes away from Kathgodam railway station, the nearest one to popular hill stations like Naukuchiatal, Bhimtal, Nainital, Ranikhet, et al. We were to catch a late afternoon train back to Delhi and decided to have lunch at Lee's.

We ordered our usual Chinese staples: veg manchurian, chilly garlic noodles and spring rolls. The food came piping hot within ten minutes of placing the order. My favourite of the lot was the manchurian because of the crispy texture of the balls and ample veggies in the semi-dry gravy. They make their noodles from scratch using an antique noodle-maker, and they're quite popular for it too. The noodles were super light, well-seasoned with a strong kick of garlic. I was a bit disappointed with the spring rolls because of the oiliness but the stuffing was one of the best I've ever had. We ordered a couple of iced teas to wash it all down and cope with the spiciness of our meal. It was a quick, enjoyable, pocket-friendly lunch.