Drop by for some traditional snacks

This modest place serves a host of dishes including variety of vadas, masala items and hot and crispy pakodas and is always packed with customers during evening time.

The Vada Centre was started more than 30 years ago by Ramadasa Upadhyaya, a native of Udupi. Now, his son Raghavendra Upadhyaya is steering the business and has introduced many new items. “My father started this joint in 1980 as a small venture with a small investment. Fortunately, over the years people started coming in large numbers and the business picked up very well. Now, the place is synonymous with tasty and crispy vada. I have maintained the same taste all these years,” says Raghavendra. When the eatery was started, it was open only during evening time. However, when Raghavendra took over from his father, he decided to serve breakfast along with evening snacks. During morning, the joint offers a limited breakfast menu like idli-vada, rice bath, puri and tatte idli along with coffee and tea.

But in the evening from 5 pm onwards, one can savour a range of traditional snacks. The menu has been divided into three parts – bajji, pakoda and vada. The vada section includes items like masala vada, uddina vada, potato bonda and vada pav. Masala items on offer are capsicum masala, banana masala, bread masala, mirchi masala and mixtures.

Though pakoda section doesn’t have many items, onion pakoda is very popular with the customers. People, who want to buy in bulk, have  to place the order a day in
advance.

The place also offers the service of expert cooks, who are willing to go to the customer’s place and prepare the items.

“I usually come here with my husband at least thrice a week. This is a perfect place for old people like us to meet up over a cup of coffee and hot bajjis after an evening walk. As the place is surrounded by residential area, it is always teeming with customers in the evenings. To me, everything on the menu looks enticing and I used to try all of them a decade back. But now due to health concerns, I restrict myself to mirchi masala and vada pav,” says Sulochana Namoshi, one of the regular customers.

A vada lover can discover ‘Shree  Lakshmi Venkateshwara Vada Centre’ on 4th Cross, 12th Main, Hanumanthanagar, near Maruti Circle Bus Stop.

For details, contact Raghavendra on 9964234499.