When someone says 'street food', an image of food carts of Bailey Road bangs on my mind. Food carts in streets are the sources of joy in Bailey Road these days. Bailey Road, the name has a history of popularizing fast food culture in Dhaka in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It has paved its way in popularizing street foods too.
You can get spicy and delicious food here in Baily Road. Dhakaiya Kebab and Soup Food Cart, in front of Natok Soroni-1, Girls' Guide, is one of the best street food carts, where people returning from office, school, and university flock around like bees to treat their taste buds! It is not like the other modern well decorated carts. The owner of the cart is Kiron, who is called 'Mama' by the people. He has been running this business for 18 years. It is one of the oldest food shops in Bailey Road.
He serves foods from 5pm to 10pm at cheaper rate, ranging from Tk 5 to Tk 130.
"I have been running this business for 18 years despite having a lot of problems including police harassment. But I am still there because of the love of the people. Even customers from Australia, USA call me to know whether I am still there. When they visit Bangladesh, they especially come to taste my food," Kiron said.
"My achievement is getting honoured. I have nothing to desire. I have prepared the food for myself and ensure a hygienic food for all. In fact I consider my customers my family members," he adds.
Customers from all walks of life, including the VIPs go there. The customers claim that the foods are hygienic.
"Some people think that roadside foods are unhygienic but we found it tasty and never feels uncomfortable," said Meem, a college student.
"Since the foods are marinated for long time, the food has different taste which you can't get at any restaurant it Dhaka," said Salman, a student of Imperial College.
Amongst the food, the popular ones are: corn soup, beef chaap, beef boti kebab, beef tikka kebab with luchi paratha, chicken fry, gila kaliza fry, and mutton jali kebab.
Lina, Imran, Tafa come here very often to have the popular pagla soup. The soup is prepared with bombai morich.
Some other carts have changed the definition of traditional street foods of Bangladesh. You will get cheese burger, sandwich, nacho, Mexican burger, chilly burger also. Stereotype people think that street food means only jhalmuri, fuchka etc. Pizza and pasta are also found here within Tk 100 to Tk 250.
Among the drinks, you will get coffee, chocolate caramel cold coffee, kitkat milk shake, oreo regular, oreo large, hot coffee, milkshake strawberry etc within Tk 35 to Tk 95.
"Ek cup cha(A cup of tea) is available in front of the number two gate of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College at Bailey Road. After gaining huge popularity from Khilgaon area, they opened the branch at Bailey Road last year. You will get fourty two variety of tea at only Tk 10 to Tk 20. They are the only one in street vendors, who sell such a huge variety. They invent their own recipe.
To have a street feast with buddies or families, nothing can be better than the street foods at Bailey Road!
