Punjabis are known for their hearty meals, complemented by unapologetic amounts of butter. Which is why, their delicacies have won patrons all over. Lassi, Paratha, Sarso Da Saag, Makki Ki Roti and so on are savoured by foodies. Almost every city and town in India has a Punjabi restaurant. And if not a fancy restaurant, then at least a humble dhaba.
To bring the most authentic flavours of Punjab to Pune, Ssameera Kaur started Aaoji Khhaoji in 2016 with only three tables. “We started the first outlet in Aundh with chaats like Chole, Chole Samosa, Gulab Jamun, and a couple more. Our food joint started doing well because we kept the taste authentic. After which we started getting demands for meals, hence we started making different types of parathas. Over time, we got a good response, especially from college students and IT employees. So we opened another outlet at JM Road around 2017. Eventually we grew in space and the menu as well,” says Kaur.
Adding further, she says, “People used to come for tea time snacks and we got the feedback that they wanted to eat at our place as it was like ‘ghar ka khana’ with a taste of Delhi.”
Celebrity thali
Graduating from chats to parathas to thalis, Aaoji Khhaoji has added variety to its menu but never compromised on taste. To maintain authenticity, they employed chefs from North India.
When asked what did they keep in mind while designing the menu, Kaur says, “Basically, we wanted to do something unique, as many restaurants offer Paratha Thali. So we started serving celebrity thalis, as it was catchy. The first thali we introduced was Modiji Thali as a tribute to our PM. Then we came up with Deepika Padukone Thali, Yuvraj Singh Thali, Kapil Dev Thali, A R Rahman Thali, to name a few. Taking inspiration from celebrities who have made our country proud, we named these thalis. Also, thalis have a sharing concept, where everyone sits together and shares a meal, minus the a-la-carte option. For this concept of thali, we got a good response.”
Aaoji Khhaoji has around 200 celebrity thalis and no two thalis are similar. Apart from different parathas, these thalis consist of dal, dessert, lassi, subzi and papad.
Keep revising the menu
Before getting into the food business, they were wholesale distributor of dairy products. Even today, they use the dairy products in their restaurant kitchen. “In four years, we have come up with 200 thalis. Every few months, we introduce new thalis, as people need change and innovation. Our loyal customers expect something new from us,” says Kaur.
She gives credit to her husband for maintaining consistency in taste. “Every three to six months, he visits the North, gallivanting the streets of Delhi and the dhabas in Punjab to catch hold of what’s cooking there. He eats here and then goes North to understand the difference, and then introduces the new tastes here. We keep updating ourselves every now and then. Also, we take our chefs to the North so that they can understand the authentic taste better,” says Kaur.
Bestsellers
If you are a lassi fan, visit Aaoji Khhaoji for Dry Fruit Lassi and the Rs 51 Thali, which is a go to option if you are looking for a simple ghar ka khana-type of meal.
Kaur adds that Deepika Padukone Thali, Yuvraj Singh Thali and Bhagat Singh Thali are the bestsellers for two people sharing a meal. When four people share a meal, the preferred option is Bahubali Thali. For a group of eight, Kaur recommends Big Boss and Rajkumar Thalis.
By now, you may have already chosen your thali, and perhaps even the date when to head.
Rs 51 thali
When one offers a wholesome meal for just Rs 51, it’s sure to be a hit among customers. Aaoji Khhaoji introduced Rs 51 Thali on Shivratri this year. “With most products getting costlier day by day, common people are suffering. Since, we have dairy products from our dairy business we can cut down on those margins and make the thali as economical as possible, without compromising on quality. The Rs 51 thali has rice, dal makhani, subzi, two rotis, salad, papad, pickle and sweet, which is more than enough. And no one will think twice if they are paying Rs 51 for a thali. You can even have it twice a day. This is an easy option for students, low income groups or for that matter anyone,” says Kaur.
