Taking time out to 'chaat'

For almost 14 years, this old eatery has churned out different types of chaats to cater to a large section of people in the City. For many, Sagar Chaats, has become a must-visit place when they come to Commercial Street. From the very light and tangy pani puri to the filling paav bhajji, the menu has every type of chaat at an affordable price.

Located parallel to Commercial Street, this eatery may be hard to find but ask anyone and all hands will point out to this tiny place. And like every old place, this too has a story to tell. “When we first started, we had just chaat and sweets as well. Most of our customers used to be college kids. Today, we have removed the sweets due to many reasons and have decided to concentrate on just chaats,” says Sudhakar, the manager of the eatery.

The menu is mainly divided into Delhi chaats and Bombay chaats. According to Sudhakar, the Delhi chaats have a thicker masala than the Bombay ones. “Our samosa and kachori chaats are very popular here,” he adds. But a must try is the aloo tikki chaat. Unlike other places, the tikki is not smashed and mixed with the masala but is kept on a side of the plate making it optional for the consumer. The paav bhajji is another speciality at the place. Apart from the regular plain paav bhajji, they have the cheese and paneer variety as well. “We make all the masalas ourselves. We don’t buy anything off the shelf. We also make sure our chaat is not as watery as the ones you get elsewhere,” says Sudhakar.

With a tiny seating area, the place also offers different kinds of sandwiches for those who want something  wholesome. With different fillings, the bread is either toasted or served plain according to the customers’ choice. “Today, the options for chaat places are plenty but the reason we come here is because of the authenticity and the quality they provide,” says Jayadev, one of the customers.