25 Mar Babaji’s Kitchen

Billy and Max are the couple behind Babaji’s Kitchen, bringing Indian street food to the markets of Melbourne. Max formerly ran a restaurant back in India and has brought with him his skill and experience. Here, one might find dosa, kebabs, samosas and salads. I visited on the last day of Queen Vic Market’s night market, and the place was buzzing.

I quite enjoy a good dosa – the lightly-fermented rice flour and lentil pancakes that can be enjoyed with curry and/or filled with yummy things. Today I tried their beef Kallu Shappu dosa, which is inspired by the slow-cooked beef dish commonly available at the kallu shappu drinking establishments in Kerala. The dosa was accompanied by beetroot thoran, kosambri and tomato chutney.

As I walked through the crowds trying to find somewhere to sit, I overheard a few comments on how good my dinner looked and smelt. I was actually quite surprised by how much of the tender beef was inside; it made for quite a substantial meal. I loved its rich flavour and it went well with the slight tanginess and crispiness of the dosa. The light salads on the side injected a good dose of fresh healthiness too – the beetroot was combined with coconut and curry leaves, and the kosambri was a mixture of carrot, moong daal (mung bean), coconut and lime.

Although the night market at Queen Vic Market is over for the summer season, you can still catch Babaji’s Kitchen and get your fix of tasty Indian street food at the Upper Ferntree Gully Market every Saturday morning, the Belgrave Big Dreams market, and other locations that are updated on their Facebook page!

Disclaimer: I was invited to dine at Babaji’s Kitchen as a guest, however, opinions expressed here are purely my own and not influenced by them in any way.

Babaji’s Kitchen
Various Locations
0405 765 388
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