Vik's Chaat Corner

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2390 Fourth St. (at Channing) Berkeley, CA 94710

510-644-4432

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Cuisine(s): Indian, Pakistani

Hours: Sun,Tue,Wed,Thu,Fri,Sat 11am-6pm

Price: $
Payment Types: MasterCard, Visa

Features: Takeout, Catering, Wheelchair Accessible

Serving: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
Reservations: Not Accepted

Parking: Street

Description

Now in its third, largest space, this Indian restaurant and grocery store is a site of pilgrimage for Bay Area expats, who come for the chaat (snacks) and 25-pound bags of dal. During the week, the inexpensive daily lunch plates (meat or vegetable, rice, dal, raita, pickle, and chapathi) are the draw, while on weekends the dosas are famous. The stars of the chaat menu: chhole bhature, balloon-sized fried breads with curried chickpeas; pani puri, puffed crisps you fill with tamarind water; and dahi papdi chaat smothered in yogurt and several kinds of chutney.

Kauffman's Five: This Week in Food Bloggery

By Jonathan Kauffman | Fri, April 16, 2010

Five morsels electronic or, um, flour and water that struck my fancy this week:?1. Bite of the Week: Not having to eat any more hot dogs for a while actually makes me a little giddy, but that's probab... More »
Cholle Bhature from Vik's Chaat Corner

By Jonathan Kauffman | Mon, April 12, 2010

As a daily windup to the Weekly's Best of S.F. 2010 on May 19, we've teased out 92 of our favorite local dishes that taste like here after the jump. Number 27: The Cholle Bhature from Vik's Chaat ... More »

Main Menu

Daily Chat

Dahi Papdi Chaat
mid afternoon finds north indians detouring to their favorite pushcart for this cooling snack of flat papdis, potatoes and garbanzo beans smothered with yogurt and chutneys.

Dahi Batata Puri
i still remember making the trek to the pushcart at elko arcade in mumbai for these puris filled and topped with yogurt and tamarind chutney. make sure you finish the best part, the tangy mixture at the bottom of the plate, after the puris are gone..

Dahi Pakori (gf)
my grandma would have us help her grind lentils which were then made into dumplings and soaked in hot water to make them soft to their core. they are dipped in yogurt and served with mint and tamarind chutneys

Bhel Puri (v)
at 3pm sharp everyday the bhel puri wala would pass our neighborhood ringing the bell on his pushcart. he would serve this zesty mixture of rice puffs, potatoes, onions and chutneys covered with sev in a recycled newspaper. ask for it sweet, medium or spicy.

Sev Puri (v)
the bhel puri wala’s other specialty: flat papdis with potatoes, onions, and chutneys topped with sev and, when in season, raw mango

Pani Puri (v)
you will find vendors with pushcarts and even bicycles selling this fiery, mint water filled in puffed puris. make a hole in the puri, stuff it with potatoes and garbanzo beans, add a little tamarind chutney and fill up the puri with the spiced water. the whole puri goes in your mouth.

Aloo Tikki (v)
pushcarts with large taavas have these potato patties lined up in a circle ready to be served with cholle and chutneys. the crisp skin hides the soft interior..

Samosa Cholle
i looked forward to my parents having guests over because it meant samosas would be served. our samosas are served with a side of cholle and chutneys..

Cholle Bhature
the big puffy thing. break off a piece of bread with your hands, dab the pickle and scoop the cholle into your mouth.

Mix Veg Pakoras (gf V)
there isn’t a better snack served on a rainy day with a cup of tea.

Vegetarian Weekend Specials

Dosa (gf V)
the dosa pushcart would set up everyday at 4pm around the corner from amitabh bachan’s bungalow in mumbai. the dosa wala would always put the first dosa made at the foot of ganeshji's altar. he would roll out these savory crepes with filling, on a taava, and serve them with sambar and chutney. please choose from plain, masala (potato) or vegetable filling.

Uttapam (gf V)
the dosa wala was simultaneously working a smaller taava flipping crispy, savory pancakes topped with tomatoes and onions.

Idli (gf V)
the dosa pushcart also had an idli steamer which, every hour or so, would turn out these light and fluffy rice cakes with sambar and chutney.

Veg Kathi
this hearty paneer roll is a favorite for vegetarians..

Paratha (v)
this traditional north indian breakfast invokes memories of mom in the kitchen rolling parathas on tavaas and serving them hot with yogurt and achaar. please choose from an aloo (potato) or gobi (cauliflower) stuffing.

Pav Bhaji
linking road in mumbai had a row of stalls all serving bhaji with pav. you would see the bhaji on a taava with a ring of amul butter around it. the bhaji is intended to be scooped up with the pav.

Dhokla
the dhokla seller would come to your flat in mumbai on his bicycle selling this gujurati favorite out of a large steel drum. you give him an approximate quantity and he would weigh it on his balance weight scale and give it to you wrapped in a newspaper.

Non-veg Weekend Specials

Chicken Kathi Kebab
it is mesmerizing watching the workers at bade miya, in the shadows of the taj hotel in mumbai, flip the paratha and add egg to it. it is rolled together with spicy chicken.

Lamb Baida Roti
bade miya’s popular late night snack is this roti made on a taava and stuffed with minced lamb.

Chicken Biryani
on friday, the holy day for muslims, the streets leading up to the mosque are lined with vendors selling biryani in huge clay pots. the layers of rice and bone-in meat cook together all day long. the choice between lamb and chicken is a tough one.

Koliwada Fish
as you approached the end of linking road in mumbai, the aroma of fried fish would draw you to this wood shack. you tell the owner the quantity and he would drop it into hot oil with his free hand. he would serve it to you in a newspaper with a side of onions and chutney.

Keema Samosa
a lamb filled version of the popular samosa.

Shami Kebab
this hyderabadi specialty of ground lamb and lentils is served over rice. it is renowned for its smooth texture and delicate composition.

Tandoori Specials
these are our memories of meats and vegetables cooked in a clay oven and served with traditional sides along with tandoori roti.

Sweets

Kulfi Falooda
kailash parbath in mumbai was my post-exams destination for this saffron flavored ice cream topped with vermicelli and basil seeds and a hint of rose.

Rasmalai

Rasgolla

Gulab Jamun

Looking for another city?

Vik's Chaat Corner

2390 Fourth St. (at Channing) Berkeley, CA 94710

510-644-4432

Description

Kauffman's Five: This Week in Food Bloggery

By Jonathan Kauffman | Fri, April 16, 2010

Cholle Bhature from Vik's Chaat Corner

By Jonathan Kauffman | Mon, April 12, 2010

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