CHENNAI: MGR Salai in Perungudi presents two contrasting pictures — one of towering IT companies and the other of dusty, poorly maintained roads along which there are small petti kadais and grocery stores. However, unbeknown to many, this area is also a treasure trove of dhabas serving authentic Punjabi food.
“We started Lucky Da Punjabi Dhabba in 2015. The food is 100% North Indian…the flavours will transport you instantly to the lanes of New Delhi or Punjab,” says Divya Parwani, co-owner, Lucky Da Punjabi Dhabba and Kakke Da Punjabi Dhabba.
As dhaba food is mostly fast food, grilled chicken and paneer varieties are the most popular dishes on the menu and sell like hot cakes. “Our tandoori chicken and chicken tikka are to die for. In vegetarian, you have to try the paneer tikka and sarson ka saag. Our customers keep coming back for these dishes,” she smiles.
Their customers attest to this fact too. Abhijit Dhatir, an IT professional, says, “Being a North Indian, I can say with conviction that it is very difficult to find authentic Punjabi khaana in Chennai. Most small dhabas in the outskirts of the city or on highways do not cater to families…they are only for bachelors. But new-age dhabas such as this are welcoming to all kinds of customers.” Since Perungudi is home to a lot of IT companies, and there is never dearth of customers to these dhabas.
Another crowd puller, according to Divya, is the affordability. “We did not want to make it a fine dining experience. We wanted to serve affordable, tasty, comfort food that you can enjoy with family or friends any day. And the bhangra beats in the background add to the Punjabi feel,” smiles Divya, adding that takers for the lunch thali are more on both weekdays and weekends. The vegetarian thali is priced at Rs 199 and non-vegetarian thali is Rs 209.
The quantity of food is also something to be reckoned with. “Even if you order one portion of a curry along with naan or a paratha, it will be sufficient for two people,” says Dhurba Chhetri, manager, Lucky Da Punjabi Dhabba.
Interestingly, the ambience too contributes to the overall dining experience. Kake Da Punjabi Dhabba, just 500 m away from Lucky, is big on Punjab-style quirky interiors. “We have the front part of a jeep, cycle wheels, colourful kites, etc., on our walls. Even our menu is in the shape of a huge truck…the kind that stereotypical Punjabi truckers go for a jolly ride in any Bollywood movie,” laughs Sahiba Parwani, co-owner, Kake Da Punjabi Dhabba.
Divya, Dev and Sahiba started Kake just three months ago, after the huge success of Lucky. “Lucky was modelled on a small, quaint eatery…like a conventional roadside dhaba in Punjab. But with Kake, we wanted to take the dhaba experience a notch higher,” she adds.
However, it is a misconception among foodies that dhaba food is less about hygiene and more about flavour and taste. Proving these naysayers wrong is Hans Deep Singh, owner, Desi Rasoi’s Pait Pooja, another dhaba in the area. “We focus on home-cooked and hygienic vegetarian food and all our meals are cooked in mineral water only,” he says. “We’ve been doing this for 10 years. We initially started off as a cloud kitchen…only doing take-aways, but as demand for our food increased, we put up a few tables so that customers who want their food piping hot are not disappointed,” he shares. The dhaba is however, still heavily dependent on take-away orders. “This is a IT hub and people love our food; so they order-in most of the time.”
POPULAR DISHES
NON VEG (Rs 200 onwards)
Bhara chicken, Tandoori chicken, Chicken tikka, Chicken rara, Baltiwali meat
VEG (Rs 180 onwards)
Paneer tikka, Special paneer tikka, Special parathas, Aloo takatak