Vik's Chaat

The summer went by too fast! Oh my goodness, I did not try as much new places as time allowed me to, if only I had the power to control time. If there was something memorable about my summer one of those things was grabbing some bomb-tastic Indian food with my brother.

We had a conversation the night before we went to Vik's about our very first encounter with Indian food with his friend Jonathan. The very first Indian dish I tried was a dosa and I was blown. This past year I have been going to an Indian street food restaurant called Vik's and man it changes your view on Indian food.

I went here several times and every time it does not disappoint for the quality of the food. The price is another story, hold that thought. Quality it great and Vik's has a general menu and then there is the weekday/weekend menu which the main items they're selling those times are rotated from what I've observed. I have tried the tandoori chicken, chicken tikki masala, a chicken dosa? Then there's the samosas, the veggie pakoras, and my ultimate favorite the MASALA DOSA. Can I tell you how much I love the masala dosa? Of course!!!

The filling is on point with peas and the potatoes cooked soft to the touch yet there is pronounced chunks. The spices within the filling is subtle which compliments the rice crepe which encloses the filling so nicely.  I can't really go into detail about the condiments and the side which goes along with it and really sometimes you shouldn't need to ask question because it's so freakin' delicious. The samosas, which were filled with lamb, was questionable because I was expecting it to taste gamy; didn't come close at all and it was super enjoyable. The veggie pakoras has a kick in spice which is perfect to have with the dosa.

For all this flavorful food the pricing fits the bill except for the galum jamun; for two really sweet pieces of soaked hush-like puppies it was $3, not worth it. Stick to the entrees. For this review I would like to take my weekend slurge at Vik' with my brother. Bought $40 worth of food (two masala dosas, veggie pakoras, samosas, mango lasi, and daki batata puri) and I can say it was super-duper satisfying on my tummy and my wallet. Also since this was the weekend it was nearly packed, which says a lot of how beloved and well-known it is with the locals, and their dining area is huge.Service wise, they're on top of what they do and every time I go it's always the same people behind registers and counters; very dedicated and efficient at what they do. 

Even though Vik's is  located in the corner between a hoard of businesses, Vik's is one of the many high quality eateries Berkeley has to offer in the East Bay. It's like finding a 5 dollar bill on the ground; it's a pleasant feeling of stumbling upon.

Vik's Chaat - 2390 4th Street, Berkeley, CA
Value - 5/5
Food - 5/5
Atmosphere - 4/5
Service - 4/5
Overall - 5/5