BENGALURU:Does the idea of having street food tempt and scare you at the same time? If yes, do not hesitate to walk into Kava at Fairfield by Marriott, Outer Ring Road, to try out street food delicacies that are brought to your plate from all over India. Very unlike street-food, the food here is made with little oil and will not make you run to the toilet even if you overeat!
The executive chef Sudhir Nair and his handpicked team experimented and innovated with regional cuisines. His says his intent is not to make you feel exotic while having these dishes but to strike an emotional chord in you. "Food is more about the emotions, I give my chefs the independence to go back to where they come from and bring to the kitchen the flavours that they've been accustomed to since their childhood. This gives them the enthusiasm and dedication to add those emotions to the food that they deliver," the chef adds.
At first, we were served with the chef's favourite chaat from Rajasthan, the Dahi Poori. Served in a leaf bowl, this dish gives you the feel of standing at a food stall on the street and gourging on chaats. But only with a difference, it's not as spicy as the ones you get on the street and is very light on your stomach.
Next, we moved on to the Indian counter which primarily serves Maharashtrian, Bengali and Mughlai cuisines. We were served Baida Roti with Non-veg Keema along with ketchup, chutney and salad. Made with very little oil, egg, maida and chicken keema, this too was light. Unlike the typical street food rolls, this seems something like quesadilla.
Even before we finished the two portions of the Baida Roti, the non-veg Nasi Goreng was served on our plate. This comes from their only continental stall, which caters to those who crave for an international dish. Nasi Goreng is an Indonesian dish, similar to the Chinese fried rice most of us are familiar with. The herbs used in this dish give it a strong flavour. The sides - the poached egg and the roasted chicken stick - were more appealing than the main rice dish. Out of the other dishes that are served on this buffet, we would not recommend you to waste the space in your tummy on this one.
Not waiting a minute longer, we quickly shifted to the next stall that served South Indian cuisines. There were Ragi Puttu, Kadala Curry, Idiyappam and sweet coconut milk. If you are a south Indian, this is a must-have. The ragi puttu with the kadala curry just took us back to our childhood days. The smell of the steamed puttu will remind you of the Sunday breakfast table, back home. The idiyapam with the sweet milk, was like a burst of emotions in the mouth. Soft and sweet, this dish just melts in your mouth, leaving you craving for more.
Not leaving the routine biryani behind, we took a little bit of both the biriyanis that were served on the day - the Malabar Chicken Biriyani and the Kabuli Biriyani. They were served with Raita and Saalan. The Malabar Biryani was again very light and is must-try for Biriyani lovers. The Kabuli Biryani is a rare kind of Biriyani which is made out of the steamed vegetables. Healthy and yummy, this pulao-like Biryani is a break away from the usual.
And we ended our feast with desserts. They had a special halwai who served us Gajar ka halwa, moong dal ka halwa, pure ghee jalebi along with rabdi. What is interesting about the dessert section was that the chef has ensured that we get a taste of how these sweets tasted like when we were children. Getting a taste of all these childhood flavours leaves you with a smile on your face at the end of the meal.And of course, there was a stall for Nimbu Pani and Jaljeera, that you can sip on to help you gulp down the yummies.This place is a must-go for those who believe in tasting the flavours of where they come from, to revisit their childhood and also explore the cuisines from other states.
The Street Food Festival will be held at Kava at Fairfield by Marriott every Wednesday.
Cost for two: Rs 1,400 (approx)