JOIN USWhile foodies continue to treat VV Puram Eat Street (Thindi Beeni) as their holy shrine, a little known eat street flourishes right in the middle of the City on the busy Brigade Road.
Within the Rex Theatre compound, one can find all kinds of foods – momos, juices, rolls, chaat, dosas, golas and what not!
Sitting at the gate is Nagesh, who runs ‘Corn Cup’. With two carts side by side, he prepares momos in one while making sweet corn in the other. He informs that business has been good for the five years that he’s taken up the space and that there’s immense pleasure in being the only momo seller on Brigade Road.
Next to him is ‘Chinese Corner’, where one can often see a crowd standing and waiting for chicken lollipops or kebabs. “We get up at 6 am, start cooking the food and set up the place by 10.30 am. We wrap up only by 10.30 pm.
The days are long but satisfying. Weekends are definitely better for business as more people come to watch a movie,” informs Mohammed Razaak, the cook.
For the taste of Kolkata, people throng to Lazeez, a popular roll joint. “We’ve been here for 10 years and have established a name for ourselves. Some customers are regulars while others try it for the first time while visiting Brigade Road. The chicken egg roll is a must-try,” smiles Mumtaz, who runs the stall.
What’s great about the eat street is the willingness to serve and the hygiene levels, including bins near each eatery. The prices are also very reasonable for the
quality of food.
Beverages are also a plenty, with options like fruit juice, sugarcane juice, lime soda and even jaljira.
Leshan runs ‘Cane Crush’, which offers sugarcane juice in flavours like ginger, mint, lime and chaat for Rs 20. There’s also ‘Lemonday Lime Soda’, where Rajan prepares fresh lime sodas in flavours like green apple, ginger and lime, jaljira and even golas! “I’ve been here for two months and people like the authentic flavours I offer. My kala
khatta gola is a hit with the customers,” he says.
At ‘Cream Nectar’, popular for its ice creams, seasonal juice provided by Hopcoms is available. “Currently, we are selling grape juice and mango juice, which are both popular. It’s quite profitable to work here and the people around are nice,” says Krishna, who runs it.
The oldest and most respected stall is Murugesh’s, who runs Dosa Sagar Juice Shop. “I’ve been around for 25 years and seen this place grow. There are many new faces but there’s no competition because everyone is doing what they’re doing. It’s a unique variety,” he says.
Dosa Sagar, which is linked to his stall, is a haven for fans of South Indian and Chinese food, offering close to ten varieties of manchurian itself.
Last but not the least is Jai Ma Durga Chats, the only chaatwala around. “We’re busy from the time we open at 2 pm. People come from far to have our aloo tikki, samosa chaat, bhel and panipuri, which are prepared in the Uttar Pradesh style.
The best part of the day is when a familiar face stops at the stall,” wraps up Suresh Thakur, the owner.