As we approached the parking lot of the Little India Center, we saw that it was blocked off and that many empty vendor tables lined the perimeter of the lots, along with chairs and tables for dining.
Turns out that all of this was for Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which is the Indian New Year, according to a gentleman that we spoke to. Well, it was still early and things weren't quite ready yet. We managed to find a spot on the outer edges of the center. Lucky us!
TORC's first choice for lunch today was in this shopping center...
We'd been to Surati Farsan Mart previously, but for dessert when we went out for D's bday excursion. This time, we'd be here for lunch and wouldn't you know it, my friends trusted me enough to let me order our 'chaat' or savory snacks (insert gleeful cackling and maniacal laughter here).
I'd warned them that it was vegetarian but they didn't seem to mind. It was so bright and early (11:30'ish) and not crowded inside at all.
We sat on the "new" side. The place is so much more open and airy with their recent expansion. We enjoyed the Bollywood videos that were playing on their flat screens, marveling over the intricate choreography.
Delhi Chat and Ragda Samosa:
Wanting to try something new, I ordered the Ragda Samosa, recommended by the guy at the counter. My original choice, the Chole Samosa wasn't available. These were two deep fried triangle pockets filled with spiced potatoes drowning in a spicy bean soup topped with chopped onions and cilantro. Very spicy this was, but tasty!
The Delhi Chat had those same puffed and fried wheat shells from the Pani Puri, but were topped with tamarind sauce and that green sauce (mint?), along with yogurt and a red spice powder. There were seasoned mashed potatoes and beans within the puffed shells. The creamy yogurt sauce helped out with the spiciness of the other snacks.
Top view of the Bhel Puri, the Khachori (balls), and Pani Puri. All items were under $5, and ranged from $3.99 - $4.50. The total for all five snacks was $22.60.
This was the Bhel Puri which turned out to be one of our favorites. According to their online menu description, this snack consists of crunchy puffed rice mix with sev (crunchy fried noodles) and tortilla chips (this surprised me actually) mixed with tamarind sauce and cilantro garlic sauce, with sliced baked potatoes, maag and chana topped with onions ('chana' are chickpeas'). I'm not sure what 'maag' was, but whatever it was, it was delicious.
We loved the textures and flavors of this dish; it had so many things going on!
One of my favorites, the Pani Puri. I always seem to order this whenever I've visited Surati Farsan Mart. These are mini fried and puffed wheat shells filled with spiced potatoes and beans and a watery green sauce that was quite sweet.
Khachori - Fried spicy balls stuffed with crushed peas and green pepper. The sauces on the side were tamarind and mint.
Very green this was. Yoda would approve, along with Linda Blair.
Several of my choices were not available and for some weird reason, they were not selling any dosas that day. So...we decided to go to a nearby place in the same shopping center to get our dosas on!
Does anyone remember this episode of "The Office"?
All kidding aside, here's a more serious video about the meaning of Diwali:
Previous visits to Surati Farsan Mart:
February 2012
August 2012
Up next, our visit to a place that was once Ker Market...
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