A former accountant with a passion for "Indo Pak" street food opened the doors to The Puff House in Broadmeadow on Monday.
Never heard of Indo Pak? It is affordable, flavoursome food cooked on the streets of India and Pakistan and includes everything from chaat (savoury snacks), vada pav (deep-fried dumpling in a bread bun), biryani and samosa through to rasmalai (an East Indian dessert) and kheer (Indian rice pudding).
The Puff House specialises in a variety of puff pastries and dessert cups that are available to eat in, take away, or by delivery. The fillings for the puffs are inspired by traditional Indian and Pakistani flavours that are, owner Charu Jhawar says, "more than just curries".
The prices are reasonable, too. You can grab an Egg Puff for $4.95, a Samosa Chaat for $9.95, a Chicken Tikka Roll for $10.95, and Pav Bhaji for $13.95. The snacks menu ranges from $3.95 to $5.95, and parathas (multi-layered flatbreads) are $12.95. The dessert cup menu is a standard $4.95 and includes Thandai Cheese Cake, Rose Kheer and Gulab Jamun Cheese Cake.
As for The Puff House itself, it is the brainchild of Indian-born Charu and her Pakistani partner, Moeez Ahmed, who is also an accountant. The pair opened the first Puff House in Melbourne in 2021.
"I have a great passion for cooking," Charu said.
"I started my cooking journey as a home chef, making food for my friends and family, and I always get a lot of appreciation for it. That motivated me to pursue it and convert my love for cooking into a profession.
"Moeez has excellent management and customer service skills. He is a people person. I believe we make a great team.
"We got so much love and appreciation in Melbourne and now here we are ready to serve our Newcastle family with the tingling flavours of our cultures."
Charu describes Indo Pak street food as "colourful" and "an assault on the senses in the best ways possible".
"India and Pakistan are vast countries boasting a diverse array of regional cuisines," she explained.
"Every region has city vendors offering hundreds if not thousands of different options.
"The history of street food in India and Pakistan isn't well documented, but it's widely believed that its origins can be traced back to the time when the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra to Delhi. Chaat, the most popular type of Indian street food, was first introduced to Old Delhi during that time.
"Historically, India and Pakistan are known to produce up to 75 per cent of the world's spices, leading to some of the tastiest and most interesting dishes you'll find anywhere on the planet."
Charu says street food "makes the biggest impression" on people travelling to India and Pakistan "looking for curry".
"Street food has become an important part of our culture and has taken root in every part of the country. Its affordability makes it accessible to everyone."
She decided to open The Puff House in Broadmeadow because it's a "centrally located suburb" of Newcastle and within walking distance of Hamilton's restaurant-lined Beaumont Street and McDonald Jones Stadium.
"It is a great location surrounded by various businesses. It has a friendly neighbourhood with ample parking spaces. It is the best location to start our journey."
