Bandana Chat Centre
This is an old shop which I have been seeing for a long time, but visited only recently. It sells sweets, snacks and chats.
Location
If you are coming from Girish Park crossing towards Beadon Street or Sovabazar crossing, following Chittaranjan Avenue (Central Avenue), the shop is on the right hand side of the road.
Bandana Chat Centre Menu
Ambiance
This is a basic sweet shop with 3 tables. So nothing as far as ambiance is concerned, but it is comfortable enough to enjoy a chaat or two along with few sweets. Sweets are sold from the glass displays while the chaats are made on a counter on the footpath outside the shop.
Sweets Counter
Service
There’s only one person who prepares the chaats. So if you have a big group and / or the other tables are also full, expect a slight delay. That’s expected. But the problem is most people in the shop have expressionless faces. So sometimes its hard to understand if they have accepted your order or not. But at times they also get super attentive and you would really love the service. So, in a nutshell, just keep your fingers crossed.
Chat Counter
Food
The best items here, according to me, are their tikiya chaats. Both the Tikiya Chola and the Delhi Tikiya Chat. The tikiya they use here are not simple aloo (potato) ones, but are more like vegetable chop filling mixed with potato. The Chola is excellent too.
Tikiya Chola Chat
The Delhi Tikiya Chat is a dahi (curd) chaat and here too the special tikiya remains the winner.
Delhi Tikiya Chat
The Kanji Bara was good, but nothing special. Dahi Singara Chat was good. Didn’t like their Dahi Phuchka. Too much chickpeas were added in the filling. Adding more potatoes would have made it better.
Dahi Phuchka
Dahi Singara Chat
Sweets here are decent. They sell Marwari sweets. Not the best, but not bad too. Once you are here, a sweet or two wont be a bad idea.
Gulab Jamun
All in all, if you are around, drop by for the tikiya chaats with few sweets.
Rating
Ambiance – 0.5 / 2
Service – 0.5 / 2
Cleanliness / Hygiene – 0.5 / 2
Plating – 0 / 1
Food – 2.6 / 4
Value for money – 1.5 / 2
Menu variety – 1.5 / 2
Overall 2.4 / 5
I couldn’t resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
Like you, I’ve passed by it countless times but have never tried their chaats. I’m fond of chana tikia and will keep your view on it noted. I loved the shots of the chana tikia and dahi phuchka. Excellent angles! A small lesson in food photography too!
I try to make the food look appetizing in the photos. And search for angles which will make the ingredients prominent. It is good to know that the approach clicked, at least here 🙂