A street cafe Delhi desired

If you have given up on street food, here is a chance to rekindle that love affair once again

Let us confess our best street food encounters occurred when the spirit of adventure was at its peak. Those daring days when we scaled the school hostel walls and held 'gol gappa gulping down competitions' with our mates. Or the detour we took on a rainy day while driving back home from work, only to sink teeth into those kebabs grilled in one of the dinghy lanes of old Delhi.



But then we grew up and out of it, giving a droopy smile to the pau bhajjiwala in the street corner as we drove back home to a sombre home-cooked meal. Suddenly, street food was for jholawala college bachelors with iron stomachs or middle class aunties on a ladies' day out. The office-goer attending corporate meetings in swanky air conditioned offices had divorced it.

That was until now. This street food caf ufffd in Khan Market is trying to rekindle that love -affair with the kind of grub which has always left us asking for more. And this time it's from all over the globe.

Kilroy was here
Boombox Caf ufffd, as the name suggests borrows the idea from the Hip Hop dancers jiving with a boom box on their shoulder. So in the 4000 sq ft area (one of the largest in Khan Market) expect interiors which tilt towards minimalist, grungy and anti- archaic designs. Simply imagine the living quarters of your street artist friend from Berlin or Buenos Aires, who strangely by some dubious means has money to splurge on his pad. Sink into one of the plush seats and your mind wanders as you eye the young, boisterous patrons hopping from on table to the next. Suddenly, one is gripped by a sudden juvenile urge to pick up a pen and scrawl across one of the grafitti laden walks, 'Kilroy, Chad oru00a0 yours truly' was here.

The world is your street
Your Bhel puri is pass ufffd. Spoil yourself with a Malaysian Satay, Texan chilli corn carne,u00a0 Mexican enchilada, Jamaican jerk chicken sandwich, you name it from our humble Chicken 65 from down south to African Bunny chow, North American Burgers, Central and South American Tacos to European Cream crapes you'll find them all here under one roof. If you are a hard core desi try the Chicken 65, Chennai's Buhari hotel's gift to the world. This ginger, mustard powder, vinegar and bird pepper (Cayenne pepper) packed punch is the answer to the North Indian's love for dhaba style spicy chilli chicken.u00a0 This one was recommended by actor Zulfi Syed for me (who incidentally is one of the four partners who own the joint) and must say the Bangalore boy knows his 65. Don't miss the Bunny Chow, call this bread and curry snack the South African brother of our Keema pau or Pau bhaaji for it is believed to have originated among the Bania community (thus the name Bunny) of Durban perhaps in the 40s.

Bheja fry
The only thing which disappointed me here was its thick school text book-sized menu card. When you are fishing for instant street food you don't want to sit for ages and go through an extensive list. The best should be on your platter before you start drooling like a famished St. Bernard. After all, street food is all about bunking school and having a blast and not mugging up for an examination.

At: boombox cafe, Khan market
Meal for two: rs 1, 500 plus taxes
Timings: 12 noon to 1am
Ring: 43575356u00a0