When you live far away from home, the idea of home-cooked food can be very tempting. And I was glad to find a restaurant that served food like it was cooked by loving hands. The Masala Trail (TMT), to me, was a complete desi affair—and not just the name. The restaurant delivers the best of regional cuisine. You step inside the restaurant and you can’t help but look around. A thela and a very desi scooter hanging from the ceiling add to the retro fee of the place. The thela certainly reminded me of one of my favourite things in Delhi—street food!
It was my first time trying panki—a Gujarati pancake made of rice flour, curd, chillies and ginger, which is cooked wrapped in banana leaf. What a treat! Pleasantly tangy and so light. Panki was the taste-booster because after that introduction to TMT, I was definitely eager to try more. Next came the Tower Chaat—a tall glass of bhalla paapri, alu tikki, curd, potatoes, chickpeas and all other goodness that you find in your favourite chaat. Another street hit caught my attention—the Banarasi kachori on a bed of chole. I chuckled at the English description, ‘crispy ball of dough’, and had a bite. What a relief it was from the dreadful street-side chole!
My host was quick to suggest a tamatar ki chaat and Bihari litti chokha before I reached the stage where I could eat no more. The savoury tamatar ki chaat with a garnish of namak para (fried crispy and flaky dough) went down surprisingly well. I was expecting something shockingly acidic but what a pleasant treat that was! I tried it with the remainder of my kachori. Another description tickled my funny bone—fried wheat dumpling. Yes, our humble Bihari litti chokha. The accompanying dishes of spiced mashed potato, mashed roasted aubergine and tomato salsa can make anyone happy. The ‘fried wheat dumpling’ with a filling of sattu (gram flour) also tasted very good with the tamatar ki chaat (just in case you like to mix and match like I do).
How could I leave out north India’s very own makki di roti and sarson ka saag? The roti was good, but the saag was something else. It melted in the mouth and was so light that I felt a pure surge of bliss. It’s always really comforting to eat something so well balanced.
It’s the attention to detail that makes a place and the food on offer a hit. TMT took care of that. Everything that came out of the kitchen felt like it was prepared with a lot of care by seasoned hands that knows exactly how these dishes should taste. A perfectly balanced taste is what I got out of TMT.
We know Delhi for its street food, a place which is a melting pot of cultures. This mix of cultures have resulted in so many different kind of cuisine, and when one misses home food and has an option in the city, isn’t that comforting? The Masala Trail just might be that option. Here’s to good soul food!