Chole bhature is not just a food item, but an emotion for the people of Delhi. But chole bhature is not the only delicacy that can claim a place in people’s hearts. There’s Lucknow’s tunday kababi, Hyderabad’s biryani, Kolkata’s rosogolla, and many more such food items from across the country that can make food aficionados salivate just by their mention.
Growing up in Mumbai, the only way to enjoy a good plate of Chole bhature was from my mom's kitchen as it's not a popular street food here in the island city. The other way was to simply go to Delhi and have it at the iconic spots. That's pretty much for every other food item as well.
But now, Zomato is going the distance to bring these famous dishes from around the country to your doorstep with ‘Intercity Legends’, its latest venture.
So, I decided to order Delhi's iconic Sita Ram Diwan Chand's chole bhature using Zomato Intercity.
How did it work?
Upon opening the app, I chose from the top options of Intercity and looked for Delhi. After choosing Delhi, I went straight to Sita Ram and chose chole bhature. One plate retailed at Rs 520 and after delivery charges and taxes I paid about Rs 720 for it.
I placed the order at 12:00 PM on Wednesday. The food was delivered to my doorstep, in Lower Parel all the way from Delhi's Paharganj at 4:00 PM on Thursday.
Zomato has partnered with Shadowfax for the storage and delivery of food parcels. The company has also partnered with commercial airlines.
And, so when I stepped out to collect my food parcel, I was surprised to see the delivery person in civil clothes rather than the Zomato t-shirt that the intra-city delivery personnel wear. The delivery person is not employed by Zomato. In Mumbai, the delivery of the food parcel coming from a different city is by Shadowfax and their delivery partners.
What did it taste like?
After receiving the food, the instructions were to heat it up using a microwave or an air fryer till the food is steaming hot. I followed the instructions and in just about 4 minutes in the microwave, the food was piping hot. It was definitely thrilling to know that my food was prepared over 1,400 kilometers away from me. As thrilled as I was, it was disappointing to realise that chole bhature may have been a bad choice of order. Bhature had completely lost its charm and rightfully so but chole was every bit tasty as it could be if they were consumed at the restaurant itself. Maybe a biryani from Hyderabad or Rossogulla from Kolkata would have made for good order.
Watch: Blinkit, Intercity Legends, Hyperpure: What’s Zomato’s Best Bet?
Amit Rohra, a 34-year-old resident of Mumbai, ordered Hyderabad's Mandi. "I had Mandi when I visited Hyderabad in 2019 for some work but I have not been able to go back and that Mandi still tempts in my dreams. So when I saw it is available on Zomato, I had to order it. The price difference isn't much considering Zomato is flying the food in from a different city. It would in any case be cheaper than me going to Hyderabad for it. I enjoyed it with my family and they now understand the hype that I had created around this food item."
Another delightful experience was shared by Sarita Karira, a Mumbai resident who ordered Pyaazi ki Kachori from Jaipur.
"I spent a month in Jaipur during my high school days. I have not had a chance to go back. I have forgotten most of the things I saw and people I met but I have not been able to forget the pyaaz ki kachori I had there. So I ordered using Zomato and air-fried it at home upon receiving it. It just took me back to my youth."
Well, chhole bhature may not have worked for me, but the service definitely has been working well. Zomato plans to add more cities and restaurants to the list. So, maybe something else could work for me. Do you have any suggestions? Drop them in the comments!