Chennai Street Food: Where Do You Find These Snacks?
Simple. Mostly, all restaurants have an “extension counter” outside their restaurants in evenings that turn into snack counters which dish out all these delicious, fried snacks. Some names that immediately come to mind include:
Hotel Divya
A small shop on the G N Chetty Road in T. Nagar. The unimaginably delicious smell of hot, piping vadas, pakoras and bhajis will make sure you sample these every time you pass by. All over the city, you will also find handcarts – or thelas springing up in the evenings that serve these snacks.
Jannal Bajji Kadai
The name literally means the Window Bajji Shop, is located on the Kapaleeswarar Temple Street. All you see is a lone vending window, that sells the tastiest bajjis and pakoras in Chennai. They also serve breakfast every morning, though the evening snacks are what make them hugely popular.The Hole in The Wall Bajji Shop – Jannal Bajji Kadai, Pic Credit: Katchutravels.com
Bajjis in
Chennai Beaches
There is one more happening destination for these delicious snacks in Chennai and that is the beach. After you have let enough waves splash your feet, you should stop at one of the many open-air eateries right there on the beach. It is time for all kinds of Bajjis – or Bhajiyas. Interestingly, all these eateries have a variety of Bajjis on offer – Potato Bajji, Brinjal Bajji, Green Chillies Bajji, Raw Banana Bajji, and Onion Bajji. You should always order a Mixed Plate. This will help in getting the taste of all the bajjis at one go, and then choose to order the one you liked the most.Bajjis from the Beach , Pic Credit: Sulekha.com While on your trip to the beach, do try the ‘Sundal’ that is solo vendors sell – they keep walking to potential customers on the beach, with a large container that contains Sundal. Interestingly, Sundal is nothing but boiled chickpeas or sometimes Kala Chana (Black Gram), flavored with grated coconut. In fact, these vendors call out =”Thenga, Manga, Pattani Sundal” (means Coconut-Raw Mango-Chickpeas Sundal) as they announce their presence. It’s a healthy snack and is very inexpensive. Undoubtedly, it is a must-try on your next visit to the beach. There are very few cities in India that offer so many street foods and are such colorful and delicious variety. The next name that comes closest is Ahmedabad with all its Farsan, and Mumbai. I will be sharing more on these cities soon.
