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Local taste, global appeal

The board was always inviting, but the parking space wasn’t. Every now and then, I would see a little corner with the words Chatak Chaat emblazoned on a board, but I was usually driving by, and never got the chance to stop. Then, one day a few weeks ago, I was happy to find that a Chatak Chaat outlet had opened up in Mayur Vihar Phase II.

Soon a particularly peckish day, I landed up there. It is a small place, but full of all those aromatic items that together constitute chaat. From gol gappas and papri to bhel puri and aloo tikkis – it has everything. Now that we are growing older and hygiene is more important than ever before, not all of us are willing to try out the chaat that’s sold by the local chaatwallah on his cart. That’s a pity, for I think all of us love a juicy gol-gappa, with its tangy and sweet water, and a plate of bhalla papri.

For such people, Chatak Chaat is just what the doctor ordered. The chaat is prepared hygienically, but there is no compromising with the taste. This may not be the chaat of Purani Dilli, but it’s certainly tasty — and hassle free. It does bulk orders and delivers home. Chatak Chaat has several outlets in Delhi. The Mayur Vihar branch was opened a few weeks ago. It is in the main market of Mayur Vihar Phase-II, close to where the now defunct Nirula’s used to be. There are branches in G.K. I and II, in Saket, and a host of other neighbourhoods. “We want to make it a desi McDonald’s,” says general manager S.P. Rungta. I ordered two plates of papri chaat, two plates of gol gappas, one plate of aloo tikki, one pao bhaji and one pao vada. The bill came to Rs. 160 — the prices for each dish vary from Rs.15 to 30.

I saw the way they assembled the chaats — with dollops of curds, a green chutney and a sweet red one, topped with a generous helping of crispy sev. They packed them well, and I took them home, where, of course, we had a veritable feast. The chaat was thick with yoghurt, the bhalla was soft, the papri crunchy, and the seasonings just right. Nothing was too hot, and the sweet-and-sour taste of the chutneys was perfect. The aloo tikki was delicious as well, for the potatoes were nicely crunchy and stuffed with raisins.

The menu is quite interesting. I have to now try out the palak patta papri chaat (Rs.30), the samosa chaat (Rs.25) and the dahi phuchka (Rs.25). I saw the samosa chaat being prepared — two samosas were smashed and topped with diced potatoes, yoghurt, channas, chutney and masala. They even have two healthy chaats for the weight watcher: the hari moong chatpata, and what has been named the healthy phuchka.

Chatak Chaat is good news for chaat lovers. And I believe Mr. Rungta when he says that it is going to give multinationals a run for their money. After all, as its slogan goes, this is “lokkal Indian!”

The centralised number for orders is 4617-4617

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