On the outside, Chow Paaji looks like any other busy Udupi at lunchtime. But there's more to this fast-casual diner that opened recently at Worli naka. Along with desi Chinese and South Indian fare, it offers chow. The popular South African street food comprises a hollowed out loaf filled to the brim with hot curry. "Despite its supposedly Indian roots, it's hard to come by in the city," says Simrranjit Ghuraa, popularly known on social media as The Hunger Blogger. He first ate chow at an African eatery in Europe and says he was blown away by the budget-friendly dish.

"The curries used were scalding hot with an infusion of chillies. But the concept lent itself to innovation," he adds. While the origin of chow is uncertain, legend has it that the fiery brand of curry journeyed with indentured labour from India who were hired to work on the British-run sugar plantations around Durban. "Whatever the story of its origin, it soon became the on-the-go meal for the working class," he says. But it's not exactly served "al desko" at the restaurant due to the risk of spillage and the loaf turning soggy. "You can't eat it like a wrap or roll, which is why we don't offer deliveries," he explains.