Gopal Jee, Serving Delhi’s Authentic Chole Bhature In Bangalore

Bangalore: It is very unfair for us to ask for authentic food with the same taste from different states in Bangalore. The climate, raw materials, chefs, and the love with which they cook, make a huge difference. As a Bangalorean, if you have visited the good old streets of Delhi and have gorged on the yummy Chole Bhature, the capital offers, then I’m sure you are up for a nostalgic run here, in the capital city of Karnataka.

I have tried many places that serve the so-called “Authentic Chole Bhature”, all failed to impress. But, this one small outlet in Koramangala, Gopal Jee Cafe left me wanting more. It is for granted that in a place that serves Chole Bhature and is Delhi style, many chaats and parathas are up for grabs.

The piping hot golden bhaturas with a thin crisp layer topping a bed of pillowy comfort, paired with spicy, tangy chole with extra onions, masala chili is the perfect home style goodness that a Bangalorean can eat in this rainy reason. Started by Suviggya Bansall, an ex-marketing expert, Gopal Jee Cafe is a must-visit for all authentic North Indian delicacies. Suviggya quit a high-paid job of fourteen years in a corporate firm only to treat Bangaloreans with the recipes of her grandmother.

In 2019, Suviggya and her husband decided to start a cafe that serves authentic Chole Bhature, samosa, kachori, bedmi poori with aloo subzi, stuffed parathas, Dahi Bhalla, aloo Tikki, and other seluctant dishes. Their first outlet saw the light in Bellandur which is also their central kitchen and then the branches were spread to Koramangala, Whitefield and HSR Layout.

“I have small kids and it was becoming difficult to spend time with my growing children. I felt guilty for not being with them as I would extensively travel across not only India but the world. I wanted to be around them. Even though I had no experience in the food and hospitality industry, it wasn’t tough to take the leap in Bangalore as it is a foodie city. Anyone who serves food in Bangalore can survive, and our food is authentic,” Suviggya said when asked why she quit a well-paid job to start a food chain.

The raw materials/ingredients used to cook food matter the most. Specific ingredients from specific regions make the dishes for what they are. When asked about the sourcing of ingredients Suviggya said to The Balcony Stories, “We source out ingredients only from Delhi. Except for fresh perishables like vegetables and greens, nothing else is sourced from the local market. Authentic taste is derived only if you use a certain ingredient from a certain region. So, all the masalas that we make are in-house and are sourced from North India only. Only to bring the best authentic and traditional taste.”

Purani Delhi ki Mashoor Bedmi Puri is what you find at Gopal Jee’s. Truly just the same you find in those streets of Old Delhi. The flavorful aloo subzi just smacks the taste buds and the crispy soft puri is irresistible.

The other dishes one should try are the Bread Pakora or Bhajji which we call in South India, Lassi, Buttermilk or Chaas as they call it, Dahi Bhalla and Aloo Paratha.

“Just as we started, COVID hit us and I did not expect us to stay this long in the business. I think Bangaloreans like our authenticity and I should thank food blogger Kripal Amanna for featuring us on his vlog. The whole of Bangalore got to know about us,” said Suviggya Bansall. She plans to start more branches in Bangalore shortly.