The crunchy samosa burrito that comes from a surprise pit stop outside of D.C. (Via Eater_DC)
On a recent lunchtime visit to a nondescript ExxonMobil gas station in Vienna, Virginia, a handful of curious onlookers were drawn to a line attached to a little kiosk inside. Alongside soda and the usual lineup of packaged snacks, grab-and-go mango lassis were lined up in a refrigerated case. When people forked over their money, they left with boxes of chicken biryani, assemble-yourself pani puri, and burritos stuffed with fried vegetable samosas.
The Puris moved to the U.S. from the Punjab region of India in the late 1990s. Bindu liked to cook for the Indian community, preparing elaborate meals for parties and serving as an unofficial caterer for friends and family. About three years ago, the couple decided to take the leap and open a restaurant in Chantilly, Virginia. The first Chit Chaat cafe opened in the summer of 2019 after lengthy delays.
“We wanted to make sure that we were delivering to our customers the promise of fresh, homemade food,” says Neil Puri, the son who manages finances for the business. Neil says open flames are not allowed inside a gas station, so the family makes due with electric stovetops. “There’s definitely less room for cooking,” he says, “but mainly we are seeing more traffic than we thought of initially so we are learning to be more efficient in the limited space.
Chit Chaat’s pani puri kits come with crispy semolina shells, potato masala filling, and to-go cups of sweet, tangy, and spicy dipping liquid.
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