New food trucks spice up the nights at Besant Nagar

New food trucks spice up the nights at Besant Nagar

From carts to innovative trucks, this is how Besant Nagar’s nightlife has been evolving to keep the crowds coming. Historically, the affluent area attracts thousands of people, including senior citizens, during all days, primarily because of Elliot’s Beach.

Over the last decade or so, the area has started accommodating new food formats. Of late, many young graduates are setting up carts and food trucks along the promenade and the side lanes. “Earlier, I was selling spring potatoes, but have switched to making mud coffee, going by the trend. I have been doing this for the last six months and the response has been good,” says Nithya Gopi, who runs a cart called Nila Mud Coffee (at the entrance of the beach). “This is brewed in a unique copper vessel on a hot sand pit. And, on an average, I sell over 300 cups in the evening,” she says. Not just Nithya, there are many cart vendors who are making the Turkish mud coffee here.

On the Fourth Main Road, Madras Food Truck has a good crowd. Run by Anand Chinnathambi and Ranjith Shanmugam, it sells pasta, burgers and crunchy fish sticks. “Besant Nagar has become a food destination. We knew there was a huge market here and that was why, we decided to operate from here in 2019,” says Mr. Chinnathambi.

Right next was another truck called Hot Wagon selling rolls and kebabs. Ikram Rasheed runs the stall. He says, “I have been here for one year and it is a great place to do business. But a lot of food trucks are coming up and competition is high, resulting in low business.” He plans to set up branches at Old Mahabalipuram Road, T. Nagar, and Velachery.

A few metres further, Vicky S. and Ramya Unnikrishnan run Kuchice. It operates out of a two-wheeler cart. It was around 11 p.m. and more than 50 people were standing around the vehicle waiting for the popsicles. “We sell gourmet popsicles. Our flavours are completely different and curated. And we keep changing the varieties often,” says Vicky.

A lot of artists have also found business. Around 11.20 p.m., Preetham G.F.U. was drawing a portrait of a couple. A dozen people were standing around and watching him work. On the way back, a bunch of young entrepreneurs were discussing where to position their truck. “We will come up with a truck that will sell fusion food,” says Kishore Raj.