It’s not just in Delhi but across India people are often found to be pretty fond of street food. Standing next to a thela in a queue, waiting for your turn to have a bite of, say a hot plate of aloo tikki or a vada pao, is a delightful moment. Though Delhi and Kolkata always remain on my top two slots for street food, Mumbai and Chennai are also not far behind.
Presenting the specialities from all the four regions is Radisson Blu Hotel Ghaziabad which is hosting a Street Flavours of India festival till November 17. Offering diners street food from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Being organised at its Sultan Lounge, the setup is quite spectacular dotted with special toy bogies named as Chennai express, Rajdhani express and all.
Walking down to the live cooking bogie and ordering my food at its window is an experience to cherish. I start my journey from Delhi tasting the famous raj kachori, aloo tikki and matar kulcha The raj kachori is good but its size should have been bigger as the way Delhiites love it. The curd and chutneys are cold enough to make the dish taste refreshing. The aloo tikki is crisp and crunchy, as it should be.
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Stopping at the next station, which is Howrah junction, is full of surprises too. Chowmein, puchkas and momos for the day. The chowmein served is not that spicy as I have eaten on Kolkata streets. The momos are way too tangy but blend well with the spicy chutney dips.
The counter which offers delicious street food is the Mumbai one, the bhel puri is just awesome. It tastes similar to the one eaten earlier at Mumbai’s Chowpatty. The chef also includes the trademark chutney sandwich of Mumbai in the menu. But it is nothing great to write home about as the bread seems a bit dry and lacks the thick layer of butter. The pav bhaji is the best amongst the rest. Perfect tanginess and the aroma of butter going well with the pao.
Going down South — to the Chennai express counter — to end the journey is worth the travel. The dal vada is delicious, has a nice aroma of the southern cuisine. The appam and stew complement each other.
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However, the best section is surprisingly the kid’s one. Nothing beats Maggi made in street food style garnished with mint and onion. The chuski leaves you sucking the refreshing flavours from the colourful bottles. Even the pink candy brings life to the child in you. I grin from ear to ear, walking out of the restaurant holding a candy in my hand and a patta/plate of crunchy desi ghee jalebies topped with a dollop of cool rabri.
Meal for two: Rs 1500