In 99.9% of cases someone saying “I think we need to have a chat” is very, very far from a good thing, with it bringing a sense of impeding doom in both the relationship and work spheres.
Add an extra “a” to the word chat, however, and in the food environment you can generally expect something rather good or at least interesting eating wise with chaats India’s answer to street food. Easily eaten snacks, with full on South East Asian flavours.
This bring me to Shree Krishna Vada Pav, which is very much located at the arse end of Queen Street (which is always “an utter delight” to walk down these days) near the rather apt “josh that was really worth it” (anal) Canal Quarter (akin to the Springfield Monorail and at allegedly upwards of £9 million for phase 1 a real bargain 🙄 – I mean if the Penhill Road bus lane cost £1 million I am frankly amazed uncovering 70 metres of drain didn’t cost at least the market value of Space X).
If you think this “Grand Canal- esque edifice” represents good value for money, I have a very fine bridge which may interest you. Does require a small – 110% – non refundable desposit to secure, as obs. lots of interest and when its (I’m) gone it (your money) is gone. Delivery time will be a mere 6 quettaseconds!
Anyhow Cardiff’s “folly drainagé” aside, I was in need of sustainance prior to a Brunello di Montalcino wine tasting down the bay.
and thus found myself at Queen Street train station, with the option of trying this place out or going down the bay for food with a fellow Mystere and Cardiff Wine Buyers Cub member/mate.
As a general rule I don’t get carbs on carbs and have a visceral hatred of chips with a pizza (totally and utterly superfluous to requirements), but I am nothing if not inconsistent and as such find a chip butty a perfectly acceptable combo.
A vada pav is the Indian equivalent of said chip butty with a deep fried battered mashed potato patty in a soft bab, livened up with some good old Indian spicing, and it seemed ideal as a stomach liner in preparation for a bit of big boy brunello imbibing.
With this place’s name, vada pavs unsurprisingly feature heavily on the menu here,
but are far from the only offering with the (to the lower right) chaatbox offering some options which (as the title suggests) were of interest to me.
I was particularly drawn to the weekday meal deal of a vada pav, a chaat and a drink for £8.95, which at first blush seemed rather good value. Love a bargain me.
The two of us ordered a vada pav × 2 (normally £2.95 each), a sev puri (normal £6.95), a dahi puri (normally £7.25), a masala chai (normally £1.75) and a coke (normally £1.90). To this we added a couple of samosas (£4.25 for 2). All in, this came to £22.15 (so a smidgen over £11 each).
On that basis, I think you get a lot for your lucre here.
Stuff came as and when it was ready (rather than all at once), with the sev puri arriving first.
Decent portion, with 6 pieces, I though bearing in mind the price.
A crisp flat puri base was loaded up with a nicely spiced mixture of potato, onions and tomato and a green (presume coriander based) chutney. Peanuts added a nice crunch as did the liberally applied sev. I really like the sweet and sour tamarind chutney that was the sea the puris rested in. Lovely combo of sweet and sour, with a touch of heat, these.
The dahl puris were a variation on a similar theme
with the hollow puris filled with spiced potato and tangy yoghurt. The puris retained their structure and when popped into the mouth whole provided a pleasing little flavour bomb. A tart tamarind chutney was drizzled over the puris, with sev and peanuts adding extra crunch. Again ideal to share with 6 puris.
Our extra order outside of the meal deal was a couple of chunky samosas (£4.25)
Good crisp (short crust) pastry and a bountiful filling of peas, onion and potato replete with cumin seeds and a touch of chilli heat. A green chutney and a tamarind chutney added nicely to the mix when drizzled on the samasos.
I tried one of the cooked chilli’s on the side and instantly regretted it as it was viciously hot.
As a chilli wuss these had me spluttering and reaching for a drink and, as a result, I left it at just the one. My mate wisely abstained.
As to the place’s namesake, these arrived last and were quite chunky.
Soft white babs were smothered in a number of chutneys ( green/ coriander, tamarind and coconut I think) and encased a crisp battered disc of silky smooth mashed potato infused with spices (coriander, chilli and cumin I would say).
Really tasty this and an absolute bargain if bought on its own (a mere £2.95 each outside of the meal deal)
As stated above, part of the meal deal is a canned drink or masala chai and I had the latter
Decent cup of chai this, with nice spicing (cardamon to the fore) and the right amount of sweetness for my tastes.
I was tempted by some of the other available drinks (but not as part of the meal deal) in the form of the various sherbets and the staple mango lassi, but as I am tight I kept it at just my included in the meal deal drink. Could have done with one of the sherbets to extinguish the chilli heat at one point mind!
Mate had a coke zero, which was brown and wet with no doubt zero taste.
The verdict
This place is a chain (with Cardiff being their 23rd branch and as such by no means a small one), but it is that rare as hen’s teeth thing that is a really good chain. It is good because the food is both tasty and bountiful and the pricing is very competitive. This is a much sort after trifecta that few are able to achieve, but I think this place absolutely nails it.
The meal deal at £8.95 is a steal and enough for a full blown meal. For a lighter bite, the vada pav at under £3 makes for a much better option than a manky supermarket sarnie to my mind.
I am generally not the biggest fan of veggie food, but if I worked in town I would eat here alot and I would not be bothered by the absence of meat one little bit.
Breakfast option looks pretty decent too.
Whilst its location ain’t great, with the nign on abandoned to rot Capital centre opposite and the “allure” of il tubo fognario to the right,
the food is very good value for money and it is convenient for Queen Street train station. Certainly worth the trek along Millionaires’ (if in Iranian Rials) Mile aka Queen Street.
If someone suggests a cha(a)t, this is somewhere where it will be far from an umpleasant experience.
The detail
Address: 111 Queen Street,Cardiff, CF10 2BH
Website: https://skvp.co.uk
Opening hours:
