There's a huge fan following for street food in Chennai. Something about the diverse nature of the dishes and their vibrant flavours is very alluring to Chennaiites. While Burmese street food does rule the roost, street food from Delhi and Mumbai is much sought-after as well, and there is a new dine-in outlet in the city that specifically caters to food enthusiasts who want to experience the flavours of the national and financial capitals in their hometown.
Located in Kilpauk, Oye Hoye and Nombay serve, Delhi and Mumbai street food, respectively. We had the chance to try the dishes from both outlets and here is what we think about the dishes we tried.
First up, we go to try the dishes from Oye Hoye (the latest outlet at Kilpauk is the second branch for the brand in Chennai). Beginning with the Classic Punjabi Lassi, which was very tasty, we moved onto the Achari Paneer Tikka. The paneer was as soft as it gets, and the flavour of the dish shone through rather well.
However, it was nothing when compared to the Cheese-stuffed Amritsari Kulcha, which, according to us, was the star of the menu. Served with two accompaniments, the kulcha was very soft, layered with cheese, and delicious. Two of these would suffice for lunch, we reckon, for the kulcha is very filling and the taste of the cheese lingers on for a while in the mouth. One can also get Chole Bhature (there's also a Jain version), Soya Chaap, and more at Oye Hoye.
We then jumped ship to Nombay, which is a brand-new... brand in town. The very first dish that we tried was the Vada Pav, which made us want more from the place. So we got ourselves the Bombay Pav Bhaji, the Ragda Pattice, and the Classic Tawa Pulao. None of these dishes disappointed us and we particularly liked the Ragda Pattice for the array of flavours it brings to the plate.
One can't leave such a place without eating something sweet, and we were served some very tasty Gulab Jamun. Having gotten ourselves another set, we ended our tasting session with a big smile plastered on our faces. Says a lot about street food, eh?
INR 400 for two persons. 1-10.30 pm. At Kilpauk.
