Treats of great outdoors
The scavengers take a walk along a street to discover some of the city’s best roadside delicacies.
If you ever visit these shop, do not be swayed by the apparently ‘unhygienic’ look of the surrounding or at the sight of the worn-out chairs and plates of the shops itself. Just try the food on our word and you will like it.
A bit of history should serve you fine. The capital of Bengal over 400 years back, Dhaka’s history stretches as long back as the seventh century when urban settlements began during the Kamarupa dynasty.
Besides the culture and traditions, the food from those long gone eras can still be found in some corners of Dhaka. The trend of setting up shop, where inexpensive yet scrumptious food are sold, has prevailed in the capital ever since.
Street-side eateries are the prefect place to savour delicacies such as “fuchka”, chickpeas and ‘beguni’, kebab and parotha, the lip-smacking food. These are a great place to hang out with friends while relishing the different tastes available. Seating areas are simple and basic which echoes the experience.
For those who squint or make faces at the sight of petty street shops located in messy areas of the city, here is a teaser. On a cool, weekend evening, try Rabindra Sarobar at Dhanmondi 8, one of the favourite haunts to many, for its great ambience. It’s near the bridge over the serene Dhanmondi Lake!
The three of us just wanted to check out if the puris and potato and chick peas were still to die for. I was feeling pleasantly peckish.
And so, concerns of food safety were thrown out in the street; after all, these treats of the great outdoors could not be accommodated in the five-star interiors, in the sanitised confines.
Make no mistake—the street, the vendor and all attendant grime and grit often add their own flavour to roadside food traditions.
If you ever visit these shops, do not be swayed by the apparently ‘unhygienic’ look of the surrounding or at the sight of the worn-out chairs and plates of the shops itself. Just try the food on our word and you will like it.
The deep-fried kebab may not be easy on your stomach nor the water used to wash the plates and utensils, but if you are past caring, you’ll be just fine.
But beware! AR Khan, director at the ICDDR,B, better known as cholera hospital and a public health expert, says people are taking street food and water that are not hygienic and as a result, they are becoming sick. People might contract Hepatitis A and E, jaundice, typhoid, peptic ulcer and diarrhoea to name a few diseases, according to Khan.
Well, people at the shops go about their business as usual. One of the customers at one of the shops, Mousumi Huq, said she likes the food, the casual ambience and the price, too.
Her partner Rashed Ahmad said it’s a hang-out for them to catch up with friends. Health issues were something he was least concerned about.
When was asked about how his business was going, the sales guy at the ‘food court’ was guarded, unsafe in the knowledge that we could be people who he pays protection money or simply hooligans who could ask for a slice of the pie.
He tried to carefully choose his words, but Mostakim blurted out: “On weekend we usually make Tk 6,000 more than we do on weekdays.”
It’s not just the wonderful aroma of fuchka but also the crispiness that makes it so very special. Once you’ve dipped a piece into the tamarind sauce and popped it into your mouth, you feel that life is never going to be the same again.
I had my fill, and buttoned up my coat. A cold breeze had started blowing, but I was as warm as could be. A crispy fuchka does that to me.
