...For the week with the boy. This time the brother has shifted conveniently to Bandra so the bad mamma is dragging the boy around, showing him her old playground. And guess what he's mesmerised with? The street food vendors. Of course, he is far from trying anything out yet but he loves standing in front of the sandwichwala, bhelwala and dosawala to see how thy work. His eyes go wide as they deftly go about slapping chutney-butter-aloo on bread and circle dosa batter nonstop on the tawa. He also loves what he thinks are very fancy 'machines' even if it's the just-pressed sugarcane juice his mother would stay miles away from after a college time gastro scare.
All this awe and admiration has made me suddenly realize the lack of street food scene in Bangalore. At least a visible one. Sure you have the nariyalpani vendor and the peanut and fruit sellers but those aren't essentially streetside junk, like Delhi's Chole Kulchas or Momos or golgappe and the abovementioned lot in Bombay. In Bangalore, you're better off walking into a darshini or KFC for a quick hog. In the last five years I don't recall eating anything exciting at a street vendor and no, Empire's late night chicken dosa doesn't count. That's a shop. Street food, as it thrives in Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta is surely missing in Bangalore. Wonder why is it so? Or am I wrong? Any idea, Bangaloreans who perhaps still read this blog? Any street food memories in the city that you think I missed? Please to tell.
9 comments:
Yes, this Bangalorean does.
V.V. Puram food street. For gobi manchurian, ghee masala dosa and assorted junk food the way only streetside vendors can make it.
Okay, I haven't had breakfast yet, and I'm drooling at the memory of my last visit.
There's another one near Chikpet too I think.
just got back from Pune and was ruing about the same thing! had yummy dabeli, bhelpuri and assorted stuff! and chinees pelt in thousand different ways!
and yes while there is VV Puram, thats just like having a khau galli near fashion street. hardly thriving street food scene! which means you can get it in every corner of the city! :)
cheers!
abha
I don't think the South has a street food culture. I've been contemplating a story on Indian street food, and so far have come up with NOTHING for the South, even when I've spoken to food historians. Whereas there are so many amazing street food similarities in the North right across the subcontinent, most connected with migrant labour who need cheap, quick stuff.
Course, all the food historians I've spoken to are from the North, so there may simply be a lack of knowledge of the South.
On the other hand, I did spend one evening (not enough evidence) at the Marina Beach in Chennai, and all the food stalls I saw there offered mainly North Indian street food - strangely called Bombay Famous (there was NO Bombay street food except for pao bhaji, not even bhel).
Kahini
There are quite a few kao gallis as we call them in Bangalore and ironically in south and old bangalore..also dosa joints and chat counters are quite common...agreed its not as big as bbay ..when u back ?
Shub, Laksh: Yes, VV Puram certainly is. Have had yummy capsicum bhajjis there. Forgot to mention it while writing. And Shub, I need to check out this Chikpet thing. But I agree wth Abha, these are concentrated areas. It's not readily available in every corner. From what I have seen of Bombay, Delhi and Cal, it's different there. The street food culture is more abundant. I kept thinking about it and was just curious why it was so. Then again, maybe there's a whole lot of stuff outsiders like us are missing out on. Like Kahini says, maybe it's simply a lack of knowledge on my part.
I only remember going to Darshinis for iddli/vada/dosa, in Bangalore.
The mouth waters, as I think of street-side food... It seems a distant possibility right now.
I believe Basavanagudi is quite famous for street food. Opposite City Central Library and National College. Famous for bhelpuri, fruit chaat, lassi and even kulfi at the National Lassi Bar. Not been there but read about it.
There are numerous thela walas in parts of old bangalore - Malleswaram, Jayanagar, Basavanagudi, Rajajinagar where you get chaat,Blore style - dry bhel, tomato chaat, nipat masala, sev puri etc., they are nice though quite different from the mumbai style chaat - you must try them! - TM
So where do you like to stay in Bangalore or Mumbai?
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