Eating out
Eating out has long since been a tradition that Nashikites have followed with enthusiasm. In my grandfather’s time, (almost six decades ago) eating on the banks of the river Godavari was a treat. Even a packet of the famed ‘Kondaji Chivda’ used to be available for an anna or two. My grandfather recounts the thrill he felt when he earned some annas from his brother and would go with his friends and enjoy the fried delicacies watching the world go by on the banks of the sacred river. Many things have long since changed, and while nothing is available anymore for even a rupee, I sometimes encounter the same thrill my grandpa talks of when I bunk lectures with my friends and head to Bikaneri’s for a samosa (or two) with whatever pocket-money we dig up.
Nashik may not be a very culturally active city as say, Pune or Mumbai, but ask any Nashikite and he/she will tell you how many times on an average we go out for a meal. The old way of going to the banks of the river Ganga may not be popular now but Nashik has definitely seen an increase in the amount and variety of restaurants that populate the city.
Initially Maharashtrians were the only ones inhabiting Nashik. Today however, it is taking an increasingly cosmopolitan look, though the majority still remains of Marathi people. This cultural shift, along with globalization and the influence of media on our lifestyles has left Nashikites wanting for a variety in the food they eat. Thus, many restaurants offering cuisine from various cultures have cropped over here.
Even though authentic Japanese food is available at places in Nashik now, the epicure within each of us still craves for the old favorite, chat. From eating it on the roadside from a panipuri-gadi to eating ‘American Sev-Puri’ for brunch at the Taj, chat has come a long way. So what are some of the popular places within the city that offer you the best of this Mumbai-chowpatti walla snack?
While Bhagwati’s on Sharanpur Road (it also has a main branch at Shalimar) has always been a favorite among Nashikites since old times, other new, jazzy places have started to emerge everywhere in the city. A lot of us still may swear by Shree Krishna on College Road, while some prefer the old Hari Om on Main Road.
College youth can be seen bunking classes and heading for a chat in Bikaneri Bhujiawala’s shop just opposite the HPT/RYK College gate, while some may head further up for a pav-bhaji at Mama’s on Gangapur Road. Many Maharashtrians still prefer going to Modern Café (earlier Parth) that offers good Maharashtrian food as well as all kinds of chat for reasonable prices… it is the only place where you can combine a sev-puri with puran-poli!
Sweetshops like Madhur in Savarkar Nagar and Sagar Sweets on College Road and Gangapur Road respectively have been unanimously voted the best places for chat. From Madhur’s yummy pani-puri to Sagar’s dabeli… one has a variety of items to choose from.
For the masses living in the old city, many little shops and even thelas offering chat are of tremendous importance. Sanap Bandhu towards Ravivar Karanja is still visited by its many faithful gourmands who devour on its specialties. Also famous in the old city are the chat bhandars that fill up in front of the Nehru Garden or on Shalimar. The thelas will offer you a variety of sev-puris, bhel-puris, pani-puris, dabelis and kulfis. Some well-known and much-favored specialties in these include the Math Pani-Puri (spiced water from earthen pots filled in crunchy puris) and the Rambharose Bhel (the ‘brand name’ of a certain bhel).
Veggie Point and Thunder Point on Gangapur Road are offering a variety of ‘healthy chat’, what with brown bread sandwiches combined with fresh fruit juices attracting the newly health-conscious people in the city. Food-court in Big Bazaar and McDonalds are drawing lots of young folks due to their brand value coupled with some good food.
These are some of the best places offering that amazing snack that brings a chat to our otherwise dull and mundane lives. There may be lots more places hidden in the depths of this city, and each one of us has a right to choose our own favorites, but if anyone knows a secret or two about a nondescript café tucked away in a little nook somewhere that offers heavenly pav-bhaji, please consider it your duty to let us know about it. After all, the real enjoyment of food is in sharing it!

by Sakhi