Oye Hoye in Nungambakkam serves eight flavours of chaap and wholesome platters of chole bhature 

From the chaap menu, look out for classics like soya and malai to Chinese-inspired variants like Dragon and Manchurian and even a popular plate with a Chettinad twist
Oye Hoye in Nungambakkam serves eight flavours of chaap and wholesome platters of chole bhature 

North Indian folks missing flavours of home have been going gaga over this new spot in the city. Oye Hoye is a stand-and-eat kiosk which opened a few weeks ago with bright neon signage and promises a slice of Chandni Chowk in Chennai. Expect eight flavours of chaap that range from classics like soya and malai to Chinese-inspired variants like Dragon and Manchurian and even a popular plate with a Chettinad twist. Enjoy in a bowl or a kulcha wrap with onions rings for crunch and a dash of freshly-blitzed pudina chutney. For something heavier, opt for their Cheese Stuffed Chole Kulche with a dollop of butter for extra indulgence.

<em>A glimpse of the kiosk on Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam</em>
A glimpse of the kiosk on Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam



Varun Sheth (whose father brought the Tibbs Frankie chain to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) has partnered up with husband-wife duo Bhisham Sahi (head of the creative agency Pixelate) and Avanthika Ravikumar (architect and interior designer) for this project. “There are two camps of people who are frequent visitors — those from up North who are excited to find street-style chaap and chole and those who want to know, what is chaap?” Varun tells us, as we place our order. For the latter, chaap is a popular snack made of soya found in every street corner in Delhi, and from a diet perspective, a rich source of protein.

We get down to tasting as soon as the food arrives and find the chaap lighter and softer than most; Bhisham tell us this because they use more soya and less maida. Flavourwise, the Lehsuni made with an in-house mix of garlic paste and hung yoghurt is the hottest seller, and we can see why. Although personally, we find ourselves gravitating towards the Malai when we reach for seconds. We also recommend the Aloo Stuffed Kulche which is the newest addition on the menu. The channa accompaniment, we are told, is soaked with the skin of pomegranate — that lends it that dark, earthy colour and tart flavour. Meanwhile, the imli (tamarind) chutney on the side serves up tangy bliss and their thick, homemade lassi hits the spot.

Chaap priced at INR 100 (half) and INR160 (full or for a roll). Chole samosa at INR 90, chola bhature at INR 160. Open from 12 pm to 10.30 pm.
 

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