What do we say when we have chaat? ‘O bhaiya, thoda mirch dalo’, ‘O bhaiya, dahi kum hai’, ‘O bhaiya, imli chutney chahiya’ and so on. This prompted entrepreneur Shreekant Chopda to start O Bhaiya, a chaat joint at FC Road. Located at Venus Traders lane, the eatery not only serves awesome chaat but is also a cosy place to hang out. This eatery, which is about a year old, takes inspiration from the famous chaats of North India, especially Delhi and Agra, for their recipes.
Chopda says, “Whenever one goes to a chaat joint, they address the person as ‘bhaiya’ and that’s why we decided to name it O Bhaiya as it goes well with the concept. People connect with the name easily.”
He adds that there are many chaat joints in the city but they don’t serve authentic Delhi chaats. “If you have the Chole Aloo Tikka Chaat here, you will realise that the chaat we prepare is very different from the ones served at other places. At O Bhaiya, you will get a taste of the ones served in Delhi where chaats originated,” says Chopda who loves the famous chaats of Delhi.
Telling us about their recipes, he says, “The sweet chutney that most other restaurants in Pune serves is made of imli but we make it from amchur because that’s the authentic way of making katha-meetha chutney. We add a bit of imli but it’s primarily prepared from amchur. Also, at many other places, peanuts are added to Shev Puri but while preparing an authentic Shev Puri, you do not add the nuts. We try to keep the taste of the chaat uniform and consistent. We do not play around with the recipes.”
Before opening the restaurant, Chopda says that they worked with the chef for three months on the menu. “Our chef, who is from North India, played a key role in this. Some other people were involved too,” he says, adding, “There are a few items, which we have introduced on our own like the Pan Pakoda Chaat, which is prepared from betel leaves. There are two kinds of chaats — hot and cold. Hot chaats are served with chole and the cold with dahi or yoghurt.”
O Bhaiya also serves Dahi Bhalle, Lucknawi Papdi Chaat, Lachcha Tokari Chaat, Shahi Mohan Bhog Chaat, Raj Kachori Chaat, Kurkuri Aloo Tikki Chhole Chaat, Punjabi Samosa, Paneer Bhurji Chilla, Gini Chilla, Bhature Chole, along with mini meals. “We also serve homemade kulfis, which are equally good. We have the Malai Turkish Pistachio, Caramel Praline, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Red Velvet, Fresh Rose Petals and some other types of kulfis,” he adds.
He says that their Dahi Bhalle is also very different. “Our focus is on serving good quality food, in a hygienic environment so everything is prepared inhouse, daily.”
Unlike most chaat joints, which have simple interiors, O Bhaiya is beautifully done. The eatery is divided into two sections. The bright, colourful chairs add to the happy vibes.
Chopda adds that their pricing is competitive. “Most of our customers are students and because of that we have the mini thali,” says he adding that they have a franchise at Kothrud.
