#vandna

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[imnotafiend]

Vandna, Satwa

Blink and you'll miss it. The people and streets of Satwa hurry you along, but fight it for a second. Slow down next to the big mosque, the beating heart of the town. Look around you. A window full of spicy snacks will catch your eye. Behind the chips, nuts, and noodles, thali awaits. 

Vandna serves up a small menu of chaat and thali, from the Gujarati region to be precise. Gujarati food is mostly vegetarian, due to the traditional Hindu influence in the region, and thali is a staple. So much so that if you visit Vandna at lunchtime, this is the only thing on the menu.

You won't have been shifting your bum on the hard seating for long before a metal tray is swiftly placed in front of you. There's little bowls of vegetable curries, dal, yogurt, curds, and pickles. A papad and pulka roti in the middle for dipping and scooping. It might not look like much food at first, but don't worry, when they say unlimited thali on the menu, they mean it. The friendly waiters will keep ladling you up till you say, NO MORE! At just 15dhs for an unlimited thali, this is outrageously cheap & delicious eating. 

They throw another roti on your plate every two minutes whether you're ready for it or not. I kinda felt like I was slacking behind and had to keep up with the bread onslaught. My dipping and scooping techniques are nowhere near perfected, I felt like a complete novice each time I resorted to the spoon. This just means there's a lot more thali to be eaten, and I am willing to undertake that task. 

The thing I love about thali is the variety in one meal. Each bite you can customise with different flavours, adding sour mango pickle, hot green chutney, or sweet curds. There's even a bowl of sugar for if you're feeling particularly mental. I'm not ready for that shit. These curries are delicious enough for me savoury. 

The regular top ups feel so welcoming, as though Vandna is your overly hospitable host, not letting you stop eating until you're full. Then twisting your arm to eat just a little more, because it tastes so damn good, why not.

Step inside Vandna in the evening, and you'll get a different experience. Thali is still on tap, but there's also a selection of chaat. I've discussed my love of chaat time and time again. HERE, HERE, and even HERE. Your fellow diners will be guys stepping in for a quick plate of chaat after work. On our last visit, a guy in a DEWA uniform sporting an inspiring beard was going to town on that shit. The samosa chaat is my favourite. Hacked up vegetable samosa, topped with tangy tamarind chutney, mini crispy sev noodles, fresh tomato, red onion and coriander. 

Bhel puri is like a big bowl of sticky, spicy rice crispies, and I mean that in a good way. Puffed crispy rice, a few cornflakes for good measure, a whole lot of crispy noodles, and you know there's plenty of tamarind chutney up in here. This stuff is so good, it makes me sad for all the sweet, sugary cereal I've eaten in my life. Never again. Once you've had chaat there's no going back. 

The waiters don't speak much English at Vandna. Even getting water is a struggle, but that's cool! Just point to what you want. That thali, that chaat, and all of those nuts, chips, and noodles in a mixed bag to go, please.