Orange with a chance of meatballs
If
you have been visiting Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar, you may have
seen this cheerful orange food truck featuring an image of the Marina
lighthouse. What is even more unmissable is the aroma of hot, buttery
pasta mingled with Chinese fried rice, wafting from it.
The
Madras Food Truck was launched in March last year. “The younger
generation is curious to know more about food trucks but the older
generation thinks we are just street vendors,” smiles Anand.
Ranjith
takes care of the food. He previously worked as demi chef de partie at
The Oberoi, Bengaluru and Hyatt Regency, Delhi. “Our cuisine is a fusion
of Indian, Chinese, Italian, American and continental,” says Anand.
Their focus is on using fresh ingredients. “We used to serve fries, but
we stopped as we had to freeze the semi-boiled potatoes. Also, we have
fish on the menu, only when there is a fresh catch,” says Anand.
Their
honey chilli potato is a favourite among clients. The potatoes are
tossed with a combination of spicy sauces and fried to crispy
perfection.
Other popular starters include
lotus stem, baby corn and barbecue chicken wings. The Italian mushrooms
and white sauce pasta are well received too.
“Many
customers have told us that the pasta they’ve eaten at fancy
restaurants — typically costing ₹400 a dish — is not as good as ours.
That’s the comment we’ve always longed to hear,” smiles Anand.
They also serve seafood: crunchy fish sticks topped with peri-peri mayonnaise and squid with addictive Indian masala.
However,
it is the desi Chinese fried rice that is the star of the menu. “The
cooking method is different from the traditional Chinese style, and we
add a secret ingredient that’s found in everyone’s home,” grins Anand,
mysteriously. The brothers enjoy running the truck: they say people who
visit regularly have become friends. “Some customers encourage us to
start more food trucks, and are even willing to invest in the business,”
says Anand. They’re planning to scale up by starting a truck dedicated
to South Indian cuisine before the end of the year. The Madras Food
Truck is parked at Fourth Main Road, Besant Nagar and is open between 6
pm and 11 pm.
