Truck or treat

Momos, chicken lollipop and Chinese favourites, this food truck has them all

May 27, 2016 04:20 pm | Updated October 18, 2016 12:43 pm IST

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU , 23/5/2016 .Delicious chicken momos at Karam food truck. Photo: Krupa Mukundan

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU , 23/5/2016 .Delicious chicken momos at Karam food truck. Photo: Krupa Mukundan

It’s a warm evening, and the street is crowded. As horns blare angrily, we determinedly navigate through a web of vehicles to reach our destination: a cheerful mini food truck. Arguably Chennai’s first, it serves an unpretentious, and tasty, version of desi Chinese food at competitive rates to a constantly changing audience. Busy 100 Feet road doesn’t seem like an ideal place to set up a restaurant, even a moveable one. However, Karam Food Truck’s three amiable cooks are clearly thriving in this livewire environment. As we approach, we hear the familiar clash and clang of vessels from inside the tiny kitchen, and are wrapped by delicious scents of toasted garlic, caramelised onions and simmering soy sauce.

As we wait for our food, Karthi Kannan, the owner, tell us about how it all began. After a brief stint as a restaurant manager, he decided to set forth on his own. His dream, he says, was to create a space that made food accessible to all kinds of people. He says, “I want to break the boundaries between the rich and the poor. My food truck has been set up to feed anyone who is hungry, which is why we keep prices low as well. At the same time, there is no compromise on quality: the food we make is as good as what you will find at any restaurant. I want everyone to leave satisfied.”

Although they began with a menu that offered both South Indian and Chinese food, they’ve begun focusing on the Chinese menu lately. Karthi says he plans to keep changing the menu, and aims to make it more elaborate. When asked about his future plans, he says, “I can’t promise anything, but I am working on another food truck which will have a buffet counter.” He then adds that he also wants to start a truck that solely focuses on South Indian food. The menu is already quite elaborate, considering the pocket-sized kitchen. Despite the crowded space, the atmosphere is friendly as people start streaming in and rapidly calling out their orders. The location also grows on us: we admire the quiet ripples of Velachery lake as we dig into plates of steaming chicken momos, followed by a serving of spicy chicken lollipops. We pause for a minute to let the fiery heat abate, but the lollipops, which are crisp on the outside and tender inside, sticky Szechwan sauce, are difficult to resist for long. The tenderly wrapped momos are a little chewy, but fortunately the minced meat inside is suitably moist. Curious about the vegetarian option, we order gobi Manchurian. The cauliflower is deftly seasoned, with an impressive garnish. Service is quite prompt. “I can sleep properly only when a customer says he likes my food,” Karthi says. So does he rely on customer feedback entirely? “One hundred percent,” he smiles.

Karam’s food truck is located along 100ft road, Velachery, and is open from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The cost for two is approximately Rs.300

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