I somehow have this fascination for Mint Street and the NSC Bose Road. These places take me to a different Madras. The Madras that I would love to associate with. And I hope it remains so. I went there today, as my cousin sis wanted me to pick up some Kesar Elachi Supari’s and ready-made beeda to take to the US of A. I did that but what also did in the process is what this post is about. This shop, no a makeshift, no actually he has just a couple of containers on the platform sells Kachoris, Jantar Mantar and Dahi Vada. Thats it. He comes in by 9.30am in the morning, the stuff gets over latest by 2pm. The Kachoris are the best. All of Rs. 7. I order one, he picks it up, tosses it in the air on to a piece of paper, mashes it with his hand to form a mini pit, pours in a generous measure of pudina (mint) chutney, picks up a fist full of spicy corn flakes, sprinkles it over, add some dhall and tops it with a pinch of chilli and salt powder. And voila, you have the best Kachori in town.

I have had Kachoris all over, from Shree Mithai to Gangothri and some of the other places, but there is something special about this guy.The Kachori is cooked, rather fried to the most optimum level, medium spiced and semi crispy and the toppings just perfect. Next is the Jantar Mantar. I still don’t know what this is but it looked damn interesting. He picks up a piece of vada, adds the chutneys, the corn flakes and the powders, mixes it, looks like a very basic version of the bhel puri but this sells like hot cakes. I reserved that for another day. The guy is from Agra, I don’t know his name, but you just can’t miss him. His shop is next to Kamal Pan House and Kakada Ramprasad on Mint Street right on the road. Check out his Kachori and you are sure to check in here ever after.