Growth chaat

Dipanita Nath

As a child, Zorawar Kalra was never allowed to eat from the neighbourhood chaatwallah, however tempting be the globules of golgappas and the crushed paapri that glistened like gold dust. Street food was forbidden territory, as his parents warned in low tones that the food to die for might actually kill. A few weeks ago, the chaat wheel came full circle at The Great India Place Mall where Kalra, now a 30-year-old MBA from Boston, launched his eatery, Street Foods of India. At the 40-cover restaurant, waiters in funky, patchwork uniforms serve pavement staples with one crucial ingredient added - hygiene.

Many restaurants and caterers across Delhi, including the newly opened eatery Legends of India at Connaught Place, are doing the same: dishing out what they call "pavement fare" but cooked in state-of-the-art kitchens and served in china. Dhruv Dutta, catering director of Chatak Chaat, a Ferns 'N' Petals enterprise, says chaats have become a must-have at weddings, birthday dos and kitty parties. "At a party last week, I had a man riding a cycle, that resembled a pizza-delivery scooter, to serve golgappas," says Dutta. Raghu Kanodia, a realtor, even created a mini Chandni Chowk for his brother's sangeet on February 1. "It was one of my most happening parties and guests are still raving about the food," says Kanodia, whose spread included paan ki chaat. Kalra too avers that street food has made it to the menu of the high-end catering parties that he undertakes for his other enterprise, Bawarchi Tola.

At restaurants, it is pan-Indian pavement food that you get. Street Foods of India boasts favourites from five cities. "Apart from Delhi's popular chaats, we have Lucknawi favourites like galouti kebabs, Marwari thalis, Amritsari kulcha served with pindi channa and Mumbai's famous pav bhaji," says Kalra, pointing out that there are more than 15 types of chaats on the menu. The prices, which start at Rs 15 for pista kulfi, are kept competitive. The bun tikki, the grab-and-go snack from Amritsar, is served for Rs 20.

Then, there's the creative touch. Kalra is developing a range of fusion chaats like golgappas served with spicy beans and cheese in Mexican style, while Chatak Chaat has interesting types of dahi vadas, especially vadas stuffed with curd.

Street food is not leaving restaurants anytime soon. Kalra is planning to open a chain across north India, while Chatak Chaat, which currently has 30 outlets in the city, wants to take the number to 100. And Noida residents will soon get another edition of Khaja Chowk.