Translation: What should I make kiddo?
To this day I hear the Gupta Paani Puri waala, ask me this when he sees me at his shop. For the past 15 years my family, my family has been one of their regular customers. To say that we love food, would be an understatement. We worship food. Been brought up in such a family, it was essential for me to frequent eateries and other food joints. I have been doing this holy pilgrimage since then - Gupta Paani Puri, Vivek Dosa, Mamta Farsaan and Snacks and Tulsi Vihar restaurant. The one thing common about these places - they all, still, call me Chotu.
I don’t know from which angle I still look Chotu - neither height wise not width wise. But still they prefer to call me Chotu and this gives a lot benefits. You talk to people, get to know their lives and more importantly you make friends with people who feed you tasty food. Following are two the shops I love.
Gupta Paani Puri
For all those who don’t know what a Paani Puri is - it is NOT what third counter serves you. It is not something served anywhere in Gujarat, or for that matter India. All those are just fake Paani Puris - some call them Gol Gappas. They are basically like all the Samsungs and the Sonys phones. What Gupta uncle serves is real Paani Puri. You have them and then let the taste awe you.
You would have all these people who come and ask for teekha paani puri. I don’t know why they like to torture themselves, but they do. Within moments of having the first puri you would see their lips getting red and eyes a little watery. But that wouldn’t stop them. They would go on till six puris and burn their tongue away. Then ask for a masala puri - how can you not ask for a FREE masala puri. I have always tried to figure out why people do this, but could never do it.
In all this I would come to Gupta uncle, and before I can say a word he would say, “Arey chotu, kaise ho? Kya banau? Medium bhel, kum teekha?“. To that I would nod and my bhel was on its way. He would ask me about my college, talk politics, talk cricket and ask if I want something for my parents. I get an extra masala puri, priority service and the same love that the 5 year old me got when I went to eat the bhel (that time it costed 8 rupees).
Vivek Dosa
This guy is a rockstar in my locality. Just walk around his shop on a weekend evening and you would see people pouring in like bees. He and his team of four manage them with ruthless efficiency. Three coal fired iron plates have dosas tossed in and out within seconds. The pipelining and the throughput would embarrass Tomasulo - didn’t get that? Read up on Tomasulo’s scheduling.
The special services for me include, my favourite Onion Utappa which is made just for me, if I arrive early. I have reached there at 6.30 pm to have that Utappa, while he is setting up his shop. We would talk, mostly in Marathi and wait till the Utappa was on the plate. I have tried every dosa on his menu, and my favourite, as the name suggests, Dilkhush is just heavenly.
For over 15 years, I have been eating in their shops and they know my eating habits more than I do myself. Whenever I go back, they make it a point to ask me about my life and how I have been keeping. I feel privileged to have their love and being called Chotu.