9 Reasons Delhi Chaat Is Actually Quite Overrated

Delhi chaat needs no introduction to a true foodie who has specialisation in gorging on street food. The mere mention is enough to send one in a swoon - but is it really?

There is a huge debate about Delhi being the ultimate food capital in India over Mumbai, Kolkata or even Bangalore. But at the same time, there is a section that strongly disagrees with this crowning. For many, Delhi street food, especially chaat, is over-hyped. Commonly claimed to be Oonchi Dukan Pheka Pakwaan (All that glitters is not gold) by curious visitors, these reasons highlight why Delhi chaat is overrated.

1. They're russeled up in the most unhygienic environment

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However tasty and yummy food is, your appetite will reduce by half witnessing dirt around stalls. Most commonly seen is the running drainage beside the kiosks or the piles of dirt with flies swarming above. You can only enjoy your chaat if you chose to turn a blind eye to the filth around the eatery.

2. There have been some real-life horror stories with Delhi chaat being the culprit

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Let¡¯s be honest, you almost puked when you came across reports of Delhi food stalls containing high levels of faecal matter in golgappas and momos, right? 'Yuck' was your first reaction. But Delhiites ignore unhygienic conditions they are prepared in and most street vendors are unaware of basic safety and hygiene issues.

3. The quality of food is often questionable

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Customers when asked about their experience of eating chaat in Delhi support the claims made by health reports. Many-a-time, they complain of stale ingredients in terms of fillings or stuffing being reused and served out to them. The overall quality of food is found to be average and in most cases below standard.

4. IT'S OVERPRICED

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Chandni Chowk is touted to be the street food capital of Delhi but they are definitely not easy on your pocket. From easy snacks like golgappas, dahi puris, aloo tikis to tokri chaats, you end up paying as much you do in the stalls in the mall.

5. There's sometimes a lack of variety in the menu

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Over-dependency on chutney kills the taste altogether. Also, the proportion is worrisome. Serving to personalised taste is one thing but not having uniformity in dishes is a different ball game.

6. Each dish after a point, has a version with lots of curd

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The street vendors' love for adding dahi (curd) in almost every item makes Delhi chaat unbearably boring. There is a reason we have dahi puri as one chaat. Thus, adding curd to bhel, tokri, or fruit just kills the appetite. It becomes even more annoying for customers who do not consume curd.

7. There's no actual authenticity - it's more of a mix-and-match

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Golgappas are distant cousins of phuchkas from Kolkata. Vada pav come from Mumba, chili parotta from the south, and chole bhatures, parathes and others travel from either Uttar Pradesh or Punjab. Delhi chaat lacks the presence of an authentic recipe but is more of an inspired collection.

8. If you really think about it, it's more like an art - giving different shapes and sizes to the same ingredients

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If you pay attention to your food, you realise it¡¯s like ¡®old wine in a new bottle¡¯. For example, samosa, tikkis, patties, and kachoris are crushed and given a makeover with coriander and tamarind chutneys. You feel cheated as you can do the same to your regular orders and call it chaat. You see, that¡¯s why I have trust issues.

9. They're not open when you crave for chaat the most

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If you are craving for Delhi chaat late at night, forget about it and go to sleep. Unlike Mumbai, Bangalore or even Indore that boasts of India¡¯s only night street food market, Delhi street food is open only for a fixed number of hours. Lack of security in the capital has forced foodies to enjoy delicacies only during the day.

But overrated or not, Delhi chaat will always be a force to reckon with in the street food history of the world..