Biking for brunch: Pedaling 12 miles for an Indian meal

It’s not very often that one hears about the sport of riding bicycles and Indian food in the same breath. Well, not in the American continent at least. Team Alameda, a recreational biking group from Alameda California busted that myth. On Sunday November 15, 2009, a group of riders pedaled a distance of 12 miles to Viks Chaat Corner in Berkeley for a tasty and surprisingly economical Indian repast.

Team Alameda is a biking club that seeks to inspire and encourage cycling in the community. They organize rides every Saturday morning at 8:00 am and every Sunday morning at 9:00 am from the Kaiser Permanente Alameda Medical Center at Central Avenue just off Park Street in Alameda. Most of their recreational rides revolve around choosing an interesting Taco Truck, restaurant or Coffee stand as a pit stop. One of the riders mentioned in jest, “We are food enthusiasts with a biking problem”. What an excellent way to combine a gastronomic adventure with exercise and warm friendly folks! And when Indian food is in the spotlight, how could you go wrong? The ride to Viks Chaat Corner in Berkeley for a taste of Indian fare is done about twice a year and is reported to be one of the teams’ favorite events.

At 9:00 am on the Sunday morning, it was a veritable sea of gears, pedals, helmets and spandex at the usual meeting place. After a triumphant “Let’s ride” echoed, the bikes were off amidst the sound of changing gears and cleats clicking into the pedals. The bikers settled into a steady pace on a 12 mile bike route that would cover Alameda, to Berkeley, via Oakland.

Before you knew it, the group had collected outside the famous establishment a few minutes before 11:00 am, bicycles stashed and locked, helmets in hand and appetites in tow. It’s amazing how fast two hours and 12 miles pass when you are having a good time. The shutters opened to a swarm of spandex clad hungry bicyclists who swooped on in to get their much-anticipated Indian food fix. One could hear requests for Samosas, Chole Bhature and Masala Dosas over the clak-clak sound of cleats on the floor as the cyclists gingerly balanced a glass of Mango Lassi and Hot Chai in each hand back to their table. Before you knew it, the table was laden with a cornucopia of Indian delicacies and the group dug in with vigor, loading up on ‘carbs’ for the ride back.

Viks is well known by both Indians and Americans alike. Located on 4th and Alliston in Berkeley, it is famous for its simple offerings, low prices and exceptional quality. They specialize in Chaat, which is Indian street fast food - a variety of savory snacks, mostly based on crispy fried dough known as ‘Puris’ and mixed with a variety of sauces, chutneys and a plethora of ingredients. Viks has a great model - serve a few items of exceptional quality, price it very well and serve it in a clean environment.

While the menu may be limited, they have specials on the weekend that are quite interesting. This Sunday, the special was Shammi Kababs – Pan seared Lamb patties on Biryani Rice, all for $6.50. They also featured Indian favorites like Chicken Biryani and Lamb Baida Roti. The eye-catching feature was the hard-to-find Koliwada fried fish. This is a spicy crispy fish preparation very typical to the fisher folk in the coastal regions of India. Recommended that this be washed down with libations such as the usual Indian Chai, Mango lassi or perhaps Tender Coconut water right out of the shell. They even feature Indian soft drinks such as Thums up, Limca and Maaza. If the spice burn is a bit much to handle, choose from a dizzying array of Indian sweets from their display counters. You can never go wrong with their Ras Malai, the soft and fluffy milk curd patty soaking in a rich saffron pistachio milk bath. It’s a universal favorite.

It was a fun filled morning as Team Alameda executed yet another successful biking adventure focusing on the tastes of India. We can’t wait for their next ride where another scenic route is traversed and another pit stop offering exemplary fare is discovered.

Let’s ride!!! Let’s eat!!! Let’s ride!!!

Vik's Chaat Corner is located at 726 Allston Way Berkeley CA 94710