What is Chaat?
Most chaat are based on dough made from a variety of flours. Depending on the type, they’re deep-fried, baked or steamed. They can be stuffed or topped with a variety of fillings that range from potatoes, beans and chick peas to assorted vegetables to cheese, even other grains.
About Lotus Chaat
Lotus Chaat & Spices, the only Indian chaat restaurant in the North Bay, debuted in San Rafael in April 2011.
The vibrant-colored café, which seats 80 indoors and 20 at sidewalk café-style outdoor tables, is located at 1559 4th St. on the West end of San Rafael’s burgeoning business district.
The new eatery also contains a small Indian grocery store which is imported from India’s most renowned food producers and is a center for Indian cooking classes.
“We’re delighted to be the first chaat house in the North Bay,” said owner Surinder Pal Sroa, who also owns the famous Lotus Cuisine of India in San Rafael, Anokha Cuisine of India and Golden Egg Omelet House in downtown Novato as well as Café Lotus in Fairfax .
Sroa was born in India and grew up in the grocery and spice business. According to him chaat, or small plates of savory foods, have become one of the most popular meals in the world — not just in India, where they originated, but throughout Southeast Asia.
Why Eat Chaat?
The popularity of Chaat is spreading because these types of dishes are made with healthy ingredients: whole grains, grain and bean flours, fresh potatoes, chickpeas and vegetables such as onion and cauliflower. In addition, chaat are typically vegan as well as low in fat or even fat-free and mostly gluten-free.
Most of the ingredients are organic, even locally made. For example, the popular Three Twins organic ice cream company crafted four ice cream flavors specifically for Lotus Chaat & Spices, including Alfonso mango and green cardamom.
Popular plates at the new restaurant include Chole Bhature, wafer-thin, puffy breads deep-fried to be greaseless, airy, crisp and soft all at the same time, served with a richly-spiced, savory stew of chick peas and red onions. Bhel puris, little shells of crunchy, ultra-thin pastry filled with chick peas, tamarind sauce and yogurt, are another hit. The menu also features some of India’s most popular sodas. It truly is a street food extravaganza, but with the comfort of seating in a colorful, Indian art-filled space.
The kitchen is headed by executive chef Hari Krishana Mehta, who owned the popular India Village in San Rafael for 24 years. His chef de cuisine is Parshotam Lal, a veteran of India Palace in Mill Valley and Raja Cuisine of India in Berkeley.
The space is also available to be booked for private parties and cooking classes, such as team-building culinary adventures.
COOKING CLASS
Lotus Chaat & Spices offers monthly Indian cooking classes, usually on the last Monday of every month. Sign up to learn how to cook the finest Indian dishes.
For the Lotus Chaat menu and updates about the Lotus Cooking Class visit http://www.lotuschaat.com/. Call (415) 454-6887 to enroll or for further information.
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