Surati Indian Street Food, 4047 Nolensville Pike, Nashville.
If you’re a fan of Indian food, the corner of Harding Place and Nolensville Road feels like a Disneyland of foods and ingredients. Anchoring the area is the massive Patel Brothers, part of the largest retail chain of Indian grocery stores in North America. You could literally get lost in the place wandering the aisles filled with produce, spices, rice, beans, sweets and Indian convenience products.
Soon to come will be EggHolic, an Indian chain restaurant featuring egg-based dishes and curries. The opening date hasn’t been announced. But already in the neighborhood and thriving is Surati Indian Street Food, 4047 Nolensville Pike, which sits in the shadow of Patel Brothers.
Surati features vegetarian food, which is very common in India where many residents don’t eat meat. But you won’t miss it. Indian food is some of the most intricately spiced in the world, not necessarily hot but very complex. Everything at Surati packs a craveable punch. Indian street food is famous for its variety and complexity. As the name suggests, it’s supposed to be eaten on the go.
Start off with a puri, a deep-fried thin disk made from unleavened whole-wheat flour. It puffs up in the fryer and the top is then removed to add a variety of fillings. A classic pani puri is filled with tamarind water, potatoes, onions and chickpeas flavored with chaat masala spice. You’re meant to pop the entire thing in your mouth so the flavors and textures all mingle on your tongue.
Slightly more exotic is the dahi puri, filled with potatoes, onions, black chickpeas, sweet tamarind chutney and spicy mint chutney. A veil of yogurt covers the shell. It’s sweet and spicy and addictive.
Dosas are made from a thin batter that produces a crispy round crepe that can either be rolled or folded over like a quesadilla. It also has a variety of fillings that include a spiced onion-potato masala, chutney or melted cheese. It’s served with a variety of dipping sauces. The way to attack the dosa is to break off a small piece and dunk it in a sauce. The flavor of the dosa itself is mild and just a vehicle for the flavor-packed sauces.
Pav bhaji is sort of the Krystal hamburger of the Indian food world. It’s a small, soft bun grilled with butter that is filled with a savory, spicy vegetarian filling. They’re fun to eat and you won’t miss the meat. Surati also serves a version with melted Amul cheese accompanied with chopped onion and lime.
High on the spicy meter is the chili cheese paratha. Paratha is a whole wheat flatbread fried on a grill. In the chili cheese version, spicy chilies and melted cheese combine for the fulling. It’s served with yogurt and you need it to tame the heat of the paratha.
A mango lassi exists for a reason and, for me, it’s the perfect drink to cut through the spiciness of some Indian food. It’s made from sweet mango and yogurt. It’s a refreshing counterpoint to the fiery chilies.
If you’re craving even more sweetness at the end of the meal, dig in to Surati’s floor freezer for a traditional creamy Indian frozen treat. Just like the savory part of the menu, it’s meant to be eaten on the go. You might want to grab one on the way out and walk over to Patel Brothers to browse all the treasures within.
Catherine Mayhew is a former restaurant critic for The Charlotte Observer, cookbook author and master BBQ judge. Follow her @thesouthinmymouth on Instagram to see what she’s eating and email her at food@mainstreetmediatn.com with suggestions on your favorite restaurants and food trucks.
