Move over biryani, daab chingri and Thai green curry. Now, Kolkata's street food is available on online food delivery platforms. From bhelpuri, soda shikanjiand papri chaatto rose khass, phuchka and even paan - everything can be ordered online and delivered at your doorstop.
The online menu of Sandip Soda Shikanji at Vivekananda Park now lists everything from rose milkshake and kachha aam milkshake to kala khatta and khass. Mouthwatering pictures of khatta meetha churmur , dahi pakora chaat and dahi phuchka are all available on line as are paans from Ashok Paan shop on Bondel Road.
"It's been three months since we started offering this service to keep pace with the digital world," said Rahul Kumar Chaurasia from Ashok Paan shop, adding that the app helps them deliver to places as far away as Tollygunje and Kasba.Most of his clients opt for gundi paan, which costs Rs 8 each, but there are also many takers for the special singara paan that costs Rs 50.
Delivery boy Bapi Roy says he delivers street food worth Rs 300-400 each day . "There is one client on Mayfair Road who has ordered lachha paan worth Rs 150 at least 25 times in a month!" Roy said.
Piku Pandit, who runs the popular Durga Pandit Ka Phuchka Stall, is upbeat about online delivery. "Clients who can't physically come down are happy to be served this way . On some days, I even get as many as 15 online orders,“ said Pandit, who packs extra chillies, onion and lime with every order. Sandip Das, the owner of Sandip Soda Shikanji stall, insists that it is important to ride the app bandwagon to survive. "This shop was set up by my grandfather. Elderly people might not understand apps, but I need to be savvy to survive.There are days when I get 50 orders through the app," Das said. He rues that he can't serve online customers his trademark golas because he hasn't been able to "get the packing right".
Advocate Tridib Sen drives down to Das's stall only to have the gola. The rest he orders online. "Time and distance are important. In my profession, it is difficult to find time to go and have food on the streets. Since these are now available online, why wouldn't I avail the facility? It costs approximately Rs 10 more per delivery but that doesn't pinch my pocket at all. In betwe en work, all I need to do is go online and order a masala ThumsUp or a shikanji and it's delivered within minutes," Sen said.
Piyali Saha, in-charge of an educational institute, places online phuchka orders at least thrice a month. “Of course, the fun of having phuchka on the streets is missing at home or office.Yet, it's better than not having it at all. It's all about adapting to the need of the hour,“ she said. There's one catch though.Customers can no longer cajole for a free sukhha puchka or a helping of bhujia to top the chaat. But that's a small sacrifice to make for street food delivered straight to your workstation.
(Source: The Times of India, Kolkata dt 2017-02-19)
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